Ski Season Opens!

Arapahoe Basin in Colorado became the first ski resort open for the season. They let skiers and snowboarders run on the man-made snow Friday, October 13.

Nearby Loveland Ski Area, the first to open the last six years, opens one day later on Saturday the 14th.

Skiiing does have early season conditions and a base of just 18 inches.

AllStays keeps track of skiing conditions and resorts at http://www.allstays.com/Special/skiing.htm

Change Your Luck, Get $10 in your pocket

It's Friday the 13th and Halloween is coming up so we are trying to make it a better day. How about $10 back in your pocket?

Just select any "Save Rate" booking of $100 or more and enter coupon code SPC6308597 for $10 off.

Money for Animal Organizations

AllStays.com has always supported traveling with pets. We also have regularly donated money to many animal shelters and protection groups over the last six years. If you or anyone you know is connected with an animal shelter or group, please let us know. We are giving out immediate funds in increments of $100 to these groups. In return, we only ask for a small credit anywhere on their website. For this program, contact us here.

Haunted Hotels Provide a Chill to the Night

The air is getting cooler outside. The weather forecast is for a warmer than normal fall and winter but you can still get a chill from a more spooky source. Whether you are on a Halloween spookaway or looking for dying leaves, we found some places that just may put a chill in your pajamas. Across the country and around the world, there are many places where you can stay the night alone, with a loved one or perhaps with someone of a ghostly nature. From the US-Mexican border and southern plantations in the southeast to the heart of hollywood in California, you can explore a bit of history and maybe even feel the past come back to you.

There are places in almost every state in the United States, in all different price ranges and AllStays is constantly adding more as they find them and try to fill in the history. For something warm and near the southern border, try Douglas in southern Arizona.

Many employees and guests of the Gadsden Hotel have had encounters with the Gadsden Ghost. The ghost has been reported mostly in the basement and is said to be a tall man in black clothing and often with no head. Some believe this ghost is the ghost of Pancho Villa himself. At the time of his death in 1923, Pancho Villa was reported to have a hidden treasure somewhere in the mountains of Northern Mexico. The only map to this location was tattooed on Villa's head. It is said that upon his death, Villa's loyal followers cut off his head and buried it under the ashes of the recently burned Gadsden Hotel in order to forever keep the secret location of the treasure concealed. Unknowingly, the Gadsden Hotel was re-built over the top of the skull and Pancho Villa remains wandering the dark damp halls of the Gadsden basement searching for his head and the map to his treasure.

Another Arizona location is the Hermosa Inn in Scottsdale. A cowboy and artist named Lon Megargee owned some land in Paradise Valley in the 1930s. After building his home by his own hands, he had to pay for the house's maintenance. One solution was to rent out rooms to travelers. Finally, in 1941, he was forced to sell what he called "Casa Hermosa" along with all of it's contents, furniture, and artwork. Even today, photos of Lon and his original art still hang on the walls. Not wanting to leave after his death in 1960, Lon still makes appearancs in his cowboy dress. He is a pleasant, friendly ghost, only flushing toilets and breaking a few glasses.

One night after an argument with her husband, Sallie White, a chambermaid at The Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, stayed at the hotel (presumably with another man). The next day her husband threatened to kill her. On March 28, 1876, Sallie was attacked by her husband and she died two days later. The hotel paid for the funeral cost of $32, as recorded in the hotel ledger. Legend has it that Sallie White still roams the halls of the Victorian wing of the hotel. A few years ago, a guest wanted extra towels. He opened the door of his room and called out to a maid who ignored him. The guest called the front desk to inquire why the maid was so rude. He described the maid and her uniform -- one that was worn in the late 1800s.

If smaller places are more to your interest, there is the R and R Station Inn located in Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania. The restaurant inn was built in 1883 and has some customers that checked in more than 100 years ago and remain there today. Things would disappear and then reappear later. The owners heard footsteps when no one was there, and would hear children bouncing a ball upstairs and pots and pans would fly off the racks. The evidence points to numerous ghosts including a couple of former owners. The current owners embrace the past and have events and tours around it.

And there is always the most haunted town of all. Gettysburg is a not just a town with a haunted hotel. Wherever you stay, you may feel or see something out of time and earthly place. Overall, you'll find no shortage of ghostly phenomena around town. Most common reports have been on the battlefield and the Gettysburg College. There is a ghost tour at night, like many historic cities are now doing, that highlights the area haunts.

"Ghost encounters are never for certain. In fact, most of these places only have a few documented events spread out over many years. It's more about the history, the imagination and what you think could happen while visiting. You just never know what may be around the next corner, in the shadows or what may wake you up at night. It's fun and adds a little something to another night away from home."

So if you are looking for something really different in this world, try spending some time at places with occasional visitors from another world. Plan ahead if you are looking to stay around the end of October as many of these places are busy or have special events for Halloween. Some of them wish the ghost would move on and others relish the added attention and business. Many of the larger hotels will not deal with reserving of a particular room tied to a ghost story, but you may get lucky. Or unlucky depending on your point of view.

Asia Hotels Redone and updated

We have totally rebuilt our Asia section. This includes more cities, more hotels, more reviews and hundreds more direct links to the properties. We hope you enjoy this new guide to Asia hotels, lodges, and more types of lodging.

Haunted Hotels: That Time of Year

It's always a great time of year to spend the night with a ghost but now it's October. And you know what October leads up to....Halloween. Make your plans now to find a room at a haunted hotel this month. Many of them are booked many months in advance, and some hotels do not guarantee a particular room, so you may even want to think about next year as well.

Not traveling? Well they are all around the country so a ghost is probably within a couple hours of you right now and just waiting to cuddle, snuggle and chill you all night. Or just sit back with a drink, listen to some rustling leaves outside your unlocked screen door and read the stories here at our Haunted Hotels Guide.

Africa Hotels Redone and updated

We have totally rebuilt our Africa section. This includes more cities, more hotels, more reviews and hundreds more direct links to the properties. We hope you enjoy this new guide to Africa hotels, lodges, safaris and more types of lodging.