The Most Haunted Hotels in Tampa

Posted: 03.06.2025 | Updated: 03.06.2025

The City of Tampa is often referred to as the “damnest city on this side of hell.” It is often said there are many haunted locations scattered throughout the town, including historic neighborhoods, theaters, and creepy old hotels.

Find out what makes Tampa the most haunted city around by scheduling your next ghost tour with Tampa Terrors. You are sure to have a thriller of a time. 

What Are the Most Haunted Hotels in Tampa?

There are several contenders for the title of the Most Haunted Hotels in Tampa. Many of these former resorts are now considered historic landmarks, with several dating back to the late 19^th century. 

From the Pink Castle, built after a broken heart, to the current campus museum, which was once used as a hospital for wounded soldiers, it is easy to see why these locations have such sinister energy.

The Loews Don CeSar Hotel

Thanks to its highly eventful past, the Loews Don CeSar is a charter member of Historic Hotels Worldwide. In 1924, a man named Thomas Rowe arrived in Florida and bought 80 acres of the land we now know as St. Petersburg Beach. 

One year later, he began construction on his dream project, which he lovingly referred to as the “Pink Castle.” The official name of the hotel was The Don Ce-Sar, in honor of the gallant character of the same name in Vincent Wallace’s opera Maritana.

The hotel opened its doors in 1928 and hosted many important guests from the start. Some of the most notable include F. Scott Fitzgerald and Al Capone. 

During the years of the Great Depression, the New York Dodgers signed a three-year contract to stay at the hotel during spring training, which almost single-handedly saved the Don Ce-Sar from shutting down during a time of economic crisis.

Changes for the Don CeSar

Thomas Rowe passed away in 1940, and two years later, his Pink Castle was seized by the U.S. Army, which used it as a hospital throughout WWII. In 1944, the Air Force used the former hotel as its convalescent center. 

Later, the beautiful interior was stripped down and the walls repainted in a hue of government green as the Don Ce-Sar took on a new role as the regional office for the Veterans Administration.

The building started to go downhill around 1969. The last of the federal offices that were still operating in the building left the property, and it remained empty until the 1970s. 

That’s when William Bowman Jr. bought it and reopened the hotel in 1973. The hotel’s name remained the same except it was missing the hyphen. The restoration cost $7.5 million thanks to the addition of a 4000-square-foot beach club, a spa, and a new restaurant. The Don CeSar celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2003.

The Story Behind the Name of the Don CeSar

When Thomas Rowe was studying abroad in London, he would visit the local opera house often to watch his favorite production, Maritana. The play starred a beautiful young woman named Lucinda. For Thomas, it was love at first sight. He convinced her to start meeting him at night, in front of the enchanting water fountain. 

Thomas and Lucinda continued their romance for a while until Lucinda’s parents learned about their relationship. When they heard that Thomas practiced a different religious faith than theirs, they escorted her back to Spain, and the lovestruck couple were forever torn apart, never to meet again.

Thomas vowed to never love another after losing Lucinda, and it wasn’t long after that he traveled to the Tampa area to start working on his passion project, the Don CeSar. Out front of the hotel, he placed a replica of the fountain where he and Lucinda would meet.

The Ghosts of Don CeSar

There are several stories about hauntings at this historic location. Former staff members have shared tales of seeing apparitions of the patient who passed while staying at the hotel when it was used as a hospital. It has been said that you can feel the restless spirit of the patients as they are trying to find their way out.

But the most popular ghost to be seen inside the Don CeSear hotel is the spirit of Thomas Rowe himself.

People have said Mr. Rowe has been seen throughout the Pink Castle, including the fifth floor, inside the hotel lobby, and in the garden. Some report he is wearing his signature white suit and sometimes can be seen wearing a Panama hat. 

Some guests have stated being welcomed by a smiling man at the entrance only for him to vanish when they’d turn to respond to him. In most cases, whenever the ghost of Thomas Rowe is seen, he is often holding the hand of a raven-haired woman, believed to be his beloved Lucinda.

Plant Hall – The Henry B. Plant Museum

The main academic building of the University of Tampa was once the popular Tampa Bay Hotel. During the 1880s, Henry Bradley Plant, an entrepreneur who managed companies in the railroad, steamship, and hotel industries, wanted to create a palace to accommodate his growing empire. He built the Tampa Bay Hotel, which has been nicknamed by locals “The First Magic Kingdom.”

This 500-room hotel was built to accommodate those who were traveling to South Florida. Honorable guests who stayed at the luxury inn include Babe Ruth, Theodore Roosevelt, and the Queen of England.

Following Henry’s death in 1889, the future of the hotel was uncertain. It was purchased by the City of Tampa in 1905 and continued to operate successfully as a hotel until 1932. 

The following year, a museum honoring Henry Plant was established in the south wing of the former hotel to preserve Henry’s legacy. It contains timeless furnishings as well as artifacts that Henry and his wife would bring home from their travels throughout the world. Today the museum hosts educational events and exhibits that transport visitors back in time to the late Victorian period and the early years of Florida’s tourism industry.

The Haunting of Plant Hall

The University of Tampa is believed to be one of the most haunted campuses in the country, and that is thanks in part to the dark energy within the main academic building, otherwise known as Plant Hall. Students have reported seeing apparitions from the windows while standing outside. There are also rumors of the spirits of former hotel servants haunting the science wing of the campus. 

Sometimes students will hear someone joining them in their classroom after class has started. The door will open, and they can hear the sound of footsteps and someone taking a seat at the desk. Yet, when they turn to look for them, there is no one there.

Another ghost, simply known as the Brown Man, is said to have glowing red eyes and a truly haunting appearance. Some believe it is Henry Plant, dressed in a brown suit with long white hair. It’s been said that if you acknowledge his presence, he will rush up to your face and then quickly disappear. This disturbing action may be linked to how his former hotel staff would avoid making eye contact with him.

The Don Vicente de Ybor Hotel

Those who live in the City of Ybor say they can’t walk 30 feet without crossing an area where someone has died either from natural causes, a tragic accident, or some type of mayhem. That is especially true if you are in the vicinity of the Don Vicente hotel.

These days, the Don Vicente de Ybor Hotel has been completely renovated to offer commercial, retail, and office space for lease, as well as guest rooms and a fine dining restaurant. But this building has taken on numerous roles in the past.

It was built in 1890 to serve as the real estate office for Vincente Martinez-Ybor, who is also the founder of Ybor City. Several years later, the office space was converted into a medical center known as the El Bien Publico Clinic. 

The clinic served the healthcare needs of the ethnic communities within the city of Ybor. Unfortunately, several deaths occurred inside the property, leaving behind a dark presence that has lingered for years.

The Haunting of the Don Vincente de Ybor Hotel

The Don Vicente de Ybor is considered to be one of the most haunted places in Tampa. It has been nicknamed Hotel Hell by the locals and is considered to be one of the creepiest buildings in the entire United States. 

The most common ghostly activity involves flickering lights, hearing phantom footsteps, and the faucets in the restrooms turning on and off on their own.

Room 305 sees the most activity, as many guests who stay there wake up to find a strange man standing at the foot of their bed.

There have also been reports of a Spanish nurse in the basement who accompanies a male spirit believed to be the ghost of a deranged doctor, known for conducting experiments on patients. He would later dispose of the dead bodies by placing them in an incinerator.

Some guests have also reported seeing the ghost of a woman in the ladies’ restroom in the basement. Perhaps it is the same Spanish nurse who was helping the doctor.

Haunted Tampa

Tampa is home to many spooky locations, and they are not limited to their historic hotels. From old cemeteries to haunted theaters, there is an endless number of macabre places to visit while staying in Florida. 

If you would like to find out more about the ghostly experiences Tampa has to offer, be sure to check out our blog for all the details. And don’t forget to book your next ghost tour with us here at Tampa Terrors.

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Sources:

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