Halloween is full of the usual spooky rigmarole, from real-life ghost towns to twisted corn mazes and even a surreal forest of massive concrete heads tucked away in the Almaguin Highlands. But if you really want to get spooked this Halloween season, spend the night in a haunted property. Ontario has some of the most infamous historic hotels and Airbnbs that look perfectly innocent on the outside but come with chilling histories and, if the rumours are true, the occasional ghostly encounter.
Here are 10 reportedly haunted Airbnbs, hotels and inns across Ontario where you can book an overnight stay this Halloween season (fair warning: you’ll probably be so spooked that you might not get much sleep).
The Beck House, Penetanguishene
Where: The Haunted House Apartment 301 or Apartment 302
Our first eerie stay of the season is The Beck House, a historic Victorian Airbnb nestled in Simcoe County. The towering red-brick mansion was built in 1885 for wealthy lumber magnate Charles Beck, his wife and nine children, and has since become one of Penetanguishene’s most talked-about haunted properties. According to local legend, Beck’s daughter Mary was left just $1 in her father’s will after helping raise her younger siblings following their mother’s death. Understandably outraged, some believe Mary’s unhappy spirit still wanders the house!
Today, two third-floor apartments at the mansion are available on Airbnb. Guests have reported unexplained footsteps, flickering lights, strange noises and even the sensation of blankets being tugged while they sleep. It’s a cool stay whether you’re a history buff or a haunted house enthusiast (bonus: Netflix is available in the living room for your evening enjoyment).
Crossing Manor, Dresden
Where: Crossing Manor on Airbnb
Airbnb is killing it when it comes to haunted stays. Crossing Manor is a huge Victorian mansion in Dresden that once operated as a funeral home (and its transformation into an eccentric family residence was even documented on the reality series We Bought a Funeral Home!).
The Blumberg family encountered mysterious noises during their renovations, so, naturally, they investigated the possibility that some former occupants had never left. Today, the property is available as a large-group rental, complete with gothic-inspired décor, secret doors and spaces equipped for paranormal investigations. And it all comes with comfy surroundings. The former embalming room has been transformed into a bar, while the old funeral chapel now serves as a massive kitchen and dining area.
The Olde Angel Inn, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Where: Olde Angel Inn accommodations (five guest rooms and private cottages)
The Olde Angel Inn is one of Ontario’s oldest operating inns and is home to one of the province’s most famous ghost stories. According to lore, Captain Colin Swayze was killed inside the inn during the American invasion of Niagara-on-the-Lake in 1813. The young militia officer had reportedly stayed behind to meet his sweetheart when American soldiers arrived, forcing him to hide inside a barrel in the cellar. He was fatally wounded when the soldiers searched the room with bayonets.
Rumour has it that Swayze’s ghost will remain peaceful as long as a British flag flies above the inn! Still, he must not be entirely at peace. Guests have reported unexplained noises, rearranged place settings and mysterious activity in empty rooms.
Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel, Ottawa
Where: Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel
This historic Ottawa property lets guests sleep inside the cells where inmates were once confined. The former Carleton County Gaol was built in 1862 and operated for more than a century before closing in 1972 because of its appalling conditions. The famous jail also witnessed executions, including the 1869 hanging of Patrick James Whelan, who was convicted of assassinating politician Thomas D’Arcy McGee (so it’s no surprise that guests have reported unexplained paranormal activity throughout the years).
Today, the building operates as Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel, and you can explore a lot of its original features, like barred windows, stone walls and iron cell doors.
Inn at the Falls, Bracebridge
Where: Inn at the Falls
This charming(ly scary) Victorian inn overlooks the Muskoka River in Bracebridge and has a history dating back to the 1870s, along with some rather unusual former residents. One of its most frequently reported spirits is Judge William Crosby Mahaffy, who bought the property in 1877 and later became the first district judge of Muskoka and Parry Sound.
According to local ghost stories, guests have spotted an older gentleman dressed in period clothing, while the unexplained smell of cigar smoke sometimes drifts through the building (this despite the property’s no-smoking policy). Other visitors have described sudden temperature changes and the apparition of a woman in a long dress, reportedly seen moving through a former bedroom. And then there’s the infamous Room 105. Some say a woman still sits by the window, quietly watching the river roll by (and she’s not on the reservation list!).
If you’re brave enough to stay, the property operates as a boutique inn with guest rooms inside the original Victorian residence and an adjacent building, making it the perfect spot for a fall getaway in Muskoka.
The King George Inn, Cobourg
Where: The King George Inn
The King George Inn occupies a former governor’s residence and jail complex that operated as a correctional facility until 1998! Some of its original prison cells have been transformed into guest rooms, complete with steel bars and other reminders of the building’s former purpose.
Visitors can participate in jail-themed escape games or take a historical tour of the property. The property has received some eerie reports of paranormal activity over the years, and its owners even offer organized ghost hunts and paranormal investigations for larger groups.
Prince of Wales Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Where: Prince of Wales Hotel
This Victorian hotel looks like something straight out of an elegant period drama, but its history comes with a much darker legend. The Prince of Wales Hotel was built in 1864 and is reportedly haunted by a woman known as Mary McGuire, who’s said to have been killed by an American soldier during the War of 1812, long before the current hotel was constructed. According to legend, McGuire’s spirit haunts Room 207, where guests have reported flickering lights, unexplained footsteps and showers turning on by themselves.
Despite its ghostly reputation, the hotel also offers a luxe getaway, with old-school Victorian-style rooms, afternoon tea and even a spa.
Hochelaga Inn, Kingston
Where: Hochelaga Inn
This beautiful Victorian inn was built in 1879 as the residence of former Kingston mayor John McIntyre and his wife Harriet, and was later converted into a bed and breakfast.
Over the years, guests have shared stories about unexplained encounters, including sightings of a mysterious older woman dressed in black, a ghostly child who appears out of nowhere, unexplained laughter and TVs switching on without warning.
The Walper Hotel, Kitchener
Where: The Walper Hotel
This historic Kitchener hotel has welcomed guests since 1893, and throughout the years, guests have reported mysterious figures wandering the hallways, unexplained footsteps and strange activity around the elevators (the ghost of the hotel’s founder, Abel Walper, is even said to appear near the ballroom piano and elevators!).
But one of the hotel’s best-known legends involves Room 417, where a woman dressed in an old-fashioned maid’s uniform has reportedly appeared to unsuspecting visitors. According to legend, the apparition belongs to a young hotel employee who died in an explosion in the late 1800s.
Today, the heritage-designated property operates as a boutique hotel in downtown Kitchener, so head over for a luxurious overnight stay with a side of local ghost lore.
Fairmont Château Laurier, Ottawa
Where: Fairmont Château Laurier
Fairmont Château Laurier was commissioned by railway executive Charles Melville Hays, who died aboard the Titanic on April 15, 1912, just weeks before the building officially opened. According to local legend, Hays never truly left the hotel he helped create. His spirit is said to wander its halls, with some guests reporting unexplained footsteps, mysterious voices and doors opening or closing without warning!
Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
Where: Fairmont Royal York
Because it’s the spooky season, we’ve got a bonus hotel. For Torontonians looking for a Halloween staycation, the near-century-old Fairmont Royal York might be the most luxurious way to go ghost hunting without leaving the downtown core.
One of the best-known stories involves a mysterious man wearing a purple jacket who allegedly wanders the eighth floor. Others have described the sounds of children laughing and running through hallways, only for guests to open their doors and find nobody there. Some even believe they’ve seen the ghost of a banquet porter who reportedly died on the stairwell near the 19th floor.
If ghostly hotel visits aren’t your thing, check out these six absolutely haunted restaurants in Toronto.