History & local legend
The Omni William Penn opened in downtown Pittsburgh in 1916. Among the former guests associated with its ghost stories is Ruth Harkness, the writer and adventurer famous for bringing a live giant panda from China to the United States.
A 2025 feature in The Independent recounts supposed sightings of Harkness at the hotel, sometimes accompanied by a spectral panda. Harkness died at the William Penn in 1947, providing the historical connection behind this unusually specific hotel legend. The article also describes stories of a shadowy former guest and elevators that behave unpredictably, including refusing to stop at particular floors.
