The Haunted Lakeside Inn

Posted: 09.27.2024 | Updated: 04.02.2025

Overlooking Lake Dora, the Lakeside Inn is the oldest hotel in Florida. With its history dating back to only 18 years after the end of the Civil War, it was a tranquil reprieve for Northerners looking to trade the harsh, bitter winters for the embracing warmth of the Florida sunshine. It was also a symbol of growth for the South in its early rebuilding stage after the devastation of the Civil War. 

Why is the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora Haunted?

While the hotel continues to offer a look back into the Victorian Era past, it also continues to pique the curiosity of ghost enthusiasts for some of the darker moments in the hotel’s 141-year history.

As Mount Dora’s Lakeside Inn continues to offer guests a tranquil experience filled with lush scenery and southern hospitality, staff and guests over the years have claimed to be in the presence of additional ghostly inhabitants who continue to enjoy the hotel’s hospitality from beyond the grave.

If you’re searching for things to do in Mount Dora, why not explore one of its most haunted locations? Read on to discover who haunts the Lakeside Inn—and if you’re brave enough, experience the ghostly activity yourself on an Orlando Haunts ghost tour!

History of the Lakeside Inn in Florida

The Lakeside Inn thrives with a rich history that can be seen and felt in every inch of the spacious ground through its Victorian Era-style decorated interior. Then called the Alexander House, the Lakeside Inn was built in the early aftermath of the Civil War when the South started to rebuild.

Northerners seeking temporary relief from the bitter cold winters sought the property’s sunshine and warmth. The Lakeside Inn offered not just a scenic view of Lake Dora, but its spacious grounds also provided the ideal location to engage in Victorian-Era hobbies: reading, bird watching, and picnics.

It was indeed an oasis that served as a microcosm of the economic comeback of the South, hosting notable names such as President Calvin Coolidge after his presidency and notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone. 

Only adding to what makes the Lakeside Inn so extraordinary is the fact that it’s the last standing Victorian-Era hotel in Central Florida; a result of the Great Depression where one by one, hotels across the state were forced to close their doors, never to open again for their respective reasons.

Lakeside Inn continues to serve guests from across the country seeking a taste of southern sunshine while soaking up some history with its nestled location in the heart of Mt. Dora’s historic district.  

Ghosts from the Past

It’s not unheard of for a building with so much history to have odd sounds, but sometimes something is just off.

From strange figures appearing in their peripherals to a passing fragrance that is clearly out of style, the Lakeside Inn in Florida contains many stories from over the years of ghostly figures who are still reluctant to check out.

A couple of experiences revolve around the hotel’s back stairwell. One staff member supposedly claimed she no longer uses the back stairwell of the hotel due to a horrifying experience she had one night.

Coming up the stairs, she didn’t just feel the presence of someone right behind her, but supposedly, the spectral figure tried to whisper right into her ear.

Another member was passing by when she glanced down and saw (what she didn’t know at the time) the apparition of a stately-looking caucasian woman dressed in late-19th-century garb. She claimed she was there one minute and disappeared the next. 

Lakeside Inn has hosted many joyful getaways for the last century-and-a-half, but for some of its former guests, the party doesn’t end.

Early shift workers stated they had heard disembodied voices singing and laughing; it was nothing too outrageous except for the fact that they were the only ones in the building. 

The staff has also reported strange, minor yet still unsettling occurrences, such as catching the floral scent of a grandmother-type perfume or the strong whiff of a cigar when no one is in the room.

It’s also been reported that the phone at the front desk would ring from one of the guests’ rooms, only to be met with dead silence when answered. It would later be revealed that the room was unoccupied. 

The Girl Who Vanished

The most prevailing story echoing through every hall of Mount Dora’s Lakeside Inn dates back 130 years with the tragic disappearance of a six-year-old girl named Amy. Eager to join her father on a fishing outing at Lake Dora, she decided to go against her father’s wishes for her to stay with her mother.

Amy headed to the lake, and the little girl was never seen again. A sepia photo of the girl standing in the Inn’s dining room now hangs adjacent to the present-day dining area. 

It’s a beautiful memory of a girl who, unfortunately, met her end way too soon. However, a disturbing element sends a shiver down everyone’s spine when they find out the story behind the picture.

While Amy is clearly seen standing unposed in the dining room, the photo wasn’t taken until a few weeks after she disappeared. Somehow, Amy’s ghostly figure appeared in an otherwise empty dining room.

Guests and staff alike also claim to see the ghostly apparition of the girl on the property to this day, over 130 years after her disappearance. She’s often described as wearing a red dress. Her soul may still be eager to join her father on the fishing outing she never got to enjoy. 

Haunted Orlando

Orlando, The City Beautiful, is a metropolitan haven for those seeking to escape daily life’s mundaneness. Its skyscrapers and numerous entertainment venues make the magic of the balmy Florida nights come alive.

Magic isn’t the only thing that comes alive at night here, though. Orlando and the state of Florida have a darker side that only the bravest would dare venture out to. One of those places is the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora, about 38 minutes outside of Orlando.

The picturesque hotel has undergone a meticulous renovation project initiated by owners Jim and Alexandra Gunderson in January 2011. Complete with 90 rooms spread across four historic buildings and an outdoor lakeside swimming pool, Mount Dora’s Lakeside Inn provides a unique experience for guests.

It combines the comfort of contemporary amenities with the opportunity to experience a piece of a precious, long-forgotten era, complete with some ghosts of the past.

If you’re looking for things to do in Mount Dora, why not step into its haunted history? Whether it’s the shadows lurking in Orlando’s historic buildings or the spirits lingering at the Lakeside Inn, the city’s ghostly past is waiting to be explored.

Guests and staff whisper tales of Amy, the little girl in the red dress, whose ghostly figure has been seen for over 130 years, forever trapped in the corridors of time. Others have reported eerie whispers in their ears, sending shivers down their spine as unseen entities make their presence known.

Want to experience it for yourself? Book a ghost tour with Orlando Haunts to discover more tales of Orlando’s haunted history. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Florida hauntings.

Sources:

1. https://lakeside-inn.com/about-us/
2. https://famoushotels.org/news/hotel-history-lakeside-inn-mount-dora-florida
3. https://www.mountdorabuzz.com/who-knew/the-real-ghostly-residents-of-mount-dora-part-1
4. https://discoverlakefl.com/explore/step-inside-the-lakeside-inn-floridas-oldest-hotel
5. https://www.centralfloridalifestyle.com/orlando-local-stories/top-4-ghostly-gourmet-chills-and-thrills/