We’ve all read enough ghosts stories to know to stay far away from haunted houses. A night at Hill House? Never. An overnight stay at The Amityville Horror house? You’d have to kill me first. Even an invitation to visit Manderley, the opulent estate at the heart of Rebecca, might give one pause.
Apartment buildings and hotels are a different story. They’re less frightening because they’re the opposite of a house—tall and imposing, with dozens of floors, hundreds of rooms, people constantly coming and going. After all, there’s safety in numbers.
Yet there are a few buildings—most fictional, one that was all too real—that you should never go near, let alone spend a night in. These are the buildings of nightmares. Places where bad things happen to good people, where neighbors can’t be trusted, and where something sinister lurks behind every locked door.
Building: 1300 Madison Avenue
Book: Sliver, by Ira Levin
Who wouldn’t want to live in an ultra-sleek high rise that boasts gorgeous Manhattan views? Anyone who values their privacy, that’s who. Because in this modern sliver of glass and steel, the residents are also secretly on display, thanks to cameras and microphones installed in every room by the voyeuristic owner. And you can be sure he’s watching—and noting—every move, every tryst, every dirty little secret.
Building: The Central Plaza Mansion
Book: The Graveyard Apartment, by Mariko Koike
When choosing an apartment building, it’s best to avoid ones situated right next to a cemetery. And a crematorium. And a Buddhist temple. That’s advice the Kano family should have followed before moving into this apartment complex in the suburbs of Tokyo. As soon as they arrive, their daughter’s pet bird dies. Then that bird’s ghost starts visiting in the middle of the night. Then their neighbors begin to flee the building. Then things really start to get weird.
Building: Unnamed Manhattan brownstone
Book: The Sentinel, by Jeffrey Konvitz
Brownstones can be lovely. Especially a large one that’s been divided into charming apartments. But in this particular building, the neighbors are a little bit off. Rudely so. The nicest of the bunch is also the strangest—a blind priest on the top floor who spends his days sitting by the window. We’ve all heard the phrase “Hell is other people.” In this brownstone, that might literally be the truth.
Building: The Manderley Resort
Book: Security, by Gina Wohlsdorf
Unlike the estate at the heart of Rebecca, this is a Manderley you don’t want to dream about. As hotels go, it’s a beauty. But as overworked staff members prep the resort for its grand opening, a masked killer roams the halls. Make that two masked killers. Or maybe three, because the all-knowing, all-seeing narrator watching the horror unfold via security monitors doesn’t seem too interested in trying to stop the carnage.
Building: 666 Park Avenue
Book: 666 Park Avenue, by Gabriella Pierce
You’re a young American working in Paris who gets swept off your feet by a handsome and wealthy businessman. When he whisks you away to his home in the most luxurious building on Manhattan’s most luxurious street, it starts to feel like a fairy tale. That’s because it is. A scary one. One in which your new mother-in-law is literally a witch. And she’s hellbent on stealing your newfound magical abilities—and quite possibly your life.
Building: The World’s Fair Hotel
Book: The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson
“I was born with the devil in me.” So said H.H. Holmes, one of America’s most notorious serial killers. Holmes began construction of his so-called hotel as Chicago was gearing up for the 1893 World’s Fair. Far from your normal bed and breakfast, the building included soundproofed rooms, maze-like hallways and, in the basement, a crematorium and acid vats. Although the number of people he killed there is unknown, it was more than enough to give the building a different name—“The Murder Castle.”
Building: The Overlook Hotel
Book: The Shining by Stephen King
Tired of your cramped apartment? Then spend the winter at the Overlook Hotel! Enjoy all the benefits of staying during the off-season. No crowds! Plenty of space! And did we mention the peace and quiet? You and your family will have ample opportunity to explore the grounds and roam the interior hallways. Just stay away from the elevator. And the ballroom. And definitely don’t enter Room 217. Have a relaxing stay! Because all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Building: The Bramford
Book: Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin
As the only author with two buildings on this list, one must assume that Ira Levin completely hated his neighbors. If they were anything like the denizens of the Bramford, then you can’t blame him. Because despite their friendly, slightly pushy demeanor, the Bramford’s residents are sinister, even devilish. Gift necklaces. Chocolate mousse. Herbal smoothies. All of it is part of their evil plan. And that’s enough to make the Bramford tower over the competition. In the world of creepy literary buildings, it’s the top.
