One Of Nevada's Most Historic Hotels Is The 'Jewel Of The Desert' With Retro Luxury And Western Charm

As you pull into Tonopah, a remote outpost along an offbeat Nevada road trip route, the vast desert gives way to an elegant relic of another time: the Mizpah Hotel. Push open its heavy wooden doors, and you're no longer in the 21st century. The scent of aged wood and antique leather fills the air as crimson carpeting leads the way past gleaming chandeliers, Victorian settees, and a front desk that's witnessed over a century of whispered schemes and hurried farewells. It's easy to imagine the early 1900s here — miners fresh from the silver fields, politicians in tailored suits, and high-society women draped in silk and pearls. Some of them may never have left. The Mizpah is more than a time capsule; it's a place where history refuses to rest.

Built in 1907, the Mizpah Hotel has been a beacon of luxury for weary travelers, businessmen, and politicians alike. Senator Key Pittman, one of Nevada's most famous statesmen, was a frequent guest, and even Wyatt Earp, the legendary lawman of the Old West, is said to have passed through its doors. But for all its refinement, the Mizpah is equally famous for its spectral residents. Ranked among the 10 best haunted hotels in the country by USA Today readers, it's been the site of eerie knocks, unexplained whispers, and mysterious figures. Today, it remains a portal to the past, where the stories of Nevada's silver boom that earned it the nickname of the "Jewel of the Desert" still echo through the walls.

In the Nevada wilderness, the Mizpah Hotel is a monument to the Tonopah silver rush. Before 1900, Tonopah was little more than a dusty campsite. Then came one prospector who stumbled upon a peculiar rock in the desert, revealed to be silver. Word spread like wildfire, and by 1901, Tonopah's population had swelled to 650. Over the next four decades, the town flourished, and the Mizpah Hotel emerged as the social centerpiece of this newfound prosperity.

Like all boomtowns, Tonopah's fortunes eventually waned, and the Mizpah Hotel shuttered in 1999. But Fred and Nancy Cline purchased the property in 2011, breathing life back into its gilded halls. The original charm remains, from the plush red carpets to the first electric elevator west of the Mississippi — still operational after more than a century. The lobby even houses a Tonopah Banking Corporation vault, from when a bank office once occupied part of the hotel.

Despite its glamorous revival, the Mizpah's past guests seem unwilling to check out. While Tonopah's scary Clown Motel embraces its haunted reputation with theatricality, the Mizpah's ghosts feel more authentic. Mysterious coughing, shadowy figures, and knocking from unseen hands are just the beginning. The most famous spirit is the Lady in Red, a tragic figure who was said to be a sex worker murdered by a jealous ex-lover. Her presence lingers in the halls — guests report finding single pearls under their pillows (remnants of her shattered necklace), and some claim to hear her whispers. Then there's the basement, where legend has it two miners met their untimely demise while trying to rob the old bank vault, their bodies left to rot after they were shot by an accomplice.

To get to Tonopah, you'll likely fly into the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, roughly 215 miles south. From there, visitors can rent a car and take Route 95 for a scenic, 3.5-hour drive through the Nevada desert. At the hotel, rooms start at around $128 per night for a Queen Economy room, with add-on options of a bed-and-breakfast package (which includes breakfast for two), or the Belvada Cafe package, with a $20 cafe coupon and souvenir coffee tumblers. For those seeking a night with history — and perhaps even the supernatural — the Mizpah's themed suites are worth the splurge. The Lady in Red Suite invites you to spend the night in the very room where the hotel's most famous spirit once resided, while the Wagon Suite delivers a dose of the Wild West, featuring a hand-carved wagon bed.

Beyond the rooms, the Mizpah offers a rich atmosphere of Old West elegance. The Pittman Cafe serves up hearty American breakfasts, while the Jack Dempsey Room offers a refined dinner menu. The Longshot Bar, named for the town's mining history, pours stiff drinks with a side of vintage charm. For those curious about the Mizpah's ghostly reputation, guided ghost tours can be booked in advance. And if you're looking for adventure beyond Tonopah, take an hour-and-a-half drive to the Lunar Crater, a must-visit ancient volcanic crater that doubles as an astronaut training ground. The desolate beauty of the landscape, paired with the historic feel of the Mizpah, makes for a trip where the past and present feel closer than ever.