The Spirits of the Gunter Hotel

Posted: 02.13.2025 | Updated: 03.26.2025

San Antonio is enshrouded in as much mystery as it is Western beauty, with its violent past and ever-changing social landscape. It’s only part of a bigger guttural story that hides in the shadows of San Antonio’s dark past. There are some restless spirits here who are bound to make sure the rest of it remains unburied. 

Some of them can be found right in the heart of San Antonio, at the Gunter Hotel, located at 311 N. Saint Mary’s St. Its beginnings go back 100 years, and since that time has maintained its status as the definition of luxury. It’s also the perfect place for a haunting or two, as it holds a dark story that many at the hotel have tried to forget. 

There’s a darker side to San Antonio filled with ghosts and the unknown. Ready to see them up close and personal? Visit our website today and book a ghost tour with River City Ghosts! In the meantime, be sure to also check our blog for more chilling stories from its haunted locations.

Is the Gunter Hotel haunted?

The Gunter Hotel invites guests to experience its nationally renowned hospitality year-round. There’s something else that resides within its spacious walls, however. It’s something not of this world that sends a colder-than-usual chill up your spine, and it’s not the air conditioning. 

History of the Gunter Hotel 

The Gunter Hotel has stood as a silent witness to San Antonio’s evolving scene since 1909. Named after its investor, Jot Gunter, it was a first of its kind for San Antonio as the largest property ever built in the city: eight stories filled with 301 rooms constructed of steel, concrete, and buff brick. 

It was an architectural marvel and naturally became a symbol of luxury and sophistication in the heart of Texas. The Gunter attracted names such as Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and Mae West. 

Even John Wayne tipped his cowboy hat toward the hotel, choosing it as his temporary home while filming in San Antonio. Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman also stayed in the Gunter’s presidential suite. 

The Gunter Hotel was rededicated in 1999 after an $8 million renovation. Today, it boasts an atmosphere of top-notch hospitality exemplified by its spacious, ornate interior and celebrity-status reputation. 

It’s not just the living who have left their mark on the Gunter, however. Stories have circulated for years of guests who checked in, but never quite checked out. 

Hauntings Overview

The Gunter Hotel’s reputation for otherworldly activity and ill fates for some of its guests has grown steadily over the years. Staff and guests alike have reported inexplicable events, such as objects being thrown and frequent photobombing. 

The blame for these occurrences frequently points back to a pair of raucous spirits: Ingrid, with her long, dark hair and white dress, and Peggy, donning her promiscuous short flapper attire.

It’s a mystery who these women were in life, but they sure don’t like each other, even in death. Peggy and Ingrid are known to throw objects at each other, often slamming doors.

These two catty spirits are also known for wanting to hog the spotlight, becoming most active at parties, with Ingrid sometimes photobombing unsuspecting guests. On occasion, Ingrid and Peggy will even tug guests back and forth between them.

A positive presence has also been felt in Room 414 despite the legend surrounding its former guest. It was the same room where famous 1930s blues musician Robert Johnson did his first recording session. 

Among the songs Johnson recorded was “Cross Road Blues,” a song that many have interpreted as a nod to an alleged deal he made with the devil: his soul in return for unnatural musical talent. Whether it was coincidence or not, Johnson’s stardom didn’t last long, as he died two years later at only 27 years old. 

The stories surrounding his death vary. Though he was two states away when he died, guests and staff insist they feel his presence in room 414 after all these years. However, among all the spectral tales at the Gunter, there is still one room with a history so grisly staff have quit after being assigned to clean it. 

The Woman in Room 636

Of all the ghostly residents said to haunt the Gunter Hotel, none is more feared than the woman in room 636. Her story at the hotel began on February 2, 1965, when a blonde man under the alias of “Albert Knox” checked into room 636. He was often seen over the next several days accompanied by a tall, sophisticated-looking woman. 

Nothing seemed out of the usual until February 8, when a maid prepared to check the room.  She thought the  “do not disturb” sign was left hanging on the doorknob by mistake. Using her own key, she entered the room, and what she saw next made her scream in pure horror. 

Knox, standing beside a blood-soaked bed, put his index finger to his lips as if telling the maid to be quiet. He then gathered up a blood-soaked bundle and ran past her out the door. It was too late by the time police got involved; Albert Knox was gone. 

All that was left of his female acquaintance were pieces of her flesh found in the bathroom, and her blood splattered all over room 636. He was eventually found a few days later in another hotel a few blocks away. However, as policemen knocked on his door, he shot himself. 

Guests and staff have since reported seeing the murder endlessly repeating in the room. Some have also seen the mystery woman standing where the murder occurred with her arms outstretched. Others have seen a much older woman in the same pose. 

To add a touch of mystery to the haunting, an anonymous weathered envelope was sent to the hotel. It was addressed to its old name at its old zip code, circa 1965. There was no message inside, just the original key to room 636.

Haunted San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas, with its sun-baked streets and echoes of the Old West, holds secrets as vast as the Texas sky. It has a colorful tapestry of history and mystery born from religious missions and frontier spirit. That’s not the only spirit this city holds, however. 

As night blankets the Alamo City, the veil between worlds seems to thin, and the whispers of the dead echo with every flutter. From strange figures in century-old buildings to unexplained phenomena in its winding River Walk, San Antonio is teeming with spiritual activity. 

At the heart of it all stands the majestic Gunter Hotel, a towering display of elegant luxury that helped put San Antonio on the map. There’s a darker story that lies behind the hotel’s elegant facade however. 

It’s one filled with ghostly bitterness, a deal with the devil, and a gruesome murder, of which the details still remain unknown to this day. They’re all right here at the Gunter Hotel.

Ready to experience the haunted side of San Antonio? River City Ghosts invites you for a ghost tour that will leave you with goosebumps and a ton of memories for years to come. Be sure to visit our website today and book now. Until then, read our blog for more teeth-chattering stories, and stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Sources:

• https://rivercityghosts.com/
• https://www.hauntedrooms.com/texas/san-antonio/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/sheraton-gunter-hotel
• https://www.thegunterhotel.com/our-history.htm
• https://www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-gunterhotel/