The Ghosts of the Miami Biltmore Hotel
Biltmore Hotel postcard c.1930s
In its heyday, The Biltmore played host to royalty, both Europe's and Hollywood's. The hotel counted the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Al Capone and assorted Roosevelts and Vanderbilts as frequent guests. Fashion shows, gala balls, aquatic shows by the grand pool and weddings were de rigueur as were world class golf tournaments. A product of the Jazz Age, big bands entertained wealthy, well-traveled visitors to this American Riviera resort.
In 1929, gangster Thomas “Fatty” Walsh was fatally shot at the Biltmore over a gambling dispute. He was the former bodyguard of Arnold Rothstein, and was questioned when Rothstein was killed, but he told police he'd left town two months before because Rothstein was "too cheap". The police believed that Walsh's slaying was connected to Rothstein, who was killed in similar circumstances. Fatty Walsh had only been in Miami for 3 weeks, and Arthur Clark who was wounded in the altercation said the shooting wasn't caused by a dispute, but that a man entered the room with the intent of shooting Walsh.
In 1929, gangster Thomas “Fatty” Walsh was fatally shot at the Biltmore over a gambling dispute. He was the former bodyguard of Arnold Rothstein, and was questioned when Rothstein was killed, but he told police he'd left town two months before because Rothstein was "too cheap". The police believed that Walsh's slaying was connected to Rothstein, who was killed in similar circumstances. Fatty Walsh had only been in Miami for 3 weeks, and Arthur Clark who was wounded in the altercation said the shooting wasn't caused by a dispute, but that a man entered the room with the intent of shooting Walsh.
Fatty Walsh was killed at the Biltmore Hotel c.1929
Rumor is that his ghost haunts the hotel, especially the bar, where the glasses and bottles on the shelves have reportedly shaken mysteriously. Known as a man of indulgence who enjoyed Cuban cigars and women, Fatty is said to still wander the hotel and play tricks on staff and guests. His apparition has been seen on the 13th floor, where he was killed, and in bathroom mirrors throughout the hotel. The mysterious scent of cigar smoke, presumably a manifestation of Fatty, has been reported to follow attractive women around the Biltmore.
Paranormal investigators say Fatty is a cooperative and friendly spirit. But he might not be the only soul wandering the hotel's halls. A decade after Walsh’s murder, in the 1930s, eyewitnesses reported that a woman walking in front of the Biltmore mysteriously disappeared. More recently, members of the kitchen staff claimed to have seen mysteriously swinging doors and inexplicable noises. The next time you visit the Biltmore — for the hotel's annual Halloween party — pay attention to any mysterious smells, sounds, or movements: You might have attracted the attention of a gangster ghost!
But there could be other sources for the haunting said to occur at the Biltmore. With the onset of World War II, The Biltmore was converted to a hospital by the War Department. It served the wounded as the Army Air Forces Regional Hospital. Many of the windows were sealed with concrete, and the marble floors covered with government issue linoleum. Also it was the early site of The University of Miami's School of Medicine, and remained a VA hospital until 1968.
Paranormal investigators say Fatty is a cooperative and friendly spirit. But he might not be the only soul wandering the hotel's halls. A decade after Walsh’s murder, in the 1930s, eyewitnesses reported that a woman walking in front of the Biltmore mysteriously disappeared. More recently, members of the kitchen staff claimed to have seen mysteriously swinging doors and inexplicable noises. The next time you visit the Biltmore — for the hotel's annual Halloween party — pay attention to any mysterious smells, sounds, or movements: You might have attracted the attention of a gangster ghost!
But there could be other sources for the haunting said to occur at the Biltmore. With the onset of World War II, The Biltmore was converted to a hospital by the War Department. It served the wounded as the Army Air Forces Regional Hospital. Many of the windows were sealed with concrete, and the marble floors covered with government issue linoleum. Also it was the early site of The University of Miami's School of Medicine, and remained a VA hospital until 1968.
Soldiers convalescing at the hotel while it was a VA hospital
In 1973, through the Historic Monuments Act and Legacy of Parks program, the City of Coral Gables was granted ownership control of The Biltmore. Undecided as to the structure's future, The Biltmore remained unoccupied for almost 10 years. Then in 1983, the City oversaw its full restoration to be opened as a grand hotel. Almost four years and $55 million later, The Biltmore opened on December 31, 1987 as a first class hotel and resort. Over 600 guests turned out to honor the historic Biltmore at a black tie affair. Since before it's restoration in 1983, the Biltmore Hotel has been known for being haunted, unexplained noises on the 13th floor, a ghostly girl out on the golf course, and restless spirits from its time as a VA hospital, are but only a few of the ghostly stories associated with it.
