The Peoria Castle Lodge is notorious. Designed and styled in early Medieval Germanic Baroque the furnishings date from the 60s I can almost hear the theme from the Munsters. The dark woods, gothic tapestries, gas lanterns, deep reds lend the place a haunting atmosphere. The rooms are creepy with narrow stain glass windows and an oil picture portrait on the wall whose staring eyes seem to scan and follow your movements around the place. Our FA (a first time guest) had heard all of this from crew room chatter and was a little bit freaked. Its reputation was cemented when the night clerk behind the desk asked during sign-in if he wanted the haunted room 😉

Check-in complete we waited for the lobby elevator to take us up to our rooms. They are just large enough to handle the three of us. The elevator door blends inconspicuously into the side paneling and is just wide enough for one of us to squeeze. The FO stepped in and then the door rumpled closed at about twice speed. He was unable to halt the closure as the rest of us were reaching for our bags and the FA and I were left standing there in silence. I broke the tension by explaining how these places work — Like an Abbott and Costello movie they separate us one-by-one, then they…

That was enough the FA bolted and was last seen heading for the lounge.

I?m afraid that we will be one of the last to see the place in its grand old form. We are told that the Pedullas (owner & operators) have sold out! The Radisson chain is to gut and renovate.