Skip to ContentA cigar-smoking spirit named William and the ghosts of miners. Told by the hotel and its tour hosts. Story first, then the record.
Checked November 3, 2026. Every claim below names the page it was read on.
LegendNot a verified fact until the answer says so
The Story
The Gold Hill Hotel, between Virginia City and Silver City, says on its own site that its bar was “frequented by Mark Twain back in the day” and that its historic rooms and a cabin were featured twice on Ghost Adventures [1]. Visit Reno Tahoe’s article tells of a cigar-smoking spirit named William seen sitting on the bed in Room 5, and of miners killed in 1800s accidents whose spirits are said to stay in several rooms [4]. RenoNR also links William to the scent of cigar smoke [5]. The hotel calls itself Nevada’s 8th most haunted destination on its event pages [2][3].
What Is Actually True
Open or closed now: Open. As of the pages read on 2026-11-03: the hotel’s own January 2026 notice says the restaurant and saloon closed Jan. 1 to 21 for the winter break while “the hotel will continue to be open and operating as usual,” and reopened Jan. 22/23 [6]. The hotel’s home page lists regular restaurant and saloon hours and a front desk open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days, with no closure notice [1]. Its events page lists a ghost tour on Oct. 29 and a ghost-tour evening on Nov. 12, 2026, and a psychic-medium evening on Nov. 5 ($45) [3]. We did not phone the hotel; confirm by calling (775) 847-0111, a number the hotel prints.
- The 2025 ghost tours were hosted by the Northern Nevada Ghost Hunters, a volunteer group whose proceeds go to historic preservation on the Comstock, with dinner at the Crown Point restaurant and a guided look at the hotel; tour only $35, tour plus dinner $60 (2025 prices) [2].
- The page describing those tours says “Nevada’s 8th most haunted destination” as the hotel’s own marketing line, not an independent ranking [2][3].
- The Gold Hill mining area did have deadly mine accidents, but the 37-miners-in-1869 figure appears only in Visit Reno Tahoe’s retelling, with no source [4].
Still Unconfirmed
The ghost named William; the 1869 miner deaths figure and any link to specific rooms; the “8th most haunted” ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Gold Hill Hotel open?
Yes, on the hotel’s own pages the hotel stayed open during its January 2026 restaurant break and it lists events through Nov. 2026 [3][6]. Call before you drive out.
Who runs the ghost tours?
In 2025 the Northern Nevada Ghost Hunters hosted them with the hotel [2]. The 2026 events page does not name an operator for each tour [3].
Is the hotel really haunted?
No proof exists. The stories come from the hotel, tour hosts, and TV features [1][2][4].
Sources
- Gold Hill Hotel home page, Gold Hill Hotel (operator). Read 2026-11-03.
- Gold Hill Hotel Ghost Tours 2025, Northern Nevada Ghost Hunters / Gold Hill Hotel (ticket page). Read 2026-11-03.
- Gold Hill Hotel events page, Gold Hill Hotel (operator). Read 2026-11-03.
- Haunted places in Virginia City, Visit Reno Tahoe. Read 2026-11-03.
- “A haunting we will go” (2022-10-09), RenoNR. Read 2026-11-03.
- Winter break notice for the restaurant and bar (January 2026), Gold Hill Hotel (operator). Read 2026-11-03.
Cite this page: It’s Reno editorial team, “The Gold Hill Hotel Ghosts,” itsreno.com/legends/gold-hill-hotel-ghosts/, checked November 3, 2026. Legends are labelled as legends; ghost stories are never invented.