This Kentucky Hotel Was Notorious Gangster Al Capone’s Favorite Place to Stay

You may or may not be surprised to hear that Kentucky was a popular stop for some of the most notorious gangsters of all time. They loved to take advantage of horse racing and bourbon paradise as they traveled from northern cities like Chicago to ports of "trade" in New Orleans and Florida.

The extravagance of the Seelbach Hotel made it the place to be for these wealthy "businessmen." The incredible architecture modeled after old-world Parisian beauty, features huge murals, and vaulted ceilings with an impressive glass dome above the lobby.

Apparently, Al Capone loved playing cards and eating dinner in The Oakroom. He and his associates favored a small private alcove with access to an easy escape route should the authorities come looking for him. The Seelbach Hotel has hidden doors and passageways. How cool!

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If you dine in the Oakroom now, you'll notice a big mirror that Al Capone had shipped to the hotel from Chicago so he could always see whoever came in the door. If someone suspicious entered the room, he could slip out undetected. Here's a video of Seelbach concierge Larry Johnson with more on the history of the room and its guests.

Al Capone wasn't the only historical figure who liked to stay at The Seelbach. Author F. Scott Fitzgerald spent so much time there, portions of the hotel are named after him and The Great Gatsby. He even based a character in the novel on someone he met while staying there. Here's what the Seelbach website says,

"Cincinnati-based mobster and "King of the Bootleggers" George Remus also spent time at the hotel, where he became friends with writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald himself had visited the hotel while training for the U.S. Army at nearby Camp Taylor, and eventually used it to help write his famous novel, The Great Gatsby. In fact, the hotel’s Grand Ballroom was the inspiration for the wedding scene that took place between two of the book’s main characters, Tom and Daisy Buchanan! (Interestingly, Fitzgerald conceptualized the character of Jay Gatsby based on his interactions with Remus.)"

There's no doubt you can feel the "ghosts" of Seelbach's past when you stay there or go for a tour. If you don't want to make the trip, here is a virtual experience to see how gorgeous the hotel is.