Ryan Murphy didn’t have to go far while looking for a theme for the latest season of American Horror Story – he found his inspiration right in downtown Los Angeles.
Just before American Horror Story: Hotel debuted on FX, Murphy admitted the fictional Hotel Cortez was based on the Cecil Hotel, now called the Stay on Main.
The real life hotel’s gory history could rival that of the fictional Cortez. Among the hotel’s most psychotic tenants was Richard Ramirez, who moved into the top floor of the hotel in the 1980s and proceeded to murder more than 10 people on the premises. Just ten years later, serial killer Jack Unterweger infamously brought prostitutes to the hotel where he would murder them, too.
In 2013 the hotel made headlines again after the mysterious death of Canadian student Elisa Lam. The 21-year-old’s body was found decomposing inside the rooftop water tank and was only found after guests started complaining that the water smelled and looked strange.
During the investigation into Lam’s death, police found a creepy hotel security video that shows Elisa entering an elevator alone, pressing several buttons on the panel, and then getting out after the elevator elevator doors wouldn’t close. She then appears to have a conversation with someone who isn’t there and walks away. Just then, the elevator door closes. Police believe this all happened just before she drowned in the water tank.
You can watch the full video below, though I don’t recommend it if you want to sleep tonight:
On top of the hotel’s spooky past, it’s also located in, let’s call it, a not-so tourist-friendly neighborhood. But, that doesn’t seem to be deterring AHS: Hotel fans. Since the show debuted a few weeks ago, Stay on Main has reportedly been overwhelmed with reservations, presumably made fans hoping for a ghost sighting or two. But, don’t expect to see the show’s cast wondering the halls, the show is actually filmed in a six-story hotel built specifically for AHS on the FOX lot.
If you think you’re daring enough to spend the night at the former Cecil Hotel, you can make reservations here.
