According to USA Today, the absence of the 13th floor in hotels or elevators stems from "triskaidekaphobia" - a fear of the number 13 because many people believe that this number is always associated with bad omens.
Similar to the signs of people who are often stressed, people with triskaidekaphobia often experience symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing and panic when seeing the number 13.
A 2007 Gallup poll found that 13% of respondents said they felt uncomfortable being on the 13th floor of a hotel. As a result, many hotels have decided to remove the number 13 from room number plates, elevator control panels, and even stairwells. Elevator and stair manufacturer Otis Elevators estimates that 85% of elevators worldwide have renamed the 13th floor.
"In my 20 years in the industry, I've never seen a hotel in the U.S. that keeps the 13th floor intact," said Marc Sternagel, general manager of the Grand Hyatt Nashville Area.
A survey by CityRealty revealed a surprising number: Of the 629 buildings and hotels in New York City that are taller than 13 stories, only 55 have their floors numbered in the correct order. This means that more than 91% of the buildings here have either skipped or renamed the 13th floor.
