Did “The Shining” scar you for life the first time you saw it? The classic horror movie has everything that could possibly creep you out and force you to run under your covers with no intention of ever resurfacing: supernatural forces, the slow-burning insanity of main character Jack Torrance, and, most importantly, an isolated hotel in the mountains as the backdrop for the terror that ensues. If only you could visit the Overlook Hotel and feel the bone-chilling energy of the movie for yourself . . . oh wait, you can.

While the Overlook Hotel from the movie doesn’t actually exist, it is based on The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, a 142-room colonial revival hotel nestled in the Rocky Mountains. Although parts of its interior have been renovated, the hotel still gives off a turn-of-the-century, ghostly energy that attracts tons of horror-movie fans every year. Constructed in 1909 as a resort for the upper-class society of the Northeast, the hotel has retained its historic facade and even offers “spirited” rooms with high paranormal activity for lovers of ghosts and everything occult. Here are a few facts:

Stephen King Was Inspired to Write the Book Because of a Nightmare He Had at the Hotel

In September 1974, Stephen King and his wife, Tabby, spent a night at The Stanley Hotel in room 217.  They were the only guests on the entire property. That night, King had a nightmare about his 3-year-old son running and screaming through the hotel’s corridors being chased by a fire hose. 

 The Stanley Hotel Was Originally Constructed as a Place to Overcome Tuberculosis

In 1903, the inventor of the steam-powered car, Freelan Oscar Stanley, became afflicted with tuberculosis. The most recommended treatment was fresh, dry air and sunlight, so Stanley naturally headed to the Rocky Mountains with his wife, Flora. As his health improved dramatically, he decided to turn Estes Park into a resort town for people looking to regain their health.

The Stanley Hotel Experienced a Gas Explosion in 1911

When The Stanley Hotel opened in 1909, it was known to be one of the few hotels in the world to be completely powered by modern electricity. However, because the property was so isolated, they had to install an auxiliary gas lighting system that exploded in 1911. Part of the hotel was wrecked, injuring eight people and hurling hotel maid Elizabeth Wilson from the second to the first floor, breaking both of her ankles. The interesting part? She was hurled down from room 217 — the same room King and his wife stayed in.

Reports of Paranormal Activity Started After the Explosion

King mostly relied on fictional inspiration and did not have an experience with the spirit world at The Stanley Hotel, but reports of paranormal activity at the property started in 1911, right after the explosion.

The Hotel’s Founders Can Still Be Seen Roaming Around the Property

Although The Stanley Hotel founder and his wife died in 1940 and 1939, respectively, they never seem to have truly gone away, at least according to several hotel visitors. Freelan’s ghost has reportedly been seen hovering behind employees at the reception desk, and Flora can still be heard playing the piano in the hotel’s music room.