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10 Haunted Hotels in Ontario Where You Can Spend The Night With Ghosts

Spend your nights in creepy comfort at the most haunted hotels in Ontario. You won’t get much sleep at these ghoulishly spooky inns.

Haunted hotels in Ontario

Ontario has its fair share of spooks and haunts. Between haunted roads, screaming heads, and ghostly lighthouses, this province is packed with ghoulish delights. But of all the haunted places in Ontario, nothing is quite as spooky as spending the night in one of Ontario’s most haunted hotels.

Stories of real-life hauntings are all over this province. From spooky inns to creepy hotel rooms, getting a room in one of the most haunted hotels in Ontario will give you the most excellent chances of having one of these paranormal encounters for yourself.

So if you’re feeling brave and are looking to have some creepy encounters of your own, explore the most haunted hotels in Ontario for yourself.

This article contains affiliate links. Simply put, this means we may receive a small commission for some of our recommendations throughout this article.

Ottawa Jail Hostel

Ottawa Jail Hostel Ontario's haunted hotels
Photo credit: Pixabay

Tucked in behind Ottawa’s gorgeous Westin Hotel sits one of the most terrifying of all of the haunted hotels in Ontario.

The Ottawa Jail Hostel dates back to 1862, the year the city was founded. The city gained a reputation as one of the most horrifying prisons in the country and was even the location of three executions. The jail has had plenty of hauntings recorded over the years. Some of these include lights flashing, specters roaming the halls, and jail cell doors slamming shut all on their own.

But one of the most horrifying reports is of a ghostly figure hanging from an invisible rope in what was once the jail’s gallows.

The Ottawa City Jail was closed for good in 1972, but it didn’t take long for it to get a new lease on life. By 1973 the prisoners were moved out, and the jail cells were opened up to guests of the Ottawa Jail Hostel. It’s since become one of Ottawa’s top attractions.

Guests at this haunted hotel get to spend their nights in actual former jail cells behind bars. The hostel is known to be one of Canada’s most haunted places. You can book a room at the Ottawa Jail Hostel right here.

Prince of Wales Hotel – Niagara-on-the-Lake

Prince of Wales Haunted hotel in Niagara
Photo credit: Pixabay

Located right in the picturesque core of Niagara-on-the-Lake, the stately, Victorian-era Prince of Wales Hotel doesn’t look like one of Ontario’s haunted hotels.

The Prince of Wales Hotel was built in 1864 and named after the Duke of York, who stayed at the hotel early in its existence. Over the years, the hotel has become one of the premier hotels in Niagara-on-the-Lake, but beneath its gorgeous exterior lies a tragic tale.

The dark history of the Prince of Wales Hotel dates back to before the stately manor was built. At the time, the property housed a tiny home owned by Molly McGuire. When the Americans invaded Niagara during the War of 1812, a soldier charged into the house, mistaking McGuire for a British soldier and killing her.

In the years since her death, a ghost has been known to bang on the pipes and turn on showers in the hotel. Some visitors have even reported hearing voices whispering in their rooms and the creaking of footsteps on the wooden floors.

You can book your own night at this haunted hotel here.

Bala Bay Hostel in Muskoka

Deep in the heart of cranberry country lies one of the most haunted hotels in Ontario. The town of Bala, Ontario, might be best known for the Bala Cranberry Festival, but the Bala Bay Inn in Muskoka is packed full of ghost stories that will put a chill down your spine.

The hotel, built in 1910, the inn has become famous among ghost hunters. The Bala Bay Hostel “ghost lounge” is a room in the hotel that was once the residence of the hotel’s original owner. E.B. Sutton died in the room in 1916, and his body remained there for six days until it was discovered.

Since his death, the room in which he lived has been the subject of countless paranormal experiences. Tapping on the walls, televisions turning on and off, and ghostly apparitions appearing in the window. Some people even have reported visions of a man hovering, as if suspended, from the ceiling.

Inn at the Falls in Bracebridge

haunted hotel in Bracebridge Ontario
Photo credit: Kevin Wagar

Inn at the Falls is a picturesque hotel overlooking Bracebridge Falls in the town of Bracebridge, Ontario. Many visitors spend their autumn season watching the Ontario fall colours explode over the Muskoka River.

Although the Inn at the Falls is surrounded by some of the most jaw-dropping scenery in Ontario, more and more visitors are being drawn in by this Ontario hotel’s haunted reputation. Reports have been made of four different spirits that haunt the halls of the Inn.

The original building dates back to the 1870s. The ghosts at Inn at the Falls have been linked to former residents of the manor, and looking at the surroundings, it’s no surprise that they didn’t want to leave.

One of the ghosts is believed to be that of Judge William Crosby Mahaffy, who lived at the residence until he died in 1911. Apparitions matching his portrait, which still hangs on the wall, have been seen floating around the inn. Some guests have even reported having conversations with the judge.

Another apparition, that of a woman in a long dress, has been reported in Mahaffy’s former room. The ghost drifts from one side of the room to the other before fading through the walls. This is creepy experience is sometimes paired with a sudden drop in temperature.

Another common occurrence is the smell of cigar smoke wafting through the Great Room. The Inn at the Falls is a no-smoking property, but the Great Room was a popular spot for men to enjoy a smoke back in the hotel’s early days.

If you’re interested in spending a spooky night at one of Ontario’s most haunted hotels, you can book one here.

Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ontario

Chateau Laurier Ontario haunted hotels
Photo credit: Pixabay

Fairmont properties in Canada have a reputation for ghosts and ghouls. The Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa is no exception. This historic hotel, commissioned in 1912, was the brainchild of business tycoon Charles Melville. Melville tragically perished aboard the S.S. Titanic off the coast of Newfoundland just twelve days before the hotel’s grand opening.

It didn’t take long for Melville’s ghost to find its way to his beloved property, though. Since 1913 there have been reports of an apparition matching his portrait floating in the halls and ballrooms of the hotel. Since then, it’s been considered one of the most haunted hotels in Ontario.

The ghost of Melville isn’t the only spirit that has made a home in Chateau Laurier, though. Throughout its 110 years of existence, the hotel has experienced several tragedies. Some of those victims chose never to leave. There have been reports of a young child roaming the halls, voices singing in empty hallways, and even touches by unseen hands during the Chateau Laurier high tea.

If you’d like to experience these happenings for yourself, you can book a room at the Chateau Laurier here.

The Olde Angel Inn in Niagara

Haunted Olde Angel Inn Niagara on the Lake
Photo credit: Olde Angel Inn

Niagara-on-the-Lake is among the most charming small towns in Ontario. Sitting right across the Niagara River from Fort Niagara in the United States, this small town saw its fair share of action during the War of 1812.

Like the Prince of Wales Hotel, the Olde Angel Inn was the site of some of the terrors of the war. Built back in 1789, the hotel was severely burned in the war of 1812. It was rebuilt by owner John Ross in 1815. Today, the hotel exudes grandeur with hosed hand-hewn beams and thick plank floors.

The haunting of the Olde Angel Inn dates back to those times. Canadian militia officer Captain Colin Swayze opted to stay a few extra days at the inn before joining the rest of the retreating British. Swayze hoped to see his true love once before leaving the city.

Unfortunately for Swayze, American soldiers were sent to search the inn. When they found the soldier, he was fatally wounded.

Since that day, visitors have reported visions of Captain Swayze, still wearing his uniform, haunting the inn and the grounds surrounding it. The ghost of Captain Swayze has always stayed harmless, at least to Canadian and British guests. And he’s so beloved by the hotel and its guests even a British flag remains flying outside in his honor.

You can book a night with Captain Swayze through this link.

Fairmont Royal York Hotel

Royal York haunted accommodations in Ontario
Photo credit: Pixabay

Ontario’s other Fairmont property, the Royal York in Toronto, has some ghost stories of its own.

The Royal York was built in 1929, and with nearly a century since it opened its doors, the hotel has hosted countless celebrities and royalty. It’s also hosted more than its fair share of supernatural guests as well.

One of the hotel’s most famous ghost stories involves a man with a purple coat who wanders the hotel’s eighth-floor hallway. Another involves unseen children running up and down the halls.

One of the most common paranormal sightings at the Royal York occurs in the hotel’s storied Crystal Ballroom. There are many reports of noises coming, including dancing, singing, and music emanating from the ballroom when it’s closed. Doors have been opened to find the room completely empty. Elevators have also been reported opening at the Crystal Ballroom even when no buttons have been pressed.

If you have the courage to stay at the Fairmont Royal York, you can book a room here.

Do You Dare Stay At The Most Haunted Hotels In Ontario?

If you love a good fright, there is no better way to get your scare than by sleeping in a genuinely haunted place. These haunted hotels in Ontario serve up loads of ghosts and ghouls to keep you on your toes.

Many of these businesses and restaurants are anxious for visitors after a tough year. So let’s support local and make the most of your Ontario travel experience.

Do you have a favourite attraction or restaurant in Ontario? Head over to the Ultimate Ontario Facebook Community and join the conversation! You’ll find an amazing group of people passionate about Ontario and who love to share their local secrets.

Ashley

Saturday 12th of August 2023

Any haunted places to stay in or near Kenora Ontario?

Kevin Wagar

Friday 18th of August 2023

The Mather-Walls House in Kenora is reportedly haunted, but does not offer accommodations. Your closest options nearby would be the Ottawa Jail Hostel and Chateau Laurier in Ottawa.