Hotel Sorrento

If you're a skeptic about ghosts but start working at the Hotel Sorrento on First Hill, you might soon change your mind. At least, that's what Alexi Malloy, Sorrento’s director of food and beverage, suggests as we relax on two dark brown leather couches in the Fireside Room, a cocktail lounge that hosts events like the hotel’s Silent Reading Parties and jazz nights.

Touted as Seattle’s first boutique hotel, the seven-story, Italian Renaissance-inspired building boasts over a century of history. According to Malloy, it also harbors friendly spirits who mischievously knock things over when you're not watching and giggle when you think you're alone.

“When I enter the space, I turn on the lights, play music, and greet the spirits, letting them know I’m here and not trying to intrude,” she says. “We always take care to honor the space and its history.”

It’s not just the staff who share these stories — the Sorrento is listed among Oyster's 13 most haunted hotels in the world, with a nod to the ghost of American writer Alice B. Toklas, who spent much of her childhood in Seattle and is said to roam around room 408.

The Fireside Room, considered one of the best spots for a supernatural encounter according to Malloy, and the hotel’s Italian-inspired restaurant STELLA. are open to the public. For hours and special events, check st.news/sorrento