Windermere House - Haunted Hotel in Windermere, Ontario

Overlooking the pristine waters of Lake Rosseau in Ontario's scenic Muskoka region, Windermere House has welcomed guests since 1870, earning it over 150 years of history and the affectionate nickname "Lady of the Lakes." This Victorian building at 2508 Windermere Road has become a beloved destination for those seeking both natural beauty and supernatural encounters, as the property harbors at least two distinct spirits who make their presence regularly known. The primary ghost haunting Windermere House is Thomas Aitken, the property's original owner who established the resort in the 19th century. According to staff and guests who have encountered him, Aitken never truly left his beloved lakeside establishment. In death, as apparently in life, he maintains exacting standards about how things should be run at his property. His spirit manifests through distinct phenomena that reveal his continued proprietorship. Throughout the hotel, guests and staff report persistent knocking on hotel room doors—when opened, no one stands in the hallway, yet the knocking was clear and deliberate. Most telling of Aitken's ongoing management style is his habit of moving items around the hotel. Objects are frequently discovered relocated from where staff placed them, moved instead to where Thomas Aitken believes they should be positioned. Staff have learned to recognize these relocations as the work of their spectral original owner, who apparently retained strong opinions about proper hotel organization even after death. The second spirit is far more unsettling—an unnamed little girl whose sudden appearances startle guests. This child ghost manifests beside guests' beds, materializing without warning as they sleep or prepare for bed. Witnesses describe looking over to find a small girl standing silently next to them, watching. Before guests can react or speak, the child suddenly vanishes, disappearing into thin air as quickly as she appeared. The identity of this little girl remains unknown—whether she was a guest who died at the property, a child of staff from the Victorian era, or connected to the Aitken family has never been established. Her age, the era of her clothing, and the circumstances of her death remain mysteries, though her regular appearances make her one of Windermere House's most documented spirits. The combination of Thomas Aitken's proprietorial hauntings and the little girl's bedroom appearances has made Windermere House a fixture on paranormal investigators' lists. The property has been featured in the article "Secrets of Windermere" in Sideroads of Muskoka, and its reputation as a haunted historic resort draws visitors who appreciate both the stunning Victorian architecture and lakeside setting along with the possibility of encountering the spirits who refuse to leave this piece of Muskoka history.