Canada—my “home and native land”—is a pretty peaceable place known for its natural beauty … and most of the year, I like it that way. But come October, I’m ready to shake things up a bit by trading the natural for the supernatural. Luckily (or not, depending on your point of view), this country has loads of certifiably spooky spots to vacation in—including lodgings that boast resident apparitions. The disturbances they make mean I might not rest in peace. Then again, a ghostly encounter is always guaranteed to lift my spirits. So this Halloween, I’m skipping the tricks and treating myself to a night in one Canada’ most haunted hotels.
Victoria’s Secrets.
Some visitors to Victoria, British Columbia, choose the Bedford Regency (doubles from $89) because of its convenient Bastion Square location or enticing amenities like roaring fireplaces and fluffy duvets. But many are drawn by the boutique hotel’s otherworldly assets. Its assorted ghosts include a cigar-smoking barfly named Brady who was murdered on the basement stairs in the 1960s. His dearly departed girlfriend (identifiable by the pungent smell of her cheap perfume) also reappears regularly around Room 49, where she once lived.
Their presence is to be expected. After all, Victoria is considered to be Canada’s most haunted city and the hotel fronts on a prime piece of unreal estate. In fact, John Adams, author of Ghosts and Legends of Bastion Square, says, “almost every building in the vicinity has a ghost or two.” For instance, an eerie organ player haunts the Custom House Currency Exchange; a wraith rattles around Pounder’s Restaurant; and a notoriously nasty 19th-century judge reportedly still hangs out at the Maritime Museum, located in an old Supreme Court building.
Adams, who has been offering Ghostly Walks ($12) since 1970, will point out neighborhood hotspots along with other paranormal attractions in Old Town and Chinatown. He also organizes dinner programs in Victoria’s haunted eateries where creep-seeking connoisseurs can hear about the venue’s history and learn how to detect supernatural presences. Die-hard golfers, however, may prefer the sessions he devotes to Doris Gravlin at the Victoria Golf Course. Her shadowy figure appears both on the 7th fairway (site of her 1936 strangulation) and the nearby beach she was buried on.
If you’re planning a visit this month, you can take in the Ghosts of Victoria Festival, too. Running from mid-October through Halloween, this annual event celebrating all things that go bump in the night features themed trolley and bus tours, guided graveyard visits, even “nightmare entertainment” (if you’ve ever wanted to try out an electric chair, here’s your chance!). Click here for information on the festival line-up, Adam’s book, his walks, and sundry other ghoulish activities.
Upstairs, Downstairs.
The historic Fairmont Banff Springs (doubles from $249) is arguably Alberta’s best-loved hotel and has much to recommend it. Nestled in the Rockies, near the resort town of Banff, this castle-like gem boasts proximity to natural hot springs, pristine lakes, and to-die-for mountain scenery. But it’s the service as much as the setting and sublime architecture that makes the hotel unique. You see, employees there know just how to please—and little wonder. Some of them have kept working long past their expiry dates.
Visitors to the ninth floor, for example, report being helped with their luggage by one Sam McAuley, an elderly bellmen sporting an outdated uniform. Considering the genial gent has actually been dead for decades, his choice of vintage attire is understandable: it’s his dedication that is remarkable. Seems Sam was so devoted to hotel patrons that he decided to remain eternally at their service. Another ghostly staff member—a bartender—is equally conscientious. He has a habit of gently encouraging over-eager drinkers to call it a night.
Given the Banff Springs’ reputation, it’s not surprising that guests have been known to prolong their stay, as well. Notable among them (perhaps because this is such a popular wedding locale) is a high-class (though decidedly clumsy) young woman who was set to marry onsite. According to local lore, this bride-to-be was descending a grand staircase en route to the ceremony when she unceremoniously tripped. Entangled in her gown’s voluminous train, she tumbled to her death, but can still be seen in the iconic halls, presumably attempting to regain either her groom or her footing.
