The Ghost of Sister George Beckons Believers and Non-believers

to the Inn and Spa at Loretto

Unexplainable activities and ghost sightings are a reminder of their rightful place in Santa Fe’s 400-year old history

Media Contacts: Lupe Hirt, MindSpeak PR, (303) 859-1762, lupeh@mindspeakpr.com

SANTA FE, N.M. – Oct. 10, 2011 – A city steeped in folklore and mythology,

Santa Fe’s history is spattered with a myriad of legendary deaths and murders

that gave this quaint town an ethereal reputation. Its modest 37.4 square miles

are etched with paths that lead ghostwalkers to known locales regarded for their

ghost sightings, hauntings and paranormal activity. While most myths and

legends come to life during Halloween, the ghosts of Santa Fe roam this historic

town year-round giving believers and non-believers an extended opportunity to

visit. Starting Oct. 1 through Oct. 31, 2012, the Inn and Spa at Loretto will offer

its Ghostwalkers experiential package, which is inspired by its resident ghost

Sister George and other neighboring ghosts like La Llorona, Rosalea and Mesera

of the Pink Adobe, La Casa Vieja de Analco, and the ghosts of the San Miguel

Mission and The Loretto Chapel. The package includes a one-night stay in a

Sister George ghost friendly room, passes to The Loretto Chapel, a self-guided

‘Ghostwalkers’ map, ghost spotting tip sheet, downloadable ghost hunting

applications and a souvenir book copy of Santa Fe Ghosts (Mystery, History, &

Truth) by Susan Blumenthal. The southwest ghostly package rate starts at $150.

Sister George at the Inn and Spa at LorettoThe Inn and Spa at Loretto is built on the site that was formerly the Santa Fe

Opportunity School, a school for the physically and mentally challenged children

of the city. Sister George and several other nuns ran the school as part of the

Sisters of Loretto, the Catholic order that also built the famous Loretto Chapel.

In the late 1960s, a devastating fire destroyed nearly the entire school grounds,

except the Loretto Chapel and Sister George’s Opportunity School building.

In the early 1970s, the property was sold and the Inn and Spa at Loretto was

built. In 1976, Sister George died and many say she returned to the school’s

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former property after her death. Billie Frank, former concierge at the hotel and

owner of The Santa Fe Traveler, recalls “At one point when the fourth-floor was

closed for renovation, the front-desk kept getting calls from that floor. I thought

this was strange, but had no explanation for it. Then, one day, someone told me

about Sister George’s affinity for phones and it all made sense.”

“In the Loretto Chapel gift shop, there is a sizeable wall display of crosses,” said

Vannessa Schulz, a sales associate in the Loretto gift shop. “Each night we would

lock up the store and all of the crosses were perfectly in place. We would return

in the morning and the crosses would be lying neatly on the floor. Since none of

the crosses were broken, we knew it was Sister George having some fun at our

expense.”

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Ghostwalkers Package Details Many argue that spirits roam freely among us each day; we just need to believe

and be open-minded about their existence. The Inn and Spa at Loretto’s

Ghostwalkers package gives guests the venue, tools and tips necessary to

cultivate a ghost encounter. While Sister George is the focal point of this ghost

hunt, the package highlights a total of five ghosts, located within walking distance

from the Inn.

With this package, guests will receive a one-night stay in a room that has had

reported paranormal activity in the past. To enhance the experience, guests can

request candlelight only lighting in the room at no additional charge.

Additionally, guests will receive a Ghostwalkers self-guided map, which directs

guests to other ghostly venues around town. Given that for many, seeing is

believing, the Inn will also provide an expert tip sheet for sighting ghosts in

Santa Fe, such as timing, specific places to go, etc. The Inn will also arm each

guest with two, publicly-verified, ghost hunting applications that can be easily

downloaded onto most phones. Each package will also include the Santa Fe

Ghosts (Mystery, History, & Truth) book as a take-home souvenir.

Ghostwalkers Package One-night stay in a Sister George ghost friendly room Self-guided ‘Ghostwalkers’ map Two passes to The Loretto Chapel Ghost spotting expert tip sheet Two downloadable ghost hunting applications Santa Fe Ghosts (Mystery, History, & Truth) souvenir book

AvailabilityOct. 1, 2011 – Oct. 31, 2012

Price:Total package price starting at $150

To book a Ghostwalkers package and to learn more about the ghosts of Santa Fe,

please visit www.innatloretto.com or call (866) 582-1646.

About the Inn and Spa at LorettoThe Inn and Spa at Loretto, an award-winning, AAA Four Diamond hotel, is ideally located in the heart of Santa Fe, steps from the Canyon Road galleries and just one block from his-toric Santa Fe Plaza's galleries, museums, restaurants and boutiques. Eloquently blending old-world charm with world-class splendor, the exquisite Inn and Spa at Loretto reflects the culture and sophistication of its historic Santa Fe location. The hotel features 134 gue-strooms, a full-service spa, casual fine dining, three art galleries and a tranquil garden. En-joy Luminaria Restaurant and Patio for three meals daily; The Living Room for happy hour, late night dining and live music and The Spa at Loretto for a holistic and complete indul-gence experience.

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About Destination Hotels & ResortsThe Inn and Spa at Loretto is one of more than 30 independent, upscale hotels, resorts and conference centers managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts, which is consistently rated one of the top 10 independent hospitality management companies in the United States. The company has developed a variety of initiatives to better serve its communi-ties, stakeholders and customers including Destination Earth, an environmental sustain-ability program, and the Destination Delivers guest loyalty program, which provides the best available offers to members. Destination is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based in-vestment, development and management firm Lowe Enterprises.  For more information, please visit www.destinationhotels.com.

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