Discover Where the Shining Was Filmed (And the Hotel That Inspired It)

On May 23, 1980, “The Shining” premiered in the United States and quickly became a hit success! This wonderful horror film is an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name. It starred incredible actors like Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, and Barry Nelson. One of the best parts of this movie is the sets, so where was “The Shining” filmed? Better yet, what hotel inspired the making of this movie and novel? Follow along to find out.

What is “The Shining” About?

Before we dive into the filming locations and inspiration behind “The Shining,” let’s learn a bit more about this film. Spoilers ahead.

“The Shining” follows Jack Torrance, who is the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Jack soon finds out that the hotel is haunted and has a gruesome past, as the previous killed his family and himself in the hotel about 10 years ago. While working at the hotel, Jack’s son, Danny, begins having strange dreams and visions.

Danny is warned not to enter Room 237. While suffering from horrible dreams of murder and tragedy, Jack is also having a hard time. He has writer’s block and becomes angry and prone to outbursts. Stranger things start to happen when Danny is lured into the infamous Room 237!

What Hotel Inspired “The Shining”?

While the Overlook Hotel isn’t real, there is a hotel in Colorado that partially inspired the film and novel, the Stanley Hotel. The Stanley Hotel is located in Estes Park, Colorado. This stunning historic hotel opened on July 4, 1909.

While working on his next novel, Stephen King checked into the Stanley Hotel with his wife on October 30, 1974. They were the only guests during their stay that night. After taking a walk in the hotel, he fell asleep and dreamed of his small child running and being chased. Almost immediately, he had the idea for the novel.

The Stanley Hotel is real, but it isn’t exactly like the Overlook Hotel. For instance, Room 237 doesn’t exist! Instead, Stephen King stayed in Room 217. According to the Stanley Hotel’s website, you can call to book reservations to stay the night in this infamous hotel room! 

Discover Where “The Shining” Was Filmed

Although set in Colorado, “The Shining” was mainly filmed at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England. Although mainly filmed within the studio, the hotel’s exterior was shot at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon. However, some of the opening aerial scenes are of Glacier National Park.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Mitchell Meffert/Shutterstock.com