THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The historic Clift Hotel is associated with cold spots, unexplained sounds and apparitions, particularly around its 15th-floor Spanish Suite and the story of former owner Robert Stewart Odell.
Opened in 1915, the Clift is one of San Francisco's historic downtown hotels. Its most persistent ghost tradition centers on the 15th floor and the Spanish Suite, originally built as hotel founder Frederick Clift's private residence. Robert Stewart Odell later owned the hotel through Allied Properties and died in 1973; historical accounts state that he took his own life at the Clift. Later staff and guest stories describe unexplained banging, footsteps and sightings of a male figure associated with Odell near the upper floor. A separate former guest reported entering a dark banquet room late at night and experiencing an abrupt intense cold spot followed by an unexplained clanking or falling sound. The historical death and ownership are documented, while the paranormal claims remain anecdotal.