King was inspired to write The Shining after staying a night at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, a resort town nestled in the Rocky Mountains. In late September 1974, King and his wife, Tabitha, checked into what King described as a “grand old hotel.” Notably, the Kings stayed in room 217.

Why is the Stanley Hotel associated with The Shining?

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO, just a few miles from Rocky Mountain National Park. Stephen King and his wife, Tabitha, stayed there in 1974, one night before the hotel closed for the season. They were the only guests in the building, and King had a nightmare that inspired the story.

Why was Stephen King inspired by the Stanley Hotel?

He was stuck. Back in 1974, The Stanley closed for the winter, and King (along with his wife, Tabitha), just happened to find their way there on the last opening night prior to the winter shut down. They were the only guests in the hotel that night, and were given what was the best room in the house – Room 217.

What is the story behind the Stanley Hotel?

The story of the Stanley Hotel itself began in 1903 when Yankee inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley arrived in the valley, weak and underweight from the symptoms of consumption. To his amazement, just one season here was enough to restore his health to better than before!

What was Stephen King's nightmare at the Stanley Hotel?

It started with a nightmare, one where King watched helplessly as his young son was chased through the hall of the Stanley Hotel by an enormous, living firehose, one that would eventually win out, wrapping around his son like a giant snake and swallowing him whole.

The True Story Behind "The Shining"

Did The Stanley Hotel inspire The Shining?

Today, the hotel includes a restaurant, spa, and bed-and-breakfast; with panoramic views of Lake Estes, the Rockies, and Longs Peak. NRHP reference No. The Stanley Hotel served as the inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King's 1977 novel The Shining and its 1980 film adaptation.

Can you stay in room 237 at The Stanley Hotel?

Unfortunately for them, Room 237 doesn't exist at their property, and the Stanley says 217 has become its most requested accommodation, with reservations currently on the books for the next several Halloweens. We sought out the room, but it was disappointingly normal, at least from the outside.

What happened in room 217 at The Stanley Hotel?

In the 1920s, a gas leak led to an explosion in Room 217 that destroyed the second floor above the main dining hall and nearly killed a chambermaid, Elizabeth Wilson. She ultimately recovered and returned to her job, which she held until her death, at age 90, at her home in Estes Park.

What happened in room 237 of The Shining?

Room 237 contains the ghost of a dead woman, who emerges from the bathroom and tries to strangle Danny Torrance when he dares to enter. His father Jack later comes to investigate his claims of the mysterious woman in the room. In the book, he sees signs of her, but retreats before she can attack him.

What happened in room 217 of The Shining?

Massey refused and proceeded to drink all day in the Colorado Lounge. She swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills in the bathtub of room 217 that same night, killing herself. Several characters in The Shining have experiences with the ghost of Mrs. Massey in room 217, including Delores Vickery, Hallorann, Danny, and Jack.

Did Stephen King like The Shining?

Despite its widespread praise, King famously despised Kubrick's adaptation of his book, so much so that he called it “a maddening, perverse, and disappointing film,” likening it to “a great big beautiful Cadillac with no motor inside,” eventually remaking the adaptation himself into a teleplay to finally “correct” ...

What gave Stephen King the idea for The Shining?

King was inspired to write The Shining after staying a night at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, a resort town nestled in the Rocky Mountains. In late September 1974, King and his wife, Tabitha, checked into what King described as a “grand old hotel.” Notably, the Kings stayed in room 217.

What is the real story of The Shining?

The supernatural elements in The Shining are inspired by a real haunting in Colorado, adding a sense of authenticity to the story. The Overlook Hotel in The Shining was inspired by the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, which has a haunted history and provided Stephen King with inspiration for the novel.

Does The Shining hotel still exist?

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, CO: a 142-room colonial revival hotel nestled in the Rocky Mountains.

How many deaths were at the Stanley Hotel?

Room 428 has reports of the sound of footsteps and furniture moving about, but the real haunt is a friendly cowboy who appears at the corner of the bed. Obviously, many friendly cowboys have spent a night or two at the Stanley Hotel over the years, but there is no indication of one dying in the building.

Why did he say here's Johnny?

Moments later, he would improvise the “Here's Johnny!” line, which was a reference to the intro of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Interestingly, Kubrick originally shot the scene with a fake door, but Nicholson – who once trained as a fire marshal – chopped it down too quickly.

Why did the hotel want Danny?

In the novel, Danny is the Overlook's primary victim, and Jack Torrance is simply used as a conduit to get to Danny. The hotel wants Danny dead so that it can absorb his “shining” ability to add to the Overlook's plethora of dark energies, so it possesses Jack in his vulnerable state to try to kill Danny.

Why did they change room 217 to 237?

8 Room 237 Is Actually Room 217

This change was made at the request of the Timberline Lodge, where the movie was filmed. According to the Timberline Lodge's website, "Kubrick was asked not to depict Room 217 (featured in the book) in The Shining, because future guests at the lodge might be afraid to stay there."

What room did Jim Carrey stay in at the Stanley Hotel?

Jim Carrey stayed in Room 217 at the hotel during the filming of Dumb and Dumber, an experience he has yet to reveal the details of to the public.

Is there really a maze at the Stanley Hotel?

What tourists didn't find, however, was a memorable piece of scenery from the film: a giant hedge maze that (spoiler alert) spells the end for Jack, the psychotic innkeeper. The omission was remedied this summer when the Stanley installed a 10,100-square-foot juniper labyrinth in front of the hotel.

Who was the lady in room 237?

The woman in King's novel is Lorraine Massey, who used to seduce bellboys and engage in sexual acts with them. Lorraine was the wife of a prominent New York lawyer, but during her stay at the Overlook, she was with a younger man.

Who is the guy in the dog suit in The Shining?

In the book, the man dressed in a suit is actually Horace Derwent, the mysterious owner of the Overlook Hotel, and the man in the costume (which is a dog in the book) is Roger, a one-time lover of his. The novel provides Roger and Horace's story as an example of atrocities that have happened in the hotel.

Did Jim Carrey stay at The Shining hotel?

King, it turned out, wasn't the only famous guest to stay in the room. The hotel, Andy explained, was used as a setting for Dumb and Dumber, and during filming, Jim Carrey stayed in 217.