In the heart of downtown Phoenix, the San Carlos Hotel is a testament to the city’s growth and change over the last century.
When the San Carlos Hotel opened on March 20, 1928, it was hailed as the region’s premier luxury hotel. Designed by architect George Whitecross Ritchie, it featured 121 en-suite bedrooms – an enormous luxury in the 1920s.
The Italian Renaissance-style building is an architectural gem, with imported marble staircases and ornate wrought iron railings. Guests enjoyed state-of-the-art amenities such as ice-cold drinking water and state-of-the-art air-cooling systems – a rare luxury in the desert heat of Phoenix.
The hotel’s spacious lobby was adorned with crystal chandeliers and plush furnishings that exuded elegance and sophistication. It was one of the few hotels in the Phoenix metropolitan area with an elevator, a marvel of modern engineering at the time.
“It was simply way ahead of its time technologically,” said Anthony Lickiss, night manager and sales director and event coordinator at the Hotel San Carlos.
“There was air conditioning, hand-operated elevators, all these things were new inventions at the time. So it was a big attraction for a lot of locals and also for the movie stars who stayed here.”
What is San Carlos famous for?
In its heyday, the San Carlos Hotel was the first choice of Hollywood stars. Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard and Spencer Tracy stayed in its opulent suites. Today, the rooms are named after some of the most famous guests.
The San Carlos Hotel is a minor celebrity in its own right, having made a notable appearance in the opening scenes of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film Psycho.
“The hotel is actually shown twice in the movie,” Lickiss said. “It’s there when the movie starts – they pan the skyline from left to right, and that’s about 10 seconds into the movie. You can see downtown and the hotel is right there sticking out. You can’t miss it.”
“There’s a moment about 10 or 15 minutes later where (Marion Crane, played by Janet Leigh) steals her boss’s money and tries to flee town. If you pause the film, you can watch again as she drives up Central Avenue; you can see the hotel in the distance.”
What is the history of the San Carlos Hotel?
The San Carlos Hotel has had a profound impact on Phoenix both culturally and historically, and is a testament to the city’s architectural and social heritage.
As one of the city’s first luxury hotels, it set a high standard of hospitality and became a center for social and business gatherings, with the Phoenix Rotary Club and the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce using the hotel for meetings and events.
The Hotel San Carlos is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its architectural significance and its role in Phoenix’s history. Its status as a historic building is maintained by strict requirements to ensure that its historical integrity is maintained.
The San Carlos has also been a member of the Historic Hotels of America since 1991. This group is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. To be considered for inclusion, a hotel must be at least 50 years old and be designated as a National Historic Landmark or listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“Because of the history, the movie stars and everything, I think it’s such an important part of Phoenix history,” Lickiss said.
Is the San Carlos Hotel haunted?
There are rumors that the San Carlos is haunted. The most famous ghost story involves a young woman named Leone Jensen who tragically jumped from the roof of the hotel and died in May 1928, just weeks after it opened. Her ghost, distraught over a broken engagement, is said to still linger in the hotel.
“The story is that she was engaged and her boyfriend was working at other hotels in Belmont, California. For some reason, he had ended the relationship by the time she got here to town. It was just too much for her,” Lickiss said.
“So she wrote three notes, left them behind, climbed onto the roof and jumped. This happened just about six weeks after the hotel opened.”
In addition, the hotel stands on the site of Phoenix’s original public school, where there was a well where, according to legend, several children drowned.
“Before the hotel was on this property, this was the site of Phoenix’s original public school, and there was a well they dug for the school,” Lickiss said.
“And legend has it that the children fell into the well and drowned. That well is still in the basement of the hotel. Now it’s sealed and you can only see the remains, but it’s still there. People have said they hear children playing in the basement.”
“It’s just an incredible place”
The San Carlos Hotel’s influence goes beyond its guests and ghost stories. While other historic buildings in Phoenix have been torn down, the San Carlos stands as a monument to the city’s past.
The San Carlos has been renovated over the years to adapt to the changing needs and preferences of guests while maintaining its historical significance. In addition to modernization measures such as the installation of air conditioning and upgrading of room amenities, the hotel has retained its classic elegance with features such as the original terrazzo floors in the lobby.
“It’s just an incredible place. I’ve been here for six years and I’ve never found a job I love more than this one,” Lickiss said.
“There’s a whole culture that’s developed here between the owners and the staff. We’ve all worked here for so many years and the regulars all know us. It’s just that familiarity there, that’s part of what makes this place so special.”
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