In the horror TV show, American Horror Story: Hotel, the main character is dragged into a case surrounding a supposedly haunted hotel. The hotel is swarming with killers and ghosts and vampires and everything in between. Family secrets ooze through the walls as our hero attempts to navigate through the hotel’s demented history. Eventually, he succumbs to these thoughts and joins the ranks of the hotel’s fearsome killers. The show draws its inspiration from a similarly eerie place called the Cecil Hotel. Located in Los Angeles, California, the Cecil Hotel has been the sight for many gruesome activities, including but not limited to suicides, drug dealings, and prostitutions. It’s even known for murders and rapes, with the hotel staff doing very little to protect its residents. To this day, the hotel is still infamous for its past and is considered one of the most haunted places in America. 

The Cecil Hotel was founded in 1924 by William Banks Hanner. The hotel was originally going to be a mainstay for the wealthy and affluent. However, just five years later, the Great Depression hit, and the hotel went through a state of decline. Even after the Depression ended, the hotel’s finances continued to erode. By the 1950s, the hotel had started housing transients to earn some extra money. It wasn’t until 2007 that the hotel was renewed. It was eventually sold in 2014. The new owner renovated the rooms, and in 2017, the hotel was named a historic landmark, due to its cultural significance and architecture.

The Cecil Hotel has seen its fair share of blood. In fact, due to the sheer number of suicides committed at the hotel, it was nicknamed “The Suicide.” But even more sinister were the violent crimes committed in the hotel. Elizabeth Short, also known as the Black Dahlia, was thought to have been seen in the hotel, just days before her murder. Another victim, a woman by the nickname of “Pigeon Goldie”, was found beaten to death in a room. Yet another chilling case came from the likes of Dorothy Jean Purcell. Dorothy was known for giving birth to a baby boy in the bathroom, a boy she thought was dead. She then proceeded to throw the baby out the window, and though she was charged with murder, she was later found not guilty.

Perhaps one of the most infamous guests in the hotel was Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker. While staying in the hotel, it was estimated that Ramirez killed sex workers. However, before the police could get any confirmation for this, Ramirez hanged himself. The investigators had to rely on testimony from the employees. But even so, it’s eerie, how Ramirez could escape detection within the confines of the hotel. 

The Cecil Hotel has become the subject for numerous works. From the aforementioned American Horror Story to the podcast Haunted Places, to even publications such as the Los Angeles Magazine, the Cecil Hotel has continued to provide America with its elegant appearance and macabre history. To this day, the hotel is still open, catering to anyone willing to step inside.