The Shining

Absolutely haunting!
King really is an exceptional writer. His style, his themes, his characters... And this book really shows his skills. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for introduction to the work of Stephen King. It shows his ability to really put you in character's head and make you really understand them, portraying their thoughts as real as they come. But, with subtle note of horror that plays well with character's psyche.
Plot of the book is pretty straightforward: a family moves in the hotel over winter, to take care of it. But, the hotel is not what it seems. Basic horror setup. But, what makes it stand out are King's characters. Definitely not your typical heroes/protagonists. His characters are deeply flawed and unlikable, but in the same time, you feel for them and you sympathize with them. King brilliantly portrays such characters - they are not evil villains, they are people, with very human characteristics, but also have dark sides to them. And you are left with feeling of uncertainty whether you're supposed to root for them or not.
The whole hotel theme is secondary (at least, if you ask me). The main theme is Jack Torrance and his difficult relationships with people around him. Isolated haunted hotel just presents the perfect playground for explorations of those relationships and his own mind.