Travel USA - Stay at a haunted hotel


Death Valley is an impressive area to visit. It is a little bit out of the way, you have to be on the road for 850 kilometres if you would like to go to San Francisco airport from this dry and hot National Park. 

While driving towards San Francisco, the sun began to set and we realised we had to stop over somewhere in the middle. After I checked the map and without any further research, I booked a night at a hotel in Bakersfield, which is the oil capital of California in Kern County. Little did I know what I was about to experience that night. Even writing it down today, gives me goosebumps.


An evening at the Padre Hotel



The friendly valet took the car and soon after we found ourselves in the lobby of the Padre Hotel where we were greeted not only by a smiling member of staff but also by a massive poster of a cowgirl. This place was really what we were looking for. 

There was music, a restaurant, and a bar. Our room was spacious enough, the beds comfy, and it is a lively, modern and stylish place. We left our things in the room, had a bite to eat in the 'saloon' and went to spend a few hours at the rooftop bar. It was a warm Friday summers night, locals were celebrating the beginning of the weekend, drinks were flowing, it was a fun atmosphere. We loved it. 

A great night - over to soon

As usual with all great nights, everything was over too soon. The inevitably last order was announced and then the lights went on and the music stopped. There was a lovely silence under a starry sky and we retired to our room. 



Is the Padre Hotel haunted?


After entering the room I started to feel awkward, there was no reason for it. I calmed myself and went to sleep but soon after I woke up and I could have sworn there was somebody in our room. I switched the light on … nothing and nobody there. I felt so silly. Do you know that feeling when someone is staring at you? I was lying in bed, totally petrified. I felt lost but at the same time, it comforted me that there were people running in the hallway ... only until I realized that it was 4 am and most certainly no one was playing catch or anything outside our room at this time. I convinced myself I must have imagined everything. I tried to get back to sleep, counting backward from 100 and it worked, for a short while. 

Not long after I went back to sleep I woke up because my travel companion was fiddling around at the window to open it, but wait, who was the guy next to me? I switched the light on again, there was no one at the window and my travel companion was in bed fast asleep. The lights stayed on and I also opened the curtains, the darkness was slowly fading away, the night became day, it was just before sunrise. I made myself comfortable for another round of counting backward from 100, and together with deep breaths, it worked a treat.

When I woke up, the sun was shining. It was all good. The night was over and my travel companion was lying next to me. I felt his presence. As you know, you feel it, when there is someone next to you, even without seeing that person. I turned around to ask him whether he agrees we better leave soon after breakfast since we have a long drive ahead of us. When I stretched out my hand I noticed he wasn’t there. It made my hair stand on end and I skyrocketed out of bed as I saw him taking a shower. The wall was made from glass.

The Padre Hotel is the oldest in Bakersfield


The Padre Hotel is the oldest in Bakersfield, it first opened its doors in 1928. While we had a strong and delicious coffee at their fabulous breakfast café I googled information about the hotel and found out that it is believed to be haunted by people who died in a fire there a long time ago



Would you like to stay at a haunted place or have you ever experienced something similar? Looking forward to hearing from you.

From Berlin with love