The Shining hotel to dig up pet cemetery The Stanley Hotel, in Colorado, which was the inspiration for King's spine-chilling novel The Shining, plans to dig up the adjacent graveyard and relocate it elsewhere. Located in the Rocky Mountain National Park, King was inspired to write the novel after staying in the hotel's room 217. Ironically, King is also the author of Pet Sematary, the terrifying tale of a burial ground that has the power to bring dead animals and children back to life. The hotel is already believed to be the site of much paranormal activity: the ghost of Lord Dunraven, who purchased the land the hotel now sits on in 1872, is said to make ghostly visitations to room 418.