Maribel Caves Hotel Hell

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Built in 1900, the Maribel Caves Hotel in Maribel, WI has come to be known locally as Hotel Hell because of the disturbing and persistent rumors surrounding it.

Some of the stories that continue to haunt the mysterious remains of the Maribel Caves Hotel are:

- The building burned three times, each time on the exact same date. It was rebuilt twice. The first fire was in the 1920s. The last fire was in 1930 and everybody died in their sleep.

- Skeletal remains of some of the victims can still be found on the third floor, which is apparently now inaccessible because of holes in the stairway, and in the basement.

- Years ago, one of the hotel guests went psycho and killed everybody in the hotel during a mass-murder frenzy, committing suicide afterwards.

- The spirits of those killed in the hotel have lingered in the building. This spiritual activity attracted a group of local Black witches who conducted secret rituals to curse the hotel and in the process they opened up a portal to Hell through an old fountain in the front of the hotel. This unleashed a horde of evil spirits that terrorized the town of Maribel. Fortunately, a White witch came to the rescue, sealing off the portal and confining the demons to the boundaries of the hotel and the surrounding yard.

- It used to be a spa in the late 1800′s for movie stars.

- During the prohibition, the hotel was owned by Al Capone.

- It served as a hideout for Al Capone, and he ran a moonshine business out of the hotel and the water bottling company next door. Underground passageways built beneath the hotel during the bootlegging days contain the lost treasures of Al Capone and John Dillinger.

- A little boy was playing on the roof of the bottling factory and was killed when it caught on fire.

- The name “Hotel Hell” came from the blood on the walls, yelling from the basement, the ring of a bell and the sound of wheels.

Some of the paranormal activity reported include cold hands applying pressure on your back on the third floor, feelings of being threatened in the basement, and apparently if you shine a flashlight at a second floor window, something will shine a light back at you.

The true history of the Maribel Caves Hotel seems to be much less interesting. Apparently it opened in 1900 as a hotel and therapeutic spa for travelers, which eventually became a tavern. It remained open in one form or another until a blaze destroyed the interior in 1985.

In 2006 the building was gutted, all remaining debris removed, leaving only the stone walls standing.

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21 Comments

1. lucid

   April 20, 2013 at 7:09 pm

   I believe Wagner still owns it, had plans for historical site…but not sure its a reality anymore

   Reply
2. Kristie Marie Alsteen-Greenwood

   January 4, 2013 at 11:06 pm

   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1217998487635.2033956.1159060131&type=1&l=39f038088f

   Reply
3. Jaime Albright

   November 10, 2012 at 8:03 pm

   Is your nanny still alive? I would really like to talk to some one who know anything about the caves and hotel. My great great grandfather owned it. Thanks

   Reply
   • Adrian LaCombe

     January 31, 2013 at 3:44 pm

     My grandfather and his brother built the hotel in 1900. My grandfather was Eugene Steinbrecher and his brother was Fr. Francis Xavier Steinbrecker. My middle name is Francis named after hiim. My great great grandfather Charles Steinbecher designed the hotel. My mother was Anita Steinbrecher, Eugene’s daughter.

     Reply
4. John Johnson Jr

   October 16, 2012 at 1:55 am

   Ive been here a thousand times and no matter what some book tells you I can assure you this place is not haunted. Ask any local and we can tell you its just some place that burned down in the 80s.

   Reply
   • Kim

     May 16, 2013 at 8:28 am

     I’m a local, and that’s not the case…plenty of people go here late at night and try to sneak up to the hotel in hopes of not getting caught by the neighbor next door.

     Reply
5. Justin Time

   August 17, 2012 at 8:48 am

   This is a really nice fairy tale, I live about 5 minutes away and this is bull……witches LOL!

   Reply
6. Jeff Westphal

   July 4, 2012 at 4:11 pm

   There isn’t much to see, regarding interests in photo shoots. The locals, from Mishicot to Trivers, don’t really know what the status of the property is. There were rumors regarding restoration some time back and I do think cost was an issue, but based on the structure’s popularity and location (right off I-43 between ChicagoLand and Door County) I think the payoff would be swift and strong.

   Reply
7. Christa

   May 17, 2012 at 4:36 pm

   does anyone know the address to this place? I cant find it any where online!

   Reply
   • J. Nathan Couch

     May 18, 2012 at 5:35 pm

     Driving directions are in the book “The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations.”

     Reply
     • J. Nathan Couch

       May 18, 2012 at 5:36 pm

       by Chad Lewis and Terry Fisk.

       Reply
8. Bev Rockwell

   May 7, 2012 at 12:21 pm

   I was just there two days ago and took pictures of the buildings. There really isn’t much to photo shoot anymore. It is just empty stone structures. If you want to see the pics they are on my facebook page.

   Reply
   • Brandon

     September 2, 2012 at 1:53 pm

     Can you put up your facebook page info so I can see the pictures? It does look interesting and we might want to get some photos as well if you were able to get some interesting photos. Thanks.

     Reply
   • Ashley Sheffer

     September 14, 2012 at 8:32 pm

     i looked on your facebook page and your pics are private so i cant see them

     Reply
9. LUGER

   April 22, 2012 at 5:28 pm

   I USE TO HANG OUT AT THE CAVES, AS WE CALLED IT IN THE 60S AND 70S. MY NANNY’S RELATIVES OWNED IT THEN. THEY WERE THE CHERNEY’S. SHE MY NANNY AND WAITRESS AT MY MOTHER’S CLUB, THE 141 CLUB, WAS LILLY PECK. SHE ALSO WOULD WORK AT THE CAVES.

   IN THE MID 70′S DICK WEGNER, I BELIEVE THE SPELLING IS CORRECT, EITHER OWNED IT OR RENTED IT. I HAVE BEEN UP ON THE THIRD FLOOR. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. I DIDN’T KNOW OF NOR DID I HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT THE SPIRITS UNLESS THEY WAS US. LOL

   THERE WAS VERY LITTLE BUSINESS MOST OF THE TIME AND REALLY VERY BORING. WE ALWAYS BROUGHT OUR OWN FUN SO WE DIDN’T MIND.

   MAYBE WE ARE SOME OF THOSE SPIRITS.

   I MUST ALSO SAY IF THAT PROPERTY IS RAZED HEADS SHOULD ROLL. THIS IS A GREAT PROPERTY AND A HISTORICAL SITE.

   Reply
10. Cody J Thiel

    March 19, 2012 at 9:19 pm

    About to go ghost hunting there tonight. If I don’t make it back alive, you’ll know.

    Reply
    • Maribel

      April 3, 2012 at 6:30 pm

      So did you come back Cody???

      Reply
11. J. Nathan Couch

    December 12, 2011 at 4:23 pm

    This location appears in the Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Places by Chad Lewis. All it says about ownership is the location is private property (under “constant surveillance”) and that the owner and the county are deciding whether to renovate or raze the place. Perhaps start by contacting someone at the county?

    Reply
12. Nikki Farce

    December 12, 2011 at 2:21 pm

    I did some research and I guess behind it is where the caves are, and that’s all public, but the hotel itself is private property and would be a bitch for us to get clearance to shoot.
    Its condemned too, so safety is gonna be a factor too…

    Reply
    • Chuk

      December 12, 2011 at 2:58 pm

      Safety? Who cares about safety? It’s no fun without the possibility that we all might die horrible, agonizing deaths.

      Reply
      • J. Nathan Couch

        December 12, 2011 at 4:18 pm

        At least it’d be a memorable way to go. You’d at least get a blurb in the paper.

        Reply