The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is known as one of Alberta’s most popular tourist destinations.

Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, this castle-like structure is located between the Bow River and Lake Louise. Being only a 2 hour drive from Calgary, this hotel was and still is a perfect haven for the passer-by traveller. Filled with the history of legends and the shelter of luxury, one thing is for certain, the rooms within the Banff Springs Hotel may always remain in vacancy.

In 1886 a man by the name of William Cornelius Van Horne, who at that time was the general manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), had hired one of the leading architects from New York, Bruce Price, to design one of Alberta’s most impressive hotels at the convergence of the Bow and Spray Rivers. The construction of the Banff Springs Hotel began in the spring of 1887 and was publicly opened on June 1, 1888.

During the early 1900’s the hotel rarely went through a year without some form of renovation or improvement. In the year 1926 the original wooden structure was forced to go through a reconstructive period due to a major fire that turned the once popular hotel into a large skeleton of ash. Reconstructed with caution, the new hotel was built entirely in stone and resembled the size and luxury of a castle from Scotland. This is why the Banff Springs Hotel is known today as the “Castle in the Rockies”.

In the 1930’s the popularity of this Castle-like Hotel had reached worldwide attention and was especially popular within the rich and famous community. The likes of Helen Keller, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited the hotel and Benny Goodman was influential in Banff obtaining a landing strip, as he wanted to stay at the hotel but could only do so if there was an area to land his plane. Despite its fame, in 1942 the effects of World War II forced the hotel to close its doors eventually reopening in 1945.

From the 1950’s – 1980’s, the hotel received more business and tourist minded visitors which forced the hotel to change its business strategies and to eventually lead to the expansion of size. By the mid 80’s the accommodations had reached over an impressive 800 rooms and even helped to house the needs of the 1988 Winter Olympics hosted by Calgary.

In 1995 The Banff Springs Hotel was declared a national historic site by the government of Canada and today is still known as the country’s most prominent hotel delivering excellence in both service and hospitality to both the living and possibly… the dead.

Ghost History

The Phantom Room
According to sources, a room was accidently built by the workers that had neither windows nor doors and was hidden from the public until the fire of 1926 revealed the workmen’s mistake. The room was empty but it was claimed that the hallways and corridors surrounding this room were reported to generate strange phenomena such as weird noises and apparitions walking back and forth. Some people believe this room was made for the purpose of spiritual activity, some say it was just a dumb mistake. The room was removed after the fire during the stone reconstruction period.

Room 873
During the hotels luxurious past, it has been reported that an entire family consisting of a mother, father and little girl was murdered within this room. The fingerprints of the young girl were seen on the mirror even after the police investigation and the cleaning by the hotel staff of the room were completed. To this day #873 has been bricked over and boarded up resembling the hallway. It is said that the spirits of the family are seen to walk in and around the area of this notorious room.

The Doomed Bride
One of the claims of this story speaks of a bride dressed in her wedding gown descending down a flight of stairs, she trips on her dress falling head first and eventually dying from a broken neck. The other story speaks of candles on the staircase catching her gown on fire and causing her to panic, she then falls down the stairs to her death. These stories have led to the apparition being seen of a woman in a white wedding dress either walking down the staircase or the sight of a woman with her dress on fire standing on the stairs and quickly vanishing into mid air. Guests have reported feeling a cold breeze on the staircase. She has also been seen in the ballroom dancing by her lonesome in the same white gown. The hotel staff have also reported to hear noises from within the bridal suite when there are no guests staying in the room.

“Sam” the Bellman
The apparition of a Bellman dressed in full uniform has been seen on the higher levels of the hotel with most claims spotting him wandering the 9th floor. It is said that he has been known to help guests who are locked out of there room, help turn on the room lights and even help carry bags. Whenever a guest tries to tip or start a dialogue, the friendly apparition suddenly vanishes. This ghost is believed to be that of Sam Macauley, a Bellman who died in the late 1970’s. Sam was a Scottish immigrant who loved working at the hotel and even served as the winter caretaker when the hotel used to close down for the winter.

Other Ghost Activity

The ghost of a bartender has been seen by guests and staff telling customers that they have drank too much alcohol and need to go to bed. The sight of a headless man playing the bagpipes has also been reported throughout the hotel.