Haunted Royal York Hotel

Ghosts and Apparitions in one of Toronto, Canada’s Oldest Hotels

Dec 2, 2007

Paranormal activity is active at the Royal York where elevators go to empty floors and maintenance staff's tools stop working.

History of the Royal York Hotel

Built in 1929 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Royal York is a landmark building in the heart of downtown Toronto. The Chateau-style building has 28 floors and it has hosted celebrities and members of the royal family.

Other well-known hotels in the Canadian Pacific chain are the Banff Springs Hotel and the Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, the Empress Hotel in Victoria, the Hotel Vancouver, the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, and the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City.

At one time the Royal York was the tallest building in the British Empire, but now it sits in the shadow of many office towers. It is situated across the street from Union Station and is accessible by tunnel. It is a grand old hotel with several ghost stories to tell.

Elderly Spirit Men at the Royal York

There is a resident ghost of a man with grey hair who haunts the 8th floor. He walks the halls in the evening wearing a burgundy smoking jacket and a pair of slacks. An employee spotted an elderly man walking through the ballroom. On occasion, the spirit of a former bellman has been seen wandering around the guest suites.

Crystal Ballroom Remains Alive at the Royal York Toronto

In the penthouse of the Royal York, there’s the Crystal Ballroom, which has been closed down permanently due to not meeting the fire code. Sometimes the service elevator will go directly up to the Crystal Ballroom even though it’s been closed off. In the guest rooms directly below the Crystal, hotel guests have complained about music and loud talking coming out of the ballroom. Chandeliers on this floor have been known to shake.

The Hallways of the Royal York Toronto

Throughout the hotel, guests have noticed that the lights in their rooms go off and on for no apparent reason. There have been reports of the sounds of children running down the hallways in the middle of the night, laughing and screaming. When guests open their doors to look out into the hallway, there are no children in sight.

Maintenance Rooms at the Royal York

In the top floors of the Royal York, there are electrical and maintenance rooms which are locked and under camera surveillance with no public access. There is a staircase leading up to the roof where and it was confirmed that a worker hung himself. Maintenance staff who have been working in the stairs area have heard screaming and footsteps. Security staff have looked at the surveillance camera film and checked the electronic door access records. They have found nobody on the stairs.

Tools and Equipment at the Royal York

Maintenance technicians have experienced unexplained phenomena. Quite often their equipment will stop working or they have discovered fluctuations in the electrical current. They’ve also felt cold spots and gusts of air in places where this shouldn’t happen. The elevators are known to stop at floors where nobody has pushed the button.

If you have the pleasure of visiting Toronto, why not stay at the Royal York? You may be witness to ghostly activity that lurks in hallways, stairways and unoccupied rooms.

The copyright of the article Haunted Royal York Hotel in Ghosts & Hauntings is owned by Maureen K. Fleury. Permission to republish Haunted Royal York Hotel must be granted by the author in writing.