Haunted Hotel Victoria: Ghost Stories, Reviews & History

Victoria, British Columbia has built a reputation as one of Canada’s most haunted cities, with its grand heritage hotels harbouring stories of restless spirits dating back to the early 1900s. The Fairmont Empress stands at the centre of these claims, appearing on multiple “most haunted” hotel lists and drawing visitors who hope for a supernatural encounter. This guide examines documented ghost sightings, separates verified history from local lore, and compares Victoria’s reputedly haunted properties so readers can make an informed choice about where—or whether—to book a spooky stay.

Last checked: 2026-06-01

Primary haunted hotel: Fairmont Empress (Victoria, BC) · Known ghost: Slender man with mustache and cane on staircase · Guest experience: No ghosts seen according to Reddit users; friendly staff and good experience · Additional haunted properties in Victoria: Hotel Grand Pacific, Royal Hotel Seymour (from related searches) · Top organic guide: ca.hotels.com – 10 Creepy and Haunted Places in Victoria

What’s the most haunted place in Victoria?

Victoria, British Columbia has been described by local tourism copy and residents as “the most haunted” city in the province, with the Fairmont Empress anchoring that reputation. The Hotels.com Travel Guide lists ten separate haunted locations across Victoria, positioning the Empress as the primary destination for visitors seeking paranormal encounters. Beyond the Empress, other properties with documented ghost lore include Craigdarroch Castle, Hatley Castle, and the Parliament Buildings area—all concentrated within the compact downtown core near the Inner Harbour.

The Coast Hotels blog frames Victoria’s haunted heritage within a broader Western Canadian context, treating ghost-lore as part of regional travel marketing alongside destinations like Dawson City and Vancouver. Coast Hotels Blog identifies Bastion Square as the “heart of haunted Victoria,” where every building reportedly has a ghost—context that situates the Empress’s haunted branding within a city-wide narrative rather than treating it as an isolated claim.

Victoria’s supernatural reputation serves as a tourism draw that extends well beyond a single property, with the city actively marketing its haunted heritage to visitors.

Is the Fairmont hotel in Victoria haunted?

The Fairmont Empress at 721 Government Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1W5 is the most documented case. According to Historic Hotels of America, the property—designated as one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Victoria—features multiple recurring apparitions.

Ghost sightings at the Fairmont Empress

The most frequently cited apparition is a slender man with a mustache and cane seen on the staircase and in hallways. Historic Hotels of America identifies this figure in local lore as Francis Rattenbury, the architect whose design defined the Empress when it opened in 1908. The lore holds that Rattenbury’s spirit returned after his death, seeking renewed praise for his work on the hotel.

A second major figure is Lizzie McGrath, a chambermaid who died at the hotel in 1909—one year after it opened. Times Colonist columnist Jack Knox traces this story to documented history: McGrath fell to her death after stepping onto a fire escape platform that had been removed. Updating History provides additional detail on the circumstances of her death. Guests report seeing a maid continuing her duties on the sixth floor, consistent with the Lizzie narrative.

Additional accounts from Historic Hotels of America include sightings of a young girl, an employee who allegedly died by suicide in the west tower, and an elderly woman in pajamas who knocks on guests’ doors and leads visitors toward the elevator before vanishing. J.A. Hernandez summarises these legends and notes that the Empress has experienced multiple real-world traumatic incidents—deaths and accidents—commonly cited as precursors in traditional haunting narratives.

The Empress carries the most extensive documented ghost lore of any Victoria hotel, but actual guest experience varies significantly. The absence of a confirmed encounter does not contradict the documented history, but it does suggest that a ghostly stay is far from guaranteed.

What is the #1 most haunted hotel in the world?

The Times Colonist reports that Condé Nast Traveler included the Fairmont Empress among “Haunted Hotels Around the World You Can Stay At”—a list that encompasses properties globally, not a ranking placing the Empress at number one. Global News covered the Empress being named on a “most haunted” list around Halloween, framing the recognition as a tourism draw for visitors seeking potentially paranormal stays.

The Ghost Walks podcast refers to the Empress as “BC’s most haunted hotel,” a regional rather than global claim. Ghost Walks discusses dark stories including those about the architect’s ghost in this context. The distinction matters: the Empress holds a documented position within international haunted-hotel lists, but it is not established as the single most haunted property worldwide.

The trade-off for readers is that Victoria’s haunted-hotel scene offers genuine historical documentation—the Lizzie McGrath story, the Rattenbury lore, the hotel’s 1908 founding—combined with ongoing tourism promotion. This is distinct from properties whose haunted reputations rest primarily on unverifiable anecdotes.

Comparing haunted hotels in Victoria

When evaluating Victoria’s reputedly haunted hotels, several properties surface across documented sources with varying levels of evidence.

Pros and cons of choosing a haunted hotel in Victoria

Victoria’s haunted hotels—particularly the Empress—offer a documented historical atmosphere that may enhance a stay for guests with an interest in ghost lore, but the actual paranormal experience remains unpredictable and unverified by scientific standards.

Finding the Fairmont Empress and other haunted sites

The Fairmont Empress occupies a prominent position in downtown Victoria at 721 Government Street, overlooking the Inner Harbour. The address places it within the city’s main tourist corridor, a short walk from the British Columbia Parliament Buildings, Bastion Square, and the harbour where ferries and seaplanes operate.

For visitors combining haunted sites, the Hotels.com guide lists several other Victoria locations within walking distance of the Empress: Craigdarroch Castle and Hatley Castle require separate transportation, but Bastion Square, Helmcken Alley, and Chinatown’s Fan Tan Alley are accessible on foot. The James Bay Inn and Oak Bay Beach Hotel are positioned in residential neighbourhoods requiring transit or vehicle travel.

Transit options include BC Transit local buses connecting downtown Victoria to Oak Bay and other neighbourhoods. The Vancouver Island Ferry Terminal and Victoria International Airport are approximately 30 minutes by road from the Inner Harbour area.

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