The Mysterious and Haunting Cecil Hotel: A Budget Backpacker Trap

Reporter Chen Ziying / Comprehensive Report

Canadian-Chinese student Elisa Lam went missing for 20 days under bizarre circumstances. Her final moments in an elevator sparked widespread speculation during that time, and on the morning of the 20th this month (Taiwan time), she was found dead in an inverted position in the rooftop water tank of the hotel where she was staying.

The place where Elisa Lam stayed is the Cecil Hotel, located in downtown Los Angeles. Though well-known locally, it has been the site of multiple unsolved death cases (including a 1962 suicide jump that resulted in two deaths, a 1964 murder and rape case involving a switchboard operator, a serial killer residing on the 14th floor in the 1980s for several months, and the 1991 deaths of three prostitutes inside the hotel), as well as the most horrifying "Black Dahlia case", the Cecil Hotel has long been surrounded by ghostly rumors. Yet, many foreign backpackers are drawn to its ornate interiors and book rooms there.

▲ Photos from the Cecil Hotel’s official website are stunningly beautiful, attracting many backpackers to stay. (Photo / Screenshot fromCecil Hotel official website)

Built in 1920, the Cecil Hotel has 600 rooms and features an overall retro European-style decor. Although the exterior of the building looks old, its tall structure still hints at its former grandeur. Located in downtown Los Angeles and situated at a transportation hub, coupled with affordable room rates, the hotel even describes itself on its website as the "perfect place for cost-conscious travelers." Foreign media reports mention that the hotel has no shortage of long-term regular guests.

Judging solely by location and price, the Cecil Hotel is undoubtedly the best choice for backpackers or tourists. But anyone familiar with L.A. knows that the area has a high crime rate, with many homeless people and drug users occupying street corners. Unless traveling in a group or being well-acquainted with the local conditions, it is generally not recommended to choose this area as a base for travel. Without browsing relevant information about the hotel, it might be hard to know you're staying at the city's notoriously "haunted hotel."

▲ The standard guest rooms are cozy and show no signs of anything unusual. (Photo / Screenshot fromCecil Hotel official website)

▲ Elisa Lam exhibited strange behavior such as lingering in the elevator and hallways before her death, adding an eerie atmosphere to the hotel’s exterior corridors. (Photo / Screenshot fromCecil Hotel official website)