People know about Al Capone’s imprisonment at Alcatraz and Eastern State Penitentiary and his time in Chicago. But there are a number of hotels across the region where the famous gangster had his own suites, always on the run or overseeing gambling and bootlegging operations. There were also restaurants and bars where he’d enjoy his time off in the Southern sunshine.
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Americus, Georgia
The Windsor Hotel, built in 1892, is the primary site for Capone’s Americus legend. Capone reportedly stayed and kept an armed guard at the stairs, using it as a stopover on trips from Chicago to Florida, with rumors of tunnels and local connections to bootlegging. The hotel still offers an “Al Capone Suite” in the turret, also known as the bridal suite. His legend may be mixed with that of John Dillinger.
Atlanta, Georgia
In 1932, Capone arrived at Atlanta Penitentiary by train, having already made a name for himself in the preceding decade in Chicago. He’d most recently served time in Eastern State Penitentiary. His time in Atlanta would ultimately be brief, only two years, as he was transferred to Alcatraz in August 1934.
There are several stories about Capone’s time in Atlanta, but few of them are true. He didn’t rent out an entire floor of a hotel, but you can stay where the celebrities of the day did, the Georgian Terrace, which is still in operation.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Opened in 1872, the Read House Hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee, had seen its share of activity, functioning as a Civil War hospital. It gained in popularity as a place to stay when the rail lines passed through the city, attracting Jazz Age celebrities and politicians.
But it was Al Capone’s stay in Room 311, said to be haunted, that attracts guests to this day, where he stayed before turning himself in for tax evasion. The recently restored hotel returned this specific space to what it might have looked like then.
Hot Springs, Arkansas
His second home seemed to be Hot Springs, a resort community tucked into the Ozark Mountains, where Capone could escape from prying eyes and the lawman. He came to seek treatment for his ailments, notably syphilis, and soak in the thermal springs and stay at the Arlington Hotel. In fact, he had his own suite with an escape route, where you can book your own stay in Room 443.
When he wasn’t relaxing in the springs, he was betting on horses at nearby Oaklawn Casino and drinking at The Ohio Club, the oldest bar in the state, open since 1905. It had a cigar shop as a front during Prohibition. You can pose in front of the Capone statue set up in front of the bar or learn about his role here, alongside many other criminals, at the Gangster Museum of America.
Louisville, Kentucky
Al Capone was also said to have frequently visited The Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, built in 1905. You’d usually find him dining at The Oakroom, the restaurant where he could also play cards in secrecy. The restaurant still has the mirror he had sent from Chicago to keep an eye out for enemies. You’ll still find several speakeasies around town, like the ones Capone might have enjoyed.
Miami, Florida
Capone was drawn to Miami‘s relatively lax enforcement of Prohibition, making it ideal for his bootlegging operations. He also had a Mediterranean-style villa with a large pool, gatehouse, and private beach on Palm Island, purchased in 1928, where he held lavish parties and spent his final years before his death in 1947. The home was demolished in 2023.
He also stayed at The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, alongside several other mobsters. In fact, the hotel’s 13th floor is said to be haunted by the ghost of a gangster’s bodyguard.
Monteagle, Tennessee
Capone had significant connections to Tennessee, particularly Monteagle, where legends say he used RyeMabee, a historic home, as a hideaway and speakeasy, after befriending the Mabee family. It now operates as High Point Restaurant, known for steaks and pasta.
He may have also had ties to Johnson City, nicknamed “Little Chicago” due to its Prohibition-era bootlegging and gambling, even spending time at another Windsor Hotel. A “castle” in Franklin also claims connections, built by one of his associates as a hideout.
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