Old Town Pocatello is a storied locale packed with historic residences, cafes, an eclectic group of shops, large commercial buildings and dramatic architecture. Rumors that the Standrod mansion, built in 1901, is haunted have circulated for some time. While the site once served as a bed and breakfast, it had reverted to its original use as a residence as of 2010. A number of sites in Old Town Pocatello have been categorized as haunted; the nearest hotel with an enduring ghost tale attached is southeast of Pocatello in Lava Hot Springs.
Named to the National Register of Historic Places, the Enders Hotel, built in 1917, was painstakingly restored to its original grandeur in 2001; it now serves the dual function of a 30-room hotel and a museum. A number of people, including a contractor who worked on the restoration project, hotel employees and members of the Southeast Idaho Paranormal Organization, have claimed they saw and/or heard evidence of one or more ghosts at the Soda Springs hotel. Guests can decide for themselves; furniture and décor are 1920s replicas, and the second-floor museum houses artifacts and information from the period. Amenities include breakfast, fax and copier availability. Soda Springs is 51 miles east of Pocatello.
Built in the 1920s, the Lava Hot Springs Inn is a restorative trip back to the past. Once a hospital, the inn features five outdoor mineral water pools. On-site massages are also available. Whether the ghost purported to roam the expansive site is a former hospital patient or a late guest or hotel employee is not known. Accommodations range from main house rooms to cottages and a spa with four rooms, each containing a whirlpool bathtub. Situated near the Portneuf River, the inn offers a full buffet breakfast. Lava Hot Springs Inn is 30 miles southeast of Pocatello.
Located 194 miles west of Pocatello in Boise, the Owyhee Plaza Hotel is a 100-room facility catering to corporate and leisure travelers. Hotel guests and staff alike have claimed to have seen ghosts in guest rooms, meeting rooms and the hotel’s basement. Built in 1910, the downtown Boise hotel features an outdoor pool, a restaurant, lounge and amenities including hospitality bars and valet service. The hotel also features an executive work area and a barber/beauty salon.
