Video: We take a tour of the hotel that inspired The Shining & Doctor Sleep

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Director Mike Flanagan's Stephen King adaptation DOCTOR SLEEP, a sequel to King's classic novel THE SHINING (and also a sequel to the Stanley Kubrick adaptation of THE SHINING that King wasn't too fond of) reaches theatres this weekend, and in anticipation of the release Warner Bros. invited JoBlo's own Paul Shirey to not only see DOCTOR SLEEP and talk with Flanagan, but also to 

visit the place that started it all: The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, where Stephen King famously stayed and came up with the idea for The Shining and has been home to not only the 1997 mini-series adaptation, but a long series of ghostly hauntings in itself. And now, we would be staying there, exploring the grounds, including a hedge maze recreation, the multi-storied haunted hallways, attend the annual Shining Halloween Costume Ball and, of course, take our own haunted ghost tour!

The video of Paul's adventures at the Stanley Hotel can be seen above, and is a well put together, interesting watch.

If you want to know what Paul thought of the movie, you can read his 8/10 review.

Starring Ewan McGregor as an adult version of the shining-gifted Danny Torrance, DOCTOR SLEEP has the following synopsis: 

Still irrevocably scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook, Dan Torrance has fought to find some semblance of peace. But that peace is shattered when he encounters Abra, a courageous teenager with her own powerful extrasensory gift, known as the “shine.” Instinctively recognizing that Dan shares her power, Abra has sought him out, desperate for his help against the merciless Rose the Hat and her followers, The True Knot, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality.

Forming an unlikely alliance, Dan and Abra engage in a brutal life-or-death battle with Rose. Abra’s innocence and fearless embrace of her shine compel Dan to call upon his own powers as never before — at once facing his fears and reawakening the ghosts of the past.

McGregor is joined in the cast by Kyleigh Curran as Abra Stone, Carl Lumbly as Dick Halloran, Alex Essoe as Wendy Torrance, Bruce Greenwood as Danny's friend Dr. John Dalton, Cliff Curtis as Danny's pal Billy Freeman, Rebecca Ferguson as cult leader Rose the Hat, Zahn McClarnon as Rose's right hand man Crow Daddy, Jocelin Donahue as Abra's mother Lucy, and Jacob Tremblay as a kid named Bradley Trevor.