Lord Baltimore Hotel Review: Our First Stay at Baltimore’s Haunted Historic Hotel

Hello, spooky cats!

We have stayed at the historic Lord Baltimore Hotel twice, but this review covers our very first visit. We came for the hotel’s history, architecture, and ghost stories—and to find out whether it was actually a good place to spend the night.

Built in 1928, the Lord Baltimore Hotel was once the tallest building in Baltimore. Over the years, it has developed a dark reputation connected to stories of people jumping from the roof during the Great Depression.

One legend involves a ghostly couple reportedly seen standing on the hotel’s balconies. The hotel’s most famous spirit, however, is a little girl named Molly. She is said to wander the upper floors, play with a red ball, giggle in the hallways, and occasionally ride the elevators.

Would we meet Molly during our stay—or would the most frightening part be the valet parking?

Let’s take a look.

Arriving at the Lord Baltimore Hotel

The Lord Baltimore Hotel is located in downtown Baltimore, close to the Inner Harbor and only a short walk from Edgar Allan Poe’s grave.

That location makes it a convenient base for exploring the city, especially for anyone interested in Baltimore history, Poe, unusual architecture, or haunted locations.

The hotel immediately feels different from a modern chain property. The lobby is filled with artwork, chandeliers, gold details, large staircases, and architectural features that reflect the building’s age.

It has an elegant but slightly gloomy atmosphere, which works perfectly for a supposedly haunted hotel.

Our Room on the 11th Floor

We stayed in Room 1130 on the 11th floor.

The room had a king-size bed and a view of another section of the hotel. It was not the most exciting view in Baltimore, but we were not planning to sit by the window staring at buildings all day.

The room included:

• A king-size bed
• A television
• A refrigerator
• A microwave
• A coffee maker
• A full-length mirror
• A desk and chair
• A telephone
• Several lamps
• A curtained closet
• A private bathroom

The mysterious curtain near the entrance turned out to be the closet rather than a secret doorway into another dimension.

The closet was a decent size, especially considering the hotel was built in the 1920s. Using a curtain instead of a solid door also gave us more flexibility when storing luggage.

A Surprisingly Spacious Historic Room

Older hotels often have extremely small rooms, but ours was larger than expected.

The decor was dark, which I did not mind for a short stay. I would not personally want to live in a dark room every day, but for a haunted hotel adventure, it added to the atmosphere.

The room had enough lighting, although some of the electrical outlets felt loose. At one point, the lights flickered after we plugged in our equipment.

Was it an overloaded circuit in an old building?

Probably.

Was it Molly letting us know we had arrived?

That sounds more exciting.

The Refrigerator and Microwave

I was pleased to find both a refrigerator and a microwave in the room.

Several historic hotels we had recently visited did not provide either one. Having both made it easier to store drinks, save food, and avoid wandering through the hotel late at night searching for snacks.

The refrigerator was especially useful because we tend to bring plenty of drinks and equipment when we travel.

Ghost hunting is thirsty work.

Bathroom and Amenities

The bathroom continued the room’s dark color scheme.

It included a sink, toilet, shower, towels, soap, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

For some reason, the room came with three bath towels.

Why three?

Not two. Not four.

Three.

Perhaps one towel was reserved for Molly.

The toiletries were a decent size and included separate shampoo and conditioner, which is always appreciated. The bathroom also contained makeup wipes and neatly folded toilet paper.

Some parts of the bathroom looked slightly worn and could have used more attention during cleaning, but overall, it was functional.

The hotel had clearly gone through renovations at some point, although certain areas were beginning to show their age again.

The Shower

The shower took an extremely long time to become hot.

It reached the point where I was almost ready to call the front desk and ask whether the hotel had lost its hot water. Just as I began to give up, the water finally started warming.

Once it became hot, the shower worked properly.

Anyone staying here should turn the water on and give it time before assuming something is broken. Historic hotel plumbing apparently likes to make an entrance.

The Bed

The king-size bed gave us plenty of room, but the mattress was firmer than I prefer.

It made my hips hurt during the night, although I did manage to sleep.

Mattress comfort is very subjective. Someone who prefers a firm bed may love it. I prefer something softer, with enough padding to make me question whether I have been swallowed by a cloud.

It was not the worst hotel bed we have encountered, but it was not my favorite.

Exploring the Haunted Hotel

One of the best parts of staying at the Lord Baltimore is exploring the building.

The hotel is filled with paintings, historic-looking rooms, strange hallways, elegant staircases, balconies, and areas that look as though they belong in an old movie.

Some of the artwork even features the hotel’s ghost stories.

We found several paintings of Molly and her red ball, including one showing the ball near the elevators on the 19th floor.

I enjoyed that the hotel did not completely hide from its haunted reputation. It displayed paranormal-themed artwork and had previously participated in National Ghost Hunting Day.

The Haunted 19th Floor

The 19th floor is generally considered the most haunted level of the hotel.

It is associated with Molly, the elevators, and several other paranormal stories. Naturally, we had to go up and explore.

The hotel’s Skybar is also located on the upper level, but unfortunately, it was closed during our visit because it was Sunday.

We could see the rooftop area, but we were not able to go outside.

That was disappointing because the rooftop would have been one of the best places to investigate the hotel’s darker stories.

We later returned to the Lord Baltimore for a second stay when the Skybar was open, but during this first trip, we had to settle for looking longingly at the closed entrance.

The Haunted Elevators

The hotel’s elevators are also said to be haunted.

Guests have reported unusual movement, unexpected stops, and encounters with Molly. She is sometimes described as appearing inside or near the elevators with her red ball.

We spent time riding around and examining the upper floors, although nothing especially strange happened.

There were many elevators, which made it easy to become slightly confused about which one we had used.

I considered trying the elevator game, but convincing my husband to participate was another matter.

Some people are afraid of ghosts.

Some people are afraid of getting trapped in an elevator while their wife performs an internet ritual.

Both concerns are valid.

Searching for the Ghostly Couple

Another Lord Baltimore legend involves a ghostly couple reportedly seen standing on the balconies overlooking the lobby.

I spent some time watching the balconies, hoping someone translucent might appear.

Unfortunately, I did not see anyone.

The balconies, artwork, and dark upper levels still created an eerie atmosphere, particularly when the lobby was quiet.

Even without ghosts, the architecture gives you plenty to stare at.

The Hotel’s Artwork

The artwork was one of my favorite parts of the Lord Baltimore Hotel.

The lobby and hallways contained paintings ranging from elegant to strange. One particular image reminded me of something from The Shining, and I was determined to find it before we left.

I eventually did.

The hotel also displayed portraits connected to the “lords” of Lord Baltimore, as well as artwork associated with Edgar Allan Poe and the city’s history.

Guests should take time to walk around and look closely at the walls. The art gives the hotel far more personality than a standard modern property.

The Ballroom

We attempted to look inside the ballroom, but it was locked.

I managed to get a limited view, but not enough to properly explore the space.

Historic ballrooms are often central to haunted hotel legends, so I was disappointed that we could not see more of it.

Still, the locked door added an appropriate amount of mystery.

Every haunted hotel needs at least one room you are not allowed to enter.

Dinner at the Tavern

The Lord Baltimore has several dining options, including a tavern, café, bakery, and more formal spaces.

We ate dinner at the tavern.

I ordered a crab cake burger and Old Bay wings, while Zach ordered a steak.

The dinner service was good, and we had no complaints. The food arrived properly, the staff handled everything normally, and the experience was much smoother than some of our other interactions during the stay.

The menu reflected Baltimore’s love of crab and Old Bay, so it was a fitting place to eat while visiting the city.

Breakfast at the Bistro and Bakery

The next morning, we ate breakfast at the hotel’s café and bakery.

I ordered French toast with bacon, and the portion was large enough that we could probably have shared it.

Unfortunately, the service was slow and confusing.

The staff received my order but somehow missed Zach’s. They also forgot to make my coffee until we asked about it.

Zach was not charged for the missing breakfast, so that part worked out. He does not usually care much about breakfast anyway.

The food itself was good. The main issue was the delay and miscommunication.

Problems With Our Hotel Package

We booked a package directly through the Lord Baltimore Hotel’s website that included breakfast and valet parking.

Unfortunately, no one seemed to know what package we were talking about.

The reservation had apparently been coded incorrectly, and we had to speak with several people before the problem was resolved.

The hotel eventually corrected it, but the process took time and added unnecessary confusion.

When booking a package, I recommend keeping a copy of the confirmation showing exactly what is included. That gives you something to reference if the staff cannot find the correct details.

Valet Parking Delays

Valet parking was another frustrating part of the stay.

When we requested our vehicle, we waited almost an hour for it to arrive.

We may have requested it during a particularly busy time, but the wait was still excessive.

Anyone staying at the hotel should request their vehicle well before they actually need to leave. Do not wait until you are standing in the lobby with a strict schedule.

The ghosts may move quickly through the elevators, but the cars apparently do not.

Did We Experience Anything Paranormal?

During this first stay, we did not have a dramatic ghost encounter.

We did not see Molly, hear a bouncing red ball, or witness the ghostly couple standing on a balcony.

The flickering light in the room was interesting, but the loose outlets and number of devices we had plugged in offered a much more ordinary explanation.

We explored the 19th floor, rode the elevators, searched the balconies, and examined the hotel’s haunted artwork, but nothing happened that we could confidently identify as paranormal.

That does not prove the hotel is not haunted.

It simply means the ghosts did not cooperate during our visit.

They continue to be terrible at customer service.

What We Liked

The strongest parts of the Lord Baltimore Hotel were its history, architecture, artwork, location, and haunted atmosphere.

The room was more spacious than expected and included a refrigerator and microwave. The dark decor suited the building, and the hotel had plenty of areas to explore.

Dinner at the tavern was also enjoyable.

Most importantly, the hotel felt memorable. It did not resemble every other modern hotel we have visited.

What Could Be Better

The main problems involved service and maintenance.

Our package confused the staff, breakfast service was disorganized, valet parking took nearly an hour, and the shower took a long time to become hot.

The room also showed some wear, and the mattress was harder than I prefer.

None of those issues completely ruined the experience, but guests should arrive with patience.

This may not be the best hotel for someone following a strict schedule.

Final Lord Baltimore Hotel Review

Despite the service issues, I still enjoyed our first stay at the Lord Baltimore Hotel.

The building is beautiful, historic, atmospheric, and filled with interesting artwork. Its haunted legends make exploring the upper floors and elevators far more exciting than walking through an ordinary hotel.

The room was comfortable enough, dinner was good, and the location made it easy to explore Baltimore and visit Edgar Allan Poe’s grave.

Would I recommend staying here?

Yes—but allow plenty of extra time.

Do not schedule breakfast immediately before an important appointment, and request your car from valet long before you need it.

The Lord Baltimore is not a flawless luxury hotel. It is an aging historic building with a few service problems, a lot of character, and some wonderfully creepy ghost stories.

I wanted to support the hotel because places like this deserve to survive. Historic hotels give us something that modern chain properties cannot: stories, atmosphere, strange artwork, haunted elevators, and the chance that a little girl with a red ball might be waiting on the next floor.

We did eventually return for a second stay—this time for two nights—which gave us another opportunity to explore the hotel and search for Molly.

But that is another haunted hotel review.

Stay spooky, cats!