Standing at the foot of the steps to the old 4th Street Hotel, I fidget nervously. You can’t fault me for being wary of the front door up ahead – I’ve seen far too many “guests” get literally dragged through it… willingly or not. Unfortunately for me, the toothy black and white clown lurking nearby- and wielding a spiked mallet stained with red- isn’t having any of my hesitation. “W-wait a minute!” he bellows, drawing dangerously close. “Get on that top step!” I’ve been around this place enough times to have learned that when you get an order, you’re better off following it.
Reluctantly, I ascend and wait to be checked in. A small, busted opening in the door provides the only glimpse as to what I may face once I’m inside… and I could’ve sworn I just saw a pair of eyes, gleaming with evil delight, peering at me from the darkness. For my twelfth year in a row, it’s time for the annual stay at the scariest hotel in Louisville: the infamous Haunted Hotel.
Now in operation for 35 years, The Haunted Hotel is one of the oldest haunted houses in Kentucky. With a frequently evolving storyline and a reputation for delivering extreme full-contact frights, the Hotel has built quite a following among die-hard haunt-goers in the local scene. What new nightmares has this place cooked up within its wicked walls for 2025? Read on to find out more…
NOTE: I experienced the Haunted Hotel completely alone and did not enter with another group.
The Hotel was thoroughly “staffed” the night I came to stay with them. There wasn’t a single scene or area without someone waiting to give me a nice welcome – if by “welcome” you mean “scare the crap out of me”! Most of the characters I met seemed to fit in with the hotel theme in some way, but there was also a great variety of them. I could never be sure of exactly who I was going to meet next, or what they were going to do when I encountered them. The cast was very interactive too: with each other, with the sets they were in, and definitely with me. In addition to spoken lines, I heard a number of shrieks, screeches, and growls from the more monstrous creatures inhabiting the property. It seemed the Hotel’s darkness had transformed them to a point where they could no longer form human speech.
Octavia Von, who seemed to be managing the place, and the bellhop, Atlas, got me checked in at the start of my visit. The former was delightfully sassy, and when I got a touch bratty with her, she was quick with a response in her Southern drawl. Her bellhop, on the other hand, was a little too enthusiastic about his job… as he spoke to me, his words were often punctuated by unnerving giggles. Not long after entering the house, I was accosted by a horned, demonic-looking staff member gruffly asking where my luggage was. Oh, I don’t know… probably strewn all over the damn place like everyone else’s was? After getting the initial jump scare, I had a cute chittering little creature engage me in a game of Ring Around the Rosie. I was feeling silly and ended it with “We fall dead!” – resulting in her toppling motionless to the floor. “Oh sh*t, I think I just killed her.” Thankfully, she reanimated and escorted me (not scared – no scares on stairs!) to the top floor.
While everyone else thus far hadn’t been *too* aggressive to deal with, those working upstairs were considerably less friendly. The young lady in charge of checking me into my actual room upstairs abruptly backed me into the nearest wall, snarling, “Did you f**kin’ check in? Did you visit the front desk?! What’s your room number?” It seemed my answer of Room 13 didn’t exist, so I was given Room 4 instead. Too bad the guest already staying there didn’t appreciate my intrusion and LOUDLY ordered me out. (I eventually had both of them yelling at me. Man, they really knew how to make a lady feel welcome.)
There were a couple I attempted to interact with, and they weren’t really sure what to do. The haunt does have several new cast members this year, and I am sure they will find ways to play back at guests as the season progresses.
Several different characters and creatures inhabited the property, from those roaming its grounds out front to the maniacs lurking in the outdoor maze. I noticed a good mix of themed costumes, like the bellhop’s uniform and the maintenance crew’s jumpsuits, and other outfits such as dirty & distressed dresses, a torn-up suit jacket, and street clothes that had varying degrees of dirt or damage added to them.
Masks and makeup were about 50/50 among the cast. Amethyst had a unique look where each half of her face was red or black and covered in mysterious runes. Octavia’s pale face was etched with darkness spreading over her skin like veins. Multiple actors had their faces and collarbones shaded to give them a haggard appearance that suggested they’d been trapped there for far too long. One actor in the greenhouse portion of the maze had an incredibly cool effect with her makeup that I won’t spoil, but when it was revealed, it made my jaw drop! For masks, Void had loads of sharp teeth not only in his mouth, but also in his eyes… and even a second mouth on the back of his head! Elevator attendant Gustav’s face was blank and smooth, giving him an emotionless appearance. An actor in the church appeared to have grimy bandages wrapped around his head. Down in the maze, one of the maniacs who repeatedly hunted me there wore a cracked mannequin-like mask. One of my favorite looks was that of the actor wearing a mask with a sharp-toothed, leering grin – and also a pair of eerie contacts, which made him look super creepy. Quite a few SFX lenses were worn by actors this year, and they really added a new dimension to their characters.
I saw a few opportunities where more detail could’ve been added or a “plain clothes” outfit distressed further. A few more props would’ve helped with variety, too.
Between the big, easy-to-read sign and ominous red light washing over the building, The Haunted Hotel was easy to spot as I drove up. Tickets could be purchased online or at a booth on the right side of the building. The price for tickets varies depending on the night you visit, with prices increasing later on when the season is in full swing and the haunt is much busier. When I was there, General Admission was $25.00. A speedier Fast Pass upgrade could be added for an extra $15.00, or you could even head straight to the Front of the Line for another $35.00. Free street parking and cash lot parking were available.
Plenty of security was on hand to keep everyone safe, and there were many helpful staff members around to assist customers. I would recommend watching your step on your way to the ticket booth, as it’s darker on that side, and there were some uneven spots. Navigating the property wasn’t difficult, with the entrance to the General Admission queue easy to find and the Fast Pass line clearly labeled. A common question I’ve heard from arriving groups is where to purchase tickets, as that is not immediately obvious – adding a sign or two at the front would help. Just about everything prospective customers would want to know about the attraction can be found on the haunt’s website.
IMPORTANT: Before you visit The Haunted Hotel, you must know that this is an extreme FULL CONTACT haunted house. Anything and everything can happen here, including being grabbed, buzzed with chainsaws, or even picked up and carried away from your group! There’s also a good chance you’ll wind up wet and/or dirty if you manage to escape, so don’t show up wearing anything nice. With all of that said, the actors at the Hotel go through a great deal of training on how to handle and scare guests safely, and no one will intentionally try to hurt you.
A “NO VACANCY” sign flickered on and off out front as I approached, creating the illusion that this looming red building was an actual hotel I would soon be checking into. When I made my way to the side of the building where the ticket booth was, I was delighted to see that the area had received an overhaul and now included a detailed photo op with props groups could take photos with, like a bellhop cap and a giant key. While I waited in line, I spotted two roamers: a tall (and toothy) black and white clown named Void, and the beautiful Amethyst, who carried a mouth full of blood she was happy to share… I ended up with it running down my arms and smeared on my face at the front door. Two vendors were on site selling various flavors of lemon shake-ups, hot and cold snacks, drinks, and sweets.
For 2025, the hotel has been given an official name- the 4th Street Hotel- and its story includes references to previous years. (The bellhop in the first room asked if I knew what happened to Mr. Gribbons, the business’s former proprietor, and was delighted when I confirmed his fate.) The Hotel herself is alive; a living, breathing entity of darkness that absorbs souls to sustain herself, corrupting her staff and a few unlucky guests into bringing in more for her to feed upon. You’ll check in – but are you going to check out…?
Many new scenes were added this year in keeping with the theme. I walked through shelves sparsely covered with books, papers, and cards, almost like a library of sorts. There was also a wine cellar with barrels and clusters of empty glass bottles and a luggage room, where several suitcases were left in disarray – some even stuck to the walls. Other appropriate scenes were the front desk and lobby, a messy laundry room, a church, an actual guest room, two disgusting bathrooms, and a maintenance room. A new scene had been added to the outdoor maze that involved sinks, a big saw blade, and a lot of water. That one had me scratching my head. I also feel like the outdoor maze’s purpose could be better explained; in the past, it’s been said that it’s a homeless camp surrounding the hotel. There was also a machine left out in the open at one point that looked like it was there to provide a special effect.
To bring this beautiful nightmare to life, a large number of special effects were used throughout the haunt. You won’t see many bare or low-detail areas here: most walls were covered with layers of grime, rot, rust, cobwebs, vines, or even props. Layering and textures were effectively used to add realism to every room. Backing tracks played in every scene and were tailored to each area, such as the old-fashioned hotel music following the elevator and gritty industrial rock and metal tracks elsewhere. In the doll room, a doll’s sinister voice could be heard speaking. The maze had a soundtrack that varied between intense and anxiety-inducing to softer and more unsettling, which was perfect considering the mix of brutal attacks and quieter, creepier interactions out there.
Props filled every room and were largely appropriate for all of them. Shelves of dolls were neatly organized, with a couple of life-sized (!) ones standing out in the open. Suitcases were strewn everywhere in the luggage room. The hotel’s front desk was set up to look exactly like a real hotel desk, complete with a little bell to ring for service. Assorted plants and vines filled the greenhouse in the maze. Animatronics were also used: a possessed lady dropped from above in the church, plants came to life and tried to chomp me, barrels nearly fell on me at one point (!), and there was a pretty BIG rat problem going on upstairs.
To add further realism, several sensory effects were deployed. A realistic elevator, shuddering and groaning with age, dropped guests off to their destination… or doom. The floor in the hotel’s freezer was rather slippery – watch your step! Feeling your way through a certain section of the maze might’ve given unlucky guests a shocking surprise, and the super-thick fog spewing everywhere certainly didn’t help. The laundry room also had a gross, mildewy smell. While the haunt was very immersive in itself, I did spot some opportunities to enhance the show here and there. A little extra light in the hotel lobby, right before the elevator, would’ve helped to not only bring out the scene’s details but also show off the bellhop’s makeup and costume. The elevator’s audio could’ve used a boost in volume as it seemed a bit low, and the giant truck down in the maze appeared to be out of commission.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 9.35
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 10
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 8.65
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 8.7
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 8.75
The staff of the Haunted Hotel were all too happy to get me checked in – but letting me check out? Well, that was a far different story. On the contrary, the majority of them seemed hell-bent on feeding my soul to this evil entity and trapping me within her walls forever! The hotel’s minions attacked from nearly everywhere, even going so far as to crawl across the floor for scares. Every actor seemed to know their scene well, and they were adept at moving around to attack from multiple points. In addition to the expected pop-out scares, I had actors back me into walls and try to intimidate me, use threatening or creepy dialogue, slam props they were carrying or their own hands into surfaces to produce loud noises, chase after me with chainsaws, stalk me for multiple rooms/scenes – I could go on. (Special shout-out to the actor who followed me into the doll room and noticed that I really didn’t like dolls… You could tell he was paying attention because he grabbed a doll and kept popping up throughout the room, shoving it in my face! Quick thinking!) Something I really appreciated was the lack of “stare and glare”, where an actor just stands there and stares at you to intimidate or creep you out. A few actors did briefly lunge, make a gruff growl, or some other noise and reset afterward, but no one stood around doing nothing.
Nor were they afraid to use the “full contact” aspect of the haunt to their advantage. I was pushed, pulled, grabbed, chainsawed, had my face handled, and towards the end, I even found myself dangling over an actor’s shoulder! Every actor handled me with care, and while I certainly had some crazy things happen during my walkthrough, no one was too rough, and the risk of injury was minimal. They were not excessive with the physical contact either.
Many of the scares came from the haunt’s cast, but most of the animatronics used were also meant to deliver further scares, like the woman dropping down from up high in the church and the stacks of barrels falling down. Air blasts were another effect utilized to scare customers.
Fortunately, I was lucky enough to check out and escape The Haunted Hotel in approximately 20 minutes. With a base ticket price of $25.00, this puts the Hotel’s MPD (Minutes Per Dollar) rating at 0.80 – just a little below the full minute per dollar we usually look for in a haunt’s length. For the quality and intensity of the show I received, I felt the ticket price was well worth it. Most of the haunt was highly immersive and true to the hotel theme; the cast did well with trying to provide a great show, and above all else, it was scary! I definitely left a satisfied guest.
The 4th Street Hotel is hungry for new sou– er, “guests”, and her staff are happy to make room for your arrival. If you’re looking for an unforgettable stay this haunt season, roll into downtown Louisville and check out what’s waiting for you inside The Haunted Hotel.
3000 South 4th Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40208