Salem ยท Salem Common
Hawthorne Hotel
Opened on Salem Common in 1925 as 'Salem's own hotel', paid for by a public stock sale; on Historic Hotels of America's 2026 most-haunted list.
- Built
- 1925Built 1925 by the Salem Hotel Company; opened July 1925.
- Type
- Grand hotel
- Rooms
- 93
- Area
- Salem Common
- Credentials
- Inside a National Register historic district; Local landmark; Historic Hotels of America member
The story
Salem’s business community formed the Salem Hotel Company, led by Sylvania founder Frank Poor, and raised more than $500,000 through a public stock sale to build ‘Salem’s own hotel’ beside Salem Common. Named for Nathaniel Hawthorne, it opened in July 1925 with 150 rooms and a two-story lobby. It became the Hawthorne Motor Hotel in the 1950s, and in 1970 the cast and crew of Bewitched stayed here while filming ‘The Salem Saga’ episodes.
The ghost story
Guests report moving furniture, a ghostly woman and unexplained noises, attributed in lore to sea captains returning to a favorite gathering place. Room 325 is said to be the most active, with cold spots and the smell of fresh-cut flowers, and guests on the sixth floor near Room 612 report a woman roaming the halls.
Source: www.historichotels.org
Good to know
- Address: 18 Washington Square West, Salem, MA 01970
Things to do
Tours in Salem
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Sources (2)
Last verified October 2026. Details change; confirm with the inn before you book.