A mysterious Aztec-themed hotel at night, with vintage cars, people, and ghostly figures looming in the dark sky.

The Aztec Hotel This bizarre hotel on historic Route 66 has been plagued by rumors of paranormal activity. About The Aztec Hotel's astonishing facade has drawn travelers for decades as they journeyed down what was once a part of historic Route 66 in Monrovia, California. For nearly as long, it has been ringed with rumor, scandal, innuendo, and suspicions that unrestful ghosts may roam its halls. Opened to the public in September 1925 with a star-studded debut party, the hotel almost immediately ran into serious financial trouble. According to author, photographer, historian, and paranormal researcher Craig Owens, who has spent decades studying the hotel's history, local religious and women's groups refused to stay there, repelled by a mural reportedly depicting a Mesoamerican god of lust. To add to the Aztec's troubles, it didn't have an electric sign overhead until 1927, making it hard for passing motorists to see it at night. And there was no address on any of the hotel's promotional materials due to an unrelated civic argument over what the street it sat on should be named. (Today, it is West Foothill Blvd.) In 1927, the Aztec was repossessed by the bank, and for a time, its fortunes began to turn around, aided by two things: a new director and the creation of Route 66, which was designated the same year. Business immediately began to increase, weddings and parties started to take place in the lobby and courtyard—and, with the arrival of more guests, crime and vice See more