The American Horror Story Season Fans Find The Most Aesthetically Pleasing

When you think of iconic images in the horror genre, you probably picture the technicolor Giallo masterpiece "Suspiria" or the sun-drenched shot of Leatherface swinging his chainsaw in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." The blood-gushing elevator doors in "The Shining" or the grainy final shot of Mike facing the basement wall in "The Blair Witch Project."

For "American Horror Story" fans, the FX show offers a modern approach to horror aesthetics. It blends classic iconography with producer Ryan Murphy's signature bold, stylized creative vision. Fans know that even the weakest seasons of the horror anthology will still have strong world-building, and that the strength of the show's set design, costumes, and styling come through every single time.

On the show's subreddit, fans described one of the nine seasons of the series as "the definition of aesthetically pleasing." With a plethora of settings and characters to consider, this season stands out to viewers as being the most visually impressive.

Sharing a promotional photo of the fashion-forward Liz Taylor as played by Denis O'Hare, u/TransparentSal5 started a Reddit thread praising the rich aesthetics of "American Horror Story" Season 5, "Hotel." In addition to being inspired by the real-life Hotel Cecil, the fictional haunted hotel in "AHS" also references the Overlook Hotel from "The Shining."

Fans like Redditor u/CoolioStarStache appreciated the luxurious, geometric aesthetics of the Hotel Cortez. "I'm a massive art deco and decopunk fan," they said. "So imagine my glee when the Hotel Cortez is filled with art deco!" Others expressed their affinity for the season, calling it "gorgeous," "beautifully shot," and a "cinematic masterpiece." One user, u/teamint93, gushed, "I love the combo of old Hollywood glam and neon." 

Another user described "Hotel" as "aesthetically pleasing," but admitted that it's "also one of the most boring seasons." 

While "AHS: Hotel" garnered split reactions, at least most fans can appreciate its attention to detail. The Hotel Cortez might be a seedy portal to hell, but at least it's pretty.