Hotel Monteleone had developed a reputation over the years as being one of the most haunted places in New Orleans. The most famous of these tales involves that of a young boy named Maurice Begere, who stayed at the hotel with his family during the 1890s. The child’s parents—Jacques and Josephine—were avid theatergoers and regularly visited the French Opera House located along Bourbon Street. But since Maurice was just a toddler at the time, the two often left him in the care of a nurse whenever they went out. On one such night, the Begeres decided to stay at the Hotel Monteleone before departing for the French Opera House. While under the care of his nanny, young Maurice developed a fever and passed away later that night. Jacques and Josephine were mortified to discover the fate of their child. Grief-stricken, they returned to the hotel every year in hopes of spotting the spirit of their beloved Maurice.

According to legend, the Begeres did not have to wait long to see the apparition of Maurice. Up on the 14th floor, the boy supposedly appeared before his mother, proclaiming: “Mommy, don’t cry. I’m fine.” The experience left Josephine in tears, happy to know that her boy was at peace. But Maurice’s parents were not the only people to encounter him—on the contrary, many guests have also reported running into his spirit on the same level of the building. One visitor provided an especially chilling tale, in which she spotted Maurice passing by the foot of her bed early in the morning. Surprised, she shot up to see if her husband was around, only to discover that he had already left the room. Realizing that she was completely alone, the guest determined that it must have been the ghost of Maurice!