The Spirits of the Cavalier Hotel

Posted: 02.19.2025 | Updated: 02.19.2025

Virginia Beach makes the top of the list when it comes to popular vacation spots, and for good reason. Filled with history, the exciting beach life and its famous boardwalk make it so there is something for everyone here. What many may not know is that it’s teeming with haunted locations and plenty of ghost stories to keep you up at night.

One such location is the famous Cavalier Hotel located at 4200 Atlantic Ave. It was the epitome of sophistication and luxury from its early days, hosting society’s elite. However, there is a darker past that hides underneath its alluring opulence. The same past that makes many believe ghosts still roam its halls, including an infamous suicide that occurred on its grounds nearly a century ago. 

There’s a darker side to the sunny coastal town of Virginia Beach. Ready to come face to face with the ghosts lurking in its shadows? Check out our website today and join Neptune Ghosts for a chilling ghost tour that will leave you talking about it for years to come. Be sure to also check our blog for more spooky stories from its most haunted locations.

Is the Cavalier Hotel Haunted?

The Cavalier Hotel stands today as a precious relic of the past. Its elegance still emanates from its walls, the same as when it opened its doors nearly a century ago. Guests have come and gone, yet this popular go-to destination for society’s elite is believed to be home to some who refuse to leave, even in death. 

History of the Cavalier Hotel

The Cavalier Hotel was the epitome of wealth and glamour during the Roaring Twenties. Completed in 1927, it was a project that took 20 years to construct. Virginia Beach was already a popular vacation spot for visitors, but its main clientele consisted of locals. 

Interstate travel was expensive and time-consuming, and city leaders were in search of a replacement for their beloved Princess Anne Hotel, which was consumed by a fire in 1907. The Historic Cavalier Hotel was finally completed 20 years later. 

It set a new standard of hospitality with its endless list of amenities and a lineup of celebrities for live performances. The Cavalier Hotel was so impressive for its time that it is believed to have inspired one of its former guests, F. Scott Fitzgerald, to write “The Great Gatsby.” 

A beach club was added at the height of the hotel’s popularity. However, World War II brought a challenging time for the hotel as it was filled to the brim with soldiers using it as a training ground. Business didn’t return to normal after the war, as much of its original clientele stopped returning. 

The hotel continued to endure more hardship through conversions, closings, and re-openings. A sister location was opened across the street in 1973, named the Cavalier Oceanfront. 

The Cavalier Oceanfront and Beach Club were completely demolished in 2014. However, the Cavalier on the Hill was spared when it was placed in the National Register of Historic Places at the same time. 

Today, after an $85 million restoration, the Cavalier on the Hill stands out as a symbol of timeless luxury with world-class amenities and some say spectral residents. 

Hauntings Overview

Opulence, grandeur, and the finest hospitality awaited all who visited the Cavalier Hotel. Even the most perfect hotel isn’t immune from its own stories of tragedy, however. Many of these have led to the Cavalier Hotel being haunted by some of its former guests. 

Story has it that a young girl was vacationing with her family at the hotel. The family cat escaped from the room one day and ran downstairs to the swimming pool. The cat, one way or another, ended up in the pool, with the girl jumping in after it. Both of them drowned. 

Guests have since reported seeing the little girl’s ghost walking through the pool area looking for her cat. Others have noticed mysterious feline paw prints emerge in the back staircase. Additionally, guests have heard the sound of a lost cat scratching at a door in the middle of the night. 

The little girl isn’t the only pet-owning spirit known to call the hotel home. There have been alleged sightings of an older, stately woman who frequents the Becca Restaurant without a reservation. She has been seen often crossing through the restaurant with her dog for years.

An African-American World War II Soldier has also been seen wandering the halls. The soldier’s fate remains a mystery.  Many service members considered themselves lucky to be able to stay and train at the hotel during World War II, however. Perhaps this service member is still enjoying his stay.

A Chilling Coors

The Cavalier Hotel has hosted an endless list of society’s elite since its inception. There’s only one whose spirit is known for haunting the sixth floor, however: Adolph Coors, founder of what is today known as Molson Coors Beverage Company.  

Coors was having breakfast with his family in the Pocahontas Room – known today as the Becca Restaurant. He then unexpectedly left the table and went to his room on the sixth floor, where he threw himself to his death. A stench of foul play has emanated from his unfortunate end, but with no clues to go by, it remains ruled as a suicide to this day. 

Coors’ previous room, in addition to the rest of the sixth floor, has been a hotbed for unusual activity. Unexplained cold spots have been felt in the room, along with windows opening during odd hours of the night. Voices and shuffling sounds have been heard from the corner of the room as well. 

Front desk staff also receive calls coming from the sixth floor. It’s nothing to be alarmed about, except the fact that the calls seem to come in the dead of night. Responding staff would only be met with the sound of a simple jazz tune on the other end. Night watchmen would be sent to check the rooms who called, only to find they were completely vacant. 

A kind, older bellman is even stationed on the fifth floor leading up, warning guests of ghosts up ahead. The irony is that no one has been stationed at that location. And as for the kind bellman, no one matching his description has been employed at the Cavalier in decades. 

Haunted Virginia Beach 

There’s a lot more to Virginia Beach than laughter and good times. Like any place rich with history, it holds a treasure trove of secrets and tales darker than the deep Atlantic waters. Some so dark, they cast a shadow over this peaceful coastal town, like the stories surrounding the Cavalier Hotel. 

It stands as a towering historical gem for Virginia Beach, unyielding in tradition for providing a breathtaking experience for its guests. A reminder of its early days, showcasing the prosperity of the roaring twenties. Some of its prior residents have refused to leave, roaming its halls and reminding us of some of the darker moments contained within the Cavalier Hotel. 

What more could anyone ask for than the beach, relaxation, and a plethora of spine-tingling ghost stories? Visit our website today and join Neptune Ghosts on a one-of-a-kind ghost tour through some of Virginia Beach’s most haunted sites. Don’t forget to also read our blog for more chilling stories surrounding this sunny coastal town, and stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Sources:

• https://www.virginia.org/blog/post/va-beach-cavalier-history/
• https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/virginia-beach/haunted-cavalier-hotel-attracting-some-unexpected-guests/291-609922834
• https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/blog/post/vb-haunts-the-grand-dame-of-the-shore/
• https://coastalvirginiamag.com/article/coastal-virginia-haunted-history/