Interviewed by DoloresRose Lucivero         

   Have you ever gone away on vacation and as you lie in bed wonder about all the people who had passed through the hotel, resting in the same room you were?  Have you ever wondered who they were, where they had come from if they were enjoying their stay at the hotel?  Perhaps you have a taste for the macabre and wondered if someone had died in the very hotel room you were currently staying in.  If this sounds like you, then you simply have to visit The Shanley hotel in Naponach, NY…owned by Sal and Cindy Nicosia.  No, you won’t have to ask Sal or Cindy about the past guests…because they’ve never checked out; they’ve remained on as spirits.  The Shanley Hotel is a beautiful bed and breakfast which was built in 1845 and has had several renovations, including having to be rebuilt as it was burned down in a fire in 1895.  Many people of all different walks of life have passed through The Shanley Hotel, ranging from residents of Napanoch, to business men, to Eleanor Roosevelt and Thomas Edison who were personal friends and visitors of (then owners) The Shanley’s.

The charm of The Shanley hotel did not die in the fire, nor the allure stop as decades passed by.  Several years ago Sal and Cindy Nicosia decided to move to Napanoch, NY to restore a stone colonial home dating back to the 1700’s which once belonged to the first original settlers.  Falling in love with the rural and quaint town Sal and Cindy spent the years befriending the towns people, and becoming involved with the community.  It took Sal and Cindy six years to complete the restoration on the old stone house, and they finally had a year off for relaxation when Sal and Cindy heard about the plight of the old hotel being put on the market, with the horrid possibility of being turned in to apartment buildings. After much discussion amongst themselves Sal and Cindy decided to restore the Shanley Hotel, open it up for business and see where their next adventure would take them. They had no idea! If you’d like to read the full story about The Shanley Hotel and of  Sal and Cindy’s supernatural situation please visit: www.TheShanleyHotel.com

RL:      Cindy, thank you for allowing so many paranormal investigators come to the hotel and “meet” your “permanent” guests.  When you and Sal first purchased The Shanley, did you know that there was paranormal activity?

CN:     No, not at all.  We had just finished restoring the stone house and heard from a friend about the hotel possibly being turned in to apartments.  What with the history of the hotel, none of us wanted to see that happen.  When the deal had fallen through, and the hotel was still on the market we purchased it.  On occasion, if we were working outside we’d see passers-by giving us odd looks as they’d cross the street (to the opposite side) and quickly walk by.

RL:      When did you first experience activity at the hotel?  Also, did you question what you heard or saw or were you already a believer?

CN:     It wasn’t until the day after we closed on the hotel, and were celebrating with friends by candlelight, did we hear heavy footsteps coming up the main staircase.  At first we thought someone had come in, but then Sal recalled locking the front door.  All at once we all realized that we were dealing with a haunted building.

RL:      The hotel is a work in progress and coming along beautifully.  How did you decide to restore and decorate each room? (By the way, take special note of the floors when you visit the Shanley.)

CN:     The spirits told me how to decorate.  I never knew that I could communicate like that, you know with spirits.  But I would stand in a room, close my eyes and just see how it was supposed to look. We’ve had medium’s come to visit, and they’ve told us that this is how the hotel is supposed to look.  And as you can see, it is decorated in different patterns and time periods, but this is how it is supposed to look.

 
RL:      Is there a certain room, or perhaps spirit which is your favorite?

 
CN:     (Shakes head no), I love them all. They’re all special.  Guests who come to visit, or who have become repeat visitors may become attached to a certain room or spirit…but I love them all. (Author’s note-having had my own experience on the third floor with Jonathan, the six year old spirit boy, I have thought about him frequently since coming back home.)

 
RL:      Prior to buying the hotel, if you knew then what you know now about the Shanley being inhabited by 30 plus spirits, having experienced all that you have, would you still have bought it?
 

CN:     Oh yes, we were called to this place.  It was meant for us to have bought it.  Not only is it a very mystical place, but its more than just hanging out with the spirits.  It’s about love….the love that the guests bring now when they visit.

SN:      That’s the hardest part, when everyone is leaving to go back home and the hotel is quieting down again.