The Haunted Stanley Hotel and Stephen King's Descent Into The Shining

The Haunted Stanley Hotel and Stephen King's Descent Into The Shining

From Verbal Echo by Monica Martin and Co-Host Sara Rowe

June 25, 2026 · 1h 7m · Season 3 · Episode 66

About this episode

Monica explores the history and hauntings of the Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King's The Shining, while discussing themes of addiction and resilience.

A haunted hotel in the Colorado Rockies helped inspire one of the most famous horror novels ever written... The Shining. This week, Monica explores the history, hauntings, and enduring legends of the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado —the location that inspired Stephen King's The Shining . We discuss King's stay at the nearly empty hotel, how it became the foundation for the fictional Overlook Hotel, and the personal struggles with addiction that influenced much of his writing during that period of his career. Along the way, we examine reports of paranormal activity at the Stanley, the stories that continue to attract ghost hunters from around the world, and why this iconic mountain hotel remains one of America's most famous haunted destinations. From literary inspiration to ghostly encounters, we explore the strange intersection of history, creativity, and the paranormal. Content Warning: This episode does discuss the addictions of author Stephen King, but ultimately it is a story of resilience and how an author overcame his substance use to rise above his struggles. ------------------ Thank you for listening to this podcast and helping us grow by sharing it with a friend…

People in this episode

Host: Monica Martin

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Shining

Places: Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado Rockies, Overlook Hotel

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