Haunted Hotel – Review (Louisville, KY)

Overall Score – 4.9/5!

(all ratings scored out of 5)

Curb Appeal – 4.8/5
Scare Factor – 5/5
Actor Enthusiasm – 4.9/5
Creativity – 5/5

Donna (The Frightmaster) – Okay, how do I describe my experience in the Haunted Hotel?  This haunt is extreme, over the top, in your face, make you pee yourself and the feature haunt of our trip.  It is the most fun, scary, intimidating, funny, creepy non-stop intense haunt we have ever been through.  From the very first few minutes where you line up against a wall and are given a talk by the crazy hotel proprietor and forced into the rickety elevator with another “occupant” who wasn’t with your original group, you know you are in for a great ride.  The hotel is fast paced and doesn’t let you catch your breath between scenes – each one more extreme and terrifying than the last.  The actors do touch, manhandle and push you, tickle you, and knock you around quite a bit.  We thought the manhandling was ramped up from last year maybe a bit much for some of the haunt goers, though.  This is an extreme haunt and it definitely lives up to it’s rep.
We loved the changes this year – love the fact that the entire haunt was different from last year.  Many haunts are good for a few years but get old quickly because the owners don’t change anything or very little from year to year.  Kevin knows that to keep people coming back you have to keep the scares new and fresh.  He did this very well this year and it was like going through a brand new haunt.
The haunt is longer than you would think.  It just seems to go on and on (and on and on and on….) especially when you are being chased by five people with very real looking chainsaws at the end.  This is the kind of jolt you get from sticking your hand into an electrified fence.  If you go through one haunt all year – you have to get to Louisville and check out The Haunted Hotel!

Teresa – I can’t get enough of this one! It is considered an “extreme” haunt. The actors will touch you. And I don’t mean tap you on your shoulder. I was caressed, carried, thrown on a table, dragged, sprayed, and shocked. And I loved it! This really kicks the fear factor up a notch. It might be a fine line between uncomfortable-scary and inappropriate-scary, but they do a great job of being just scary enough without going over the line. The actors are extremely enthusiastic and interactive (and in some cases acrobatic). Oh yeah, and deceptively strong! I also love that there are so many unexpected things. You just never know what you’re walking into as you enter a room. It is a long wait to get inside, but it is worth it! And you get to watch people run screaming out into the street as they exit, which is always great entertainment. If you can handle being man-handled (or woman-handled) this one’s the one you must see.

Todd – EASY 5/5 for me! Relentless. Abusing. Invading. Terrorizing. These are all words that immediately come to mind after going through Haunted Hotel this year.

This incredible haunt has won our Frightmaster award for the past two years and they’ve managed to greatly out-do themselves once again!

The experience is unlike any haunt we attend year after year and it’s mainly because of the level of physical contact made. We’ve been to other haunts where the actors can touch you, but that’s a HUGE understatement here.

This year, I was once again pushed down onto a steal table while a saw produced sparks in front of my face. Ok, been there done that. However. the next thing I know, I have a knife to my throat while being bent backwards over a wooden railing. It was not comfortable…at all. Yet, it was amazing. Another new experience was a lovely female actor grabbed my head and pushed it into her ample bosom. (Let’s do this one again!). Of course the same actress proceeded to pick up one of our fellow reviewers and carry her half way across the room. This actually happened a few times.

It’s no secret – you WILL be touched, grabbed, carried and creepily caressed in there.

Also astounding this year, was the haunt’s transformation. Almost every single room had been remodeled significantly, no detail spared.
The outdoor portion felt mostly the same, however the chainsaw-weilding maniacs at the end are viscous as ever, chasing terrorized patrons to the next block. This includes fellow reviewer, Gayle, who was so spooked that she was chased ahead of our group, not to be seen again until we exited. She was visibly shaken for some time afterwards. It was fantastic.

No words can describe the experience that Haunted Hotel provides so go experience it for yourself. It’s hardcore and not for the weak-witted. DO NOT BRING CHILDREN. This experience could seriously mess them up.

For me, what makes Haunted Hotel so great is the “”4th wall’ doesn’t exist. You don’t just go through and observe. You’re a part of it whether you want to be or not. You cannot escape the actors’ clutches. The more you show resistance, the harder they’re going break you.

It’s the best money a haunt lover could ever spend. Go. Now.

Bill – Once again, I had the crap scared out of me. The story changed, the rooms are different and the actors bring out the best in creepy and downright bone chilling scares.

Andy – What a extreme  haunt! From start to end there is never a dull moment in the Haunted Hotel!  This has got to be one of the most intense haunts around! Actors did a awesome job!  Great design and lay out as well. Already can’t wait to go back.

Tammy – My personal favorite haunt in Louisville! This is not just a haunted house – it’s an extreme haunt and they certainly live up to that name!  This haunt is long and you are worn out at the end and have a huge adrenaline rush all at the same time!  This is an intense haunt and the actors can and WILL touch you!  There’s darkness, touching, breathing in your face, grabbing and pulling.  This is terrifying, creepy and fun all at the same time!  The owner goes above and beyond and has some amazing staff and actors!  Intense, scary, an experience, a thrill, freaking amazing and totally my most favorite haunt ever!!  Get the fast pass it’s worth the nine extra bucks!

Gus – The Haunted Hotel has been a favorite of mine for several years now, and this year did not disappoint. It should be noted that this is an “extreme haunt,” so throw out all the rules you know about a haunted house. The actors can and WILL touch you. They will invade your personal space and pin you to walls. They will chase you down the street with chainsaws. And you will love it. The line moves slowly, but it is worth the wait.

Gayle – Ok…so I wait all year for this place!  This haunt is definitely NOT for the faint of heart…at all.  One of my favorite things about this haunt is the fact that it’s merely a house, in a residential neighborhood…how bad can that be, right?  Well…the anticipation of waiting to “”check in”” to this hotel is intense alone…but combined with the faint cries, screams, and an occasional chain saw, not to mention the looming characters milling about help to build the anticipation until the front door swings open!  Small groups pile inside to be greeted by a most crazed hotel owner.  He’s in your face, and warns of the horrors that await each guest.  The elevator ride to your floor is out of control!  It was difficult for me to even keep my eyes open..but one must…you don’t want to miss a single second.  Walking through, you will be touched, picked up, carried off, and every moment is sheer terrifying FUN!!

The owner of Haunted Hotel has proven once again he knows what is scary!!  His passion shows, the actors are super intense and do an amazing job.  This one is always a long anticipated wait, and well worth the trip from Cincinnati!!  Great job!!!!