Inside the MYSTERIOUS hotels that used to be brothels, from a saucy spot in Lisbon with extra large beds to a spooky Colorado saloon

Many places have stories to tell, with some more risque than others, as these hotels prove. 

DailyMail.com has looked into some of the hotels around the world that used to operate as brothels, with some playing up to their scandalous history and others trying to put it aside. 

One former bordello in Lisbon, Portugal, has fully embraced its provocative past, with guests invited to 'inhabit the harlots' rooms' - and there are even extra large beds for polyamorous couples. 

Meanwhile, a historic hotel hotel in England has a more recent history of illicit prostitution and has revamped its image thanks to a multi-million dollar investment. 

Travel on down to hear the full stories along with some more scandalous hotel history. 

The Black Monarch Hotel, Colorado

The Black Monarch Hotel is nestled in the mining town of Victor, Colorado, nearly 50 miles southwest of Colorado Springs.

As a former saloon, casino and brothel, the hotel was rebuilt following a fire in 1899 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It is said that the ghost of a miner who died during a gunfight at the property still haunts the hotel.

Some guests have reported being woken in the middle of the night by the sounds of women laughing or men screaming at each other.

The building underwent a full remodel 2019 after it was acquired by Adam Zimmerli, who only wanted to enhance its spooky roots.

Today, the seven rooms have different themes, ranging from a double queen inspired by Jack the Ripper to a single king which has 'art and decorations paying homage to [the] 19th century American axe murderer,' Lizzie Borden.

Pensao Amor, Lisbon 

Right in the heart of Lisbon's nightlife district, Pensao Amor plays on its past as a bustling brothel. 

Travelers are invited to 'inhabit the harlots' rooms' and 'discover the never revealed secrets' of the characterful property. 

The website says that 'in every nook and cranny' of the rooms 'unusual personal objects, surprising day-to-day business documents, mysterious messages and many surprises reveal the life of the old brothel in the 1960s, at a time when prostitutes could legally practice the oldest profession in the world.'

Some of the rooms even features extra large beds for polyamorous guests to enjoy. 

The hotel bar is as theatrical as the rest of the property, and the description pegs it as a place 'full of nooks and crannies, different shows, conversations, lots of entertainment and wonderful cocktails.'

McMenamins White Eagle Saloon & Hotel, Oregon

Legend has it that patrons of the McMenamins White Eagle Saloon in Portland, Oregon - which opened in 1905 - could indulge in a brothel upstairs or an opium den downstairs.

The establishment notes that the 'line between fact and fiction seems to have been wonderfully blurred' over the years, but some of the wilder stories include tales of a prostitute who was killed upstairs by a jealous lover and a waitress was pushed down the basement steps by an invisible force.

Today, the venue offers rooms above the saloon, and the website warns that 'with its nightly live music tradition, this is not for the light sleeper nor the early riser - be prepared to rock into the night!'

There are 11 rooms in total, including bunks, full rooms and queen rooms, with shared bathrooms available down the hall.

Maison Souquet, Paris  

Nestled in the heart of Paris' bustling Montmartre district, Maison Souquet describes itself as a 'unique setting for lovers of discreet hideaways and secret rendezvous.'

The hotel originally opened in 1905 and it was 'listed in the register of pleasure houses... at a time when Montmartre was a hub of Parisian revelry.'

After a careful restoration, the property opened as a hotel in 2015, offering 20 bespoke rooms and suites.  

The hotel is full of red velvet, plush furnishings and dark wood to give it a theatrical and luxurious edge. 

Low lighting provides the finishing touch. 

The website notes that 'each room, inspired by Chinese, Indian, Japanese, or Napoleon III styles, bears the name of a courtesan in memory of the place's past.' 

There is also a spa with a swimming pool, hammam and treatment room, which is described as a 'a sensory journey marked by pleasure and softness, for the utmost delight of the body and mind.'

The Red Garter Inn, Arizona 

Located on Route 66 in downtown Williams, Arizona, the Red Garter offers lodging in a restored two-story 1897 saloon and bordello. 

The venue was originally imagined by German merchant August Tetzlaff, and according to the website, 'a great deal of thought was put into the layout of the second floor bordello to ensure a smooth operation.'

It adds that each of the 'rooms, or 'cribs' for the girls on the low end of the pecking order,' were 'ten feet by ten feet in size and allowed room for a bed, armoire, table and chair.

Today, there are four rooms available to stay in at the former bordello, with each guest suite decked out with vintage furnishings. 

The options include Big Bertha's Room, Best Gal's Room, The Parlor and Madam's Room, 'where the woman in charge kept tabs on the girls and their visitors.' 

The Silver Queen Hotel, Nevada 

Built in 1876, the Silver Queen Hotel in Virginia City, Nevada, is considered one of the oldest hotels in town. 

While it served as a hotel, it is reported that a prostitute named Rosie operated her business out of Room 11 and it is also where she ended up taking her own life.

Today, the hotel offers 28 restored rooms, with many of the original features on display. 

There is also a saloon and on-site wedding chapel.  

The Silver Queen is also said to be the most haunted hotel in town. 

Travel Nevada notes that Rosie's ghost is said to appear in Room 11 and on the staircase. 

It adds: 'Even though the entire hotel is carpeted, guests have often reported loud steps on a wooden floor, rattling door knobs, the sound of voices, and even an apparition of Rosie herself at the top of a long staircase where she has been spotted lingering.' 

Hotel Amour, Paris 

Nestled close to what what was Paris' red light district, the Hotel Amour is set within a former brothel.

Despite a modern overhaul, the property still retains its character, with black corridors leading to the rooms and photos of women lining the walls.

One of the 28 rooms even features disco balls for a touch of extra pizzazz. 

A traveler who stayed at the hotel said they were initially nervous about its scandalous past, but found it to be 'better than expected.'

They wrote on Tripadvisor: 'I actually won this trip to Paris as a prize, so I had no hand in choosing the hotel. 

'After reading reviews and visiting the website, I was extremely nervous about the accommodations. I will be frank, I thought I was going to be staying in some kind of a brothel - as most of the photos I had seen contained some kind of pornographic décor. 

'After having spent four nights at Hotel Amour, though, I actually found the nude photos adorning the hallways to be charming.' 

Miss Molly's, Fort Worth 

Guests are told to prepare for a raucous trip back in time with a stay at Miss Molly's in Fort Worth, Texas. 

This distinctive property, built in 1910, served as a brothel before being converted into an eight-room hotel. 

Many of the original features remain, including a sign outside one of the rooms stating that 'street ladies bringing in sailors must pay for room in advance.'

The website notes that the former brothel 'gives visitors an authentic look at the city's somewhat raucous and rowdy past' and all of the rooms have 'turn-of-the-century décor and antiques.'

All of the bedroom suites have different themes, including cowboy and railroad, but the most popular room is said to be Miss Josie's.

Named after a former madam, the room 'was originally decorated in red velvet, but now has a fabric on the ceiling and lace covering everything from pillows to curtains.' 

Many guests are attracted to the property for its supposed hauntings, and it is considered one of the most paranormal sites in the state. 

The proprietors say that 'most of the sightings have involved the former working girls from the hotel's days as a bordello.' 

Hotel Village, Hamburg

The Hotel Village in Hamburg is described on the website as possessing 'unique and extraordinary flair.'

A blurb detailing the property's history goes on to explain that until the end of the 1980s, it made its name as 'the classiest and most distinguished brothel in Northern Germany.'

Touching on the restoration process, it continues: 'The charm and ambience were retained, modern details were added. 

'Many rooms have silk wall coverings, canopies and mirrors above and sometimes behind the beds.'

One of the most romantic room categories is called the 'Honeymoon Room,' complete with lipstick red décor, mirrors and a canopy. 

A tourist who stayed at the hotel wrote in their Tripadvisor review: 'We chose the hotel for the location and the price and we got more than we bargained for.

'When walking in, we were really amazed of the interior of the hotel. It was like walking into an old style luxury brothel. Quite quirky!

'But once your are used to it it is an amazing place.'

Painted Lady, New Mexico

For travelers looking for some colorful history, the Painted Lady in Albuquerque, New Mexico, might fit the bill. 

The website reveals that the property was built in 1881 as a brothel and saloon with 'tales of buried money, hidden rooms, and Billy the Kid are all waiting inside.' 

While prostitution was banned in the city in 1914, the hotel website notes that it is 'believed that the establishment operated illegally as a brothel well past this date and into the middle of the 20th Century.'

It adds: 'According to family members, the front of the saloon was equipped with a sign that could be manually turned, slyly letting those in the know that it was a drinking establishment by day and a brothel by night.​' 

The property was transformed into a hotel and brewery over a three-year period and opened in the summer of 2018. 

Today, there are three suites in the former brothel, and one in the former saloon, with the rooms sleeping from two to four people. 

Hotel Kärntnerhof, Vienna 

Hotel Kärntnerhof in Vienna makes no secret about its provocative past, and the website reveals that after WWII, it operated as a brothel known as Madame Rosa.

It adds that the property was also beloved by an Austrian film actress who 'had a special connection with the hotel' and 'her pug Loriot often resided in the house and was cared for by the staff.'

Today, the hotel offers 41 rooms and three suites, with the interiors combining a 'blend of Viennese Art Nouveau, French flair and Italian elegance.'

Some of the themes running throughout include, 'fine wallpaper, velvet seating and a collection of art by Alexander von Humboldt, consisting of animal motifs, butterflies, birds and ostrich eggs.' 

For guests wanting a taste of the hotel's past, there is a Madame Rosa suite which is dedicated to its life as a brothel when it was 'frequented mainly by Allied soldiers.'

Stone Court House, Maidstone 

A historic building in the UK which once illegally operated as a brothel underwent a multi-million dollar renovation to give it a new lease of life as a hotel. 

The Stone Court Hotel in Maidstone, Kent, reopened in 2022 under new ownership after a 2012 drugs raid saw two men and one woman arrested with offences related to prostitution.

Thanks to some investment, the 700-year-old building has been returned to its former glory, with a spread of antique furnishings and four poster beds.

It has a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Tripadvisor and one guest who recently stayed there wrote: 'Fantastic and beautifully restored house. The rooms have four poster beds and some have roll top baths.' 

'There are numerous lounges and sitting rooms with beautiful décor including a suit of armor.'