TAOS, NEW MEXICO, USA -- Like many allegedly haunted locations, the Taos Inn has a long rich history behind it filled with many important and passionate events that might make former visitors not want to depart.

Frankly, the inn's comfortable and stylishly decorated rooms -- each with its own unique personality, hotel amenities, and central location in downtown Taos made me not want to leave either. But some of the hotel's other "guests" have been around for much, much longer.

The oldest part of the inn dates back to the 1660s. The fountain in the Spanish style lobby used to be one of the main wells for the town of Taos. The property itself, including some of the inn's current buildings were originally the home of Taos's first doctor and famous western figure, Doc Martin. Later in 1912, Bert Phillips and Ernest Blumenschein founded the original Taos Society of Artists in what is now Doc Martin's restaurant (then the good doctor's living room).

After Doc Martin passed away, his wife Helen bought the neighboring adobes and, with help from doc's former patients, connected them all under one roof and opened "The Hotel Martin" in 1936. The hotel's name changed in the 1940s when it was bought by Sam and Mary Albright. But it was the property's first owner, Arthur Manby, the man who sold Doc Martin his home, who seems to be the inn's most active spirit.

Taos natives are well acquainted with the tales of Manby's strange death. It seems after he sold the house to Doc Martin, Manby resided next door in what is now the Stables Art Gallery. One day, a few years after taking up his new residence, a headless body, presumed to be Arthur Manby, was found on the floor of Manby's home. This home shares a kitchen wall with what is now Doc Martin's restaurant in the Taos Inn, and likewise this seems to be where a lot of phenomena occurs. Pots, pans and kitchen appliances have been known to fly from their resting places and crash unexpectedly on the floor. Lights flash, doors open and close of their own accord, and chilly breezes that come out of nowhere have been known to whoosh past restaurant visitors and staff alike. Sightings of a man in a tall brown hat and faded leather jacket, matching Arthur Manby's description, have been reported in both the restaurant and the kitchen.

Other Apparitions at the Taos Inn

A guest in room 109, which coincidentally also shares a common wall with the kitchen, was once awakened at 2:30 AM to find a man resembling Arthur Manby standing by her fireplace. Housekeepers regularly report this room is always cold.

Room 102 has been known to often sport the scent of roses, without a source for the smell. Perhaps it's because both Arthur Manby and Doc Martin's wife Helen both raised roses?

The tall figure of a woman has been seen in the doorway to room 106, she appears to leave through the mirror, leaving it askew in her wake.

In one of the inn's most curious mysterious stories, the fireplace in room 206 used to have painted figures on it. For some inexplicable reason, guests would regularly refuse to stay there, giving no other reason than they "felt they could not stay there." Ever since the fireplace was repainted, however, guests seem to have no problem with the room.

In addition, apparitions have been seen in the Adobe Bar after closing and employees report hearing their names called when they are alone in the lobby at night.

With so much ghostly activity going on, it might seem like it might be hard to rest, but not so. We found the Taos Inn to be one of the most charming, comfortable and well run hotels anywhere.

Practicalities

The Historic Taos Inn is located at 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte in Taos; call 888-458-8267 or 505-758-1977 or visit www.taosinn.com.

For more information about planning a visit to Taos, New Mexico contact the Taos Chamber of Commerce at 877-587-8915 or visit www.exploretaos.com.

Photos this page courtesy of the Taos Inn.

Cheri Sicard, in addition to being the editor of FabulousTravel.com and its sister site, Fabulous Foods.com is the author of The Great American Handbook: What You Can Do For Your Country Today and Every Day and The Low Carb Restaurant Guide, and the co-author of US Citizenship for Dummies. To learn more about Cheri, click here.