Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - Haunted Hotel in Banff, Alberta

Perched majestically in Banff National Park at 1,414 meters above sea level, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel opened its doors in 1888 as a wooden structure built by the Canadian Pacific Railway. After a devastating fire, it was rebuilt in 1926 in stunning castle-like fashion, earning its nickname "Castle of the Rockies." This 768-room luxury resort features a 27-hole championship golf course and the Willow Stream Spa, but it's the hotel's spectral residents that have garnered it appearances on television programs including Creepy Canada and CBC Kids.

The hotel's most infamous location is Room 873, where a tragic family murder occurred years ago. Multiple family members were killed in what became known as the "Murder Room." The horror was so profound that hotel management had the room bricked up and sealed, making it appear as just another section of wall. Yet the trauma persists—apparitions of the murdered family members continue to manifest outside the sealed room, witnessed by both guests and staff. The underlines of the door and lights above remain visible, marking the location of this dark chapter. During the original 1888 construction, a contractor's error created a secret room with no windows or doors, only discovered after the 1926 fire. Apparitions are regularly seen roaming the hallway outside this mysterious sealed space. Perhaps the hotel's most dramatic ghost is the Burning Bride, whose tragic wedding day in the 1920s ended in horror on the hotel's marble staircase. As she descended in her flowing white wedding gown, lit candles ignited the delicate fabric. In her panic, she tripped and fell, breaking her neck and dying instantly. Her full-bodied apparition now dances eternally in the ballroom, still wearing her wedding dress, with some witnesses reporting flames visibly emanating from the gown as she moves. She's also spotted on the fatal staircase, and strange noises echo from the bridal suite even when it stands vacant. More benevolent is Sam Macauley, the hotel's beloved bellman from the 1960s and 70s who died in 1975. True to his joking promise to return as a ghost, Sam appears in his full 1960s uniform, most commonly on the 9th floor. This helpful spirit assists guests with locked rooms, turns on lights, and helps carry bags. He's often mistaken for a living employee until guests attempt to tip or converse with him, at which point he simply vanishes. Two elderly ladies once called the front desk after being locked out; when staff arrived 15 minutes later, the door was already unlocked. The ladies described an older gentleman who had helped them—matching Sam's description perfectly. Other apparitions include a bartender who tells intoxicated guests to go to bed, and a headless man playing bagpipes who wanders the grounds of this legendary Rocky Mountain landmark.