Mission Inn Hotel & Spa

The Mission Inn began as a modest 12-room adobe boarding house in 1876. Frank Miller took over in 1902 and transformed it into a grand Spanish Colonial Revival masterpiece with flying buttresses, spiral staircases, and a collection of bells and artifacts from around the world. The hotel has hosted presidents (Nixon was married here) and celebrities for over a century. Its catacombs, towers, and hidden passages make it architecturally unique.

The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa began as a modest 12-room adobe boarding house called the Glenwood Cottage in 1876. When Frank Miller took over in 1902, he transformed it into the grand Mission Inn we know today—a sprawling complex featuring Moorish Revival, Spanish Colonial, and Mission Revival architecture. The hotel became the largest Mission Revival style building in the United States and hosted presidents and celebrities during Riverside's "Orange Rush" era.

Frank Miller and his sister Alice, children of original owner C.C. Miller, never left their beloved hotel even after death. Frank's room on the fourth floor northeast corner and Alice's two-level suite in the southeast corner remain active paranormal hotspots. Alice's presence is particularly strong—guests report cold spots, invisible touches, and the sound of her beautiful singing echoing through the halls. Some have seen her apparition materializing in her former room, still watching over the hotel she loved.

The Bridal Honeymoon Suite, located across from Alice's room, has earned a reputation for its aggressive hauntings. Multiple guests have reported being pushed or hurried down the spiral staircase of the two-level suite by unseen hands. Ghostly apparitions of a bride and groom—possibly from a long-forgotten wedding—have been spotted in the suite, and guests frequently experience cold spots, flickering lights, and an overwhelming sensation of being watched.

Beneath the Mission Inn lies a network of tunnels known as the Catacombs, filled with rumors of mysterious deaths, hangings, and strange occurrences dating back to the late 1800s. These underground passages are believed to be haunted by several spirits, and paranormal investigators have reported intense activity in this subterranean maze.

The ghost of a young girl who died in a fire years ago is another well-known presence at the hotel. Throughout the building, staff and guests have reported unexplained sounds—footsteps, whispers, and faint music emanating from empty rooms and hallways. Visitors today can experience the Mission Inn's haunted side through the hotel's ghost tours, which explore its most paranormally active areas and share the stories of its ghostly residents.