Safety Harbor Resort and Spa

Posted: 05.09.2025 | Updated: 05.09.2025

Spanish explorers. Healing waters. Mysterious phone calls. Disappearing salt? 

This strange Florida resort has all these elements and more, embroiled in its haunted history. We’re referring to the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa, located in Tampa Bay. It has some fascinating history, stretching all the way back to the 1500s, and its ghost stories range from the terrifying to the just plain bizarre. 

Intrigued? Keep reading to find out the identity of the ghosts behind some of these mysterious phenomena and what staffers think of the hauntings. After you’re done, we’re sure you’ll want to learn even more about haunted Florida. 

The best way to do that is by booking an in-person ghost tour with Tampa Terrors. Despite its sunny exterior, Tampa Bay is a hotbed for haunted activity, and there’s plenty more to learn about besides the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa!

 Is Safety Harbor Resort and Spa Haunted?

In our experience, the range of haunted happenings at the Safety proves that something surely must be going on down there. The ghost stories and the rumors about the properties of the spa waters make it hard to believe that there’s not a touch of the ghostly afflicting this Florida resort. 

Safety Harbor History

The story of the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa begins all the way back in the 16th century. This was at the height of the Age of Exploration, which was marked by a fervent desire by European nations to expand their empires into the New World. Of course, the thought of such New World treasures like gold, spices, and new crops was tantalizing enough, but one such prize stood out above the rest.

That prize was the Fountain of Youth. 

The Fountain was a mythical object that was said to grant immortality to anyone who drank from it. Juan Ponce de León of Spain was the most famous explorer who sought its magical properties – though he would ironically meet an early grave in his quest – but there were certainly others. One of the other explorers looking for the fountain was another Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto. 

When his exploration took him to Old Tampa Bay in Florida, he actually thought he had discovered the Fountain of Youth! Old Tampa was the site of the Espiritu Santo Springs and the waters there was so pure and clear that he was convinced that he had found what had eluded Ponce de León.

Of course, this wasn’t the case, but De Soto’s story would prove an enduring one. This mythos would lay the foundation for the spring’s reputation as a source of healing and longevity for generations to come. 

The Safety Harbor Resort and Spa would eventually be constructed by and include the springs in its design, and, these days, rumors of the healing properties of its waters continue to draw many guests. 

Hauntings at Safety Harbor Resort & Spa

Perhaps, it is the spiritual and magical nature of this water that is the reason for the strange phenomena that Safety Harbor Resort and Spa is known for. 

To this day, “the Safety,” as it’s affectionately known to longtime guests and staffers, continues to draw guests seeking to “take the waters.” “Taking the waters” refers to people soaking in the water and supposedly feeling healed as a result. 

Because of this, the resort and spa have attracted quite a clientele, including professional athletes. Boxers, in particular, favor the peaceful setting and therapeutic benefits, whether real or imagined. 

However, these boxers and professional athletes might not feel so relaxed if they heard some ghostly tales that have come out of the same spa where they relax. For example, during the 1990s, the hotel was experiencing a period of renovation. 

As such, most rooms remained unoccupied to make room for these renovations. Despite this, the front desk staff reported receiving late-night calls coming from these supposedly empty rooms. Security guards and transcripts from those nights back up the claim. 

And it’s not just mysterious phone calls that have given the Safety a haunted reputation either. Housekeepers are hesitant to go into certain rooms, especially the women’s bath area.

It’s said that anyone caught in the women’s bath area after-hours will suddenly feel the temperature drop and hear an unseen voice whisper in the air. Even more disturbingly, the unseen voice is usually whispering the name of the unfortunate soul stuck in the bath area, adding to the creepiness. 

The Salt Shaker 

With how terrifying late-night calls from no one and an invisible voice repeating your name are, there’s one haunted legend of the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa that’s more curious than scary. And it involves an object we rarely encounter in a ghost story: salt shakers. 

Yes, that’s right, salt shakers. Guests and staff alike have noticed that the salt shakers in the kitchen and dining area have a curious habit of disappearing. 

Or, if they haven’t vanished into thin air, they’re found hidden in areas they have no reason to be in, like towel closets or behind television sets. Some guests will even report seeing a salt shaker on their table in front of them, only for them to turn away for a second, look back, and see that the salt shaker has moved tables! 

The potential culprit for this salty mayhem is thought to be the ghost of Dr. Salem H. Baranoff. Baranoff was actually the one who turned the area around the springs into a resort, and, by all accounts, he was a health-obsessed nut in his time. 

While this was a fitting trait to have for a resort founder, he was said to sometimes take his obsession a bit too far, swearing off anything he deemed even remotely unhealthy, like salt. 

His hatred of salinity has, evidently, continued on in the afterlife. Salt shakers, if Baranoff isn’t hiding them or vanishing them, will sometimes even have their tops mysteriously loosened. This might be to teach guests a lesson about indulgence!

Haunted Tampa

So, if you’re in town in Tampa one day and are looking for some healing waters to relax in, just remember one thing. Bring your own salt packets from home! Because the odds are, you won’t be able to find it in the hotel!

Whether you’re a historian, a ghost hunter, or just someone looking to indulge in the beautiful waters, Safety Harbor offers something unforgettable for everyone.  History, mystery, and a touch of the unexplained make this spooky destination more than just a relaxing getaway.  

If you liked this story and want to learn similar tales, check out our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. They spotlight other offbeat ghost stories all over the United States. Checking our blog is another good way to stay up-to-date with all the latest ghost stories and haunted spots in Florida

If you want to explore Tampa Bay ghosts up close, a ghost tour with Tampa Terrors is the best way to do that. Our guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and can provide even more information on the area. 

Sources:

• https://www.safetyharborspa.com/about-us
• https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/safety-harbor-resort-and-spa/history.php
• https://www.floridahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/safety-harbor-spa-resort.html
• https://www.wfla.com/dont-miss/real-ghost-stories-from-tampas-most-haunted-locations/