More ghastly than ghostly

Last Friday Mr. Gadget and I drove up to the San Francisco bay area to attend a graduation party for our niece.  Mr. Gadget's brother, father of the graduate, recommended a place to stay--the Union Hotel in Benecia. It was quaint, he said, with early-California charm.  

It sounded interesting, and I learned from doing some research that it was known to be haunted.  Mr. Gadget, a staunch non-believer, decided to humor me and we made reservations.

It wasn't long after checking in that we discovered it wasn't exactly as advertised. No "touches of European elegance."

Saying it was "luxuriously appointed" was quite a stretch.

"Distinctive amenities" were definitely lacking.

Did we encounter any ghostly activity?  We're not sure.  Mr. Gadget heard talking in the hall during the middle of the night--something that had been reported by earlier guests who found no one there.  And when I pointed to the sign in the lobby that said we should leave our keys under the door when checking out early, the lights went out leaving us to search for the elevator button in the dark.

One thing's for sure.  If we ever go back and have a need for lodging, we'll look for a much more upscale haunted hotel.