Phantom Hospitality at the Omni William Penn

Submitted by Dave and Carla

Every once in a while, a casual encounter leaves such a lasting impression that it demands to be revisited. For Dave and Carla, a spontaneous stop inside Pittsburgh’s historic Omni William Penn Hotel turned into something far more curious. While staying at the nearby Sheraton during a weekend trip roughly five years ago, the couple decided to explore the Omni after a night out.

Drawn in by its grandeur, they entered through the front doors to be greeted by a sharply dressed man who offered them an impromptu tour. This friendly man was described as wearing a white shirt, black vest and pants, while sporting an old-fashioned haircut. The man, estimated to be in his late 40’s, guided them through the hotel, speaking in detail about the ballroom, the building’s ornate features, and even referencing past murders said to have taken place within its walls.

But it was the tour’s conclusion that left Dave and Carla stunned. As they admired the ballroom ceiling, pointed out by their mysterious host, they turned around to thank him only to find he had completely vanished. No footsteps, no sounds, nothing. Despite calling out and searching the nearby halls, the man was gone without a trace. The experience, which lasted nearly twenty minutes, still lingers in their minds today.

After hearing their story, we dug into our past history and research which tied directly together with numerous other accounts of strange sightings and eerie encounters. To make things even stranger, during our initial research years ago, began planning an investigation of our own. Unfortunately, we were quickly shut down by a hotel employee who curtly insisted, “There’s nothing paranormal here.” The irony of the entire situation? Just one week later, a full paranormal convention was held inside the Omni William Penn. This strange encounter invites the question: just how many hosts call the Omni William Penn Hotel home?

We enthusiastically wanted to add this to our ever growing “Shared Story” compilation with hopes of continuing to add to the tales of the odd and mysterious and perhaps one day actually perform our own investigation in the grandeur of the Omni William Penn.