Banff's most haunted

 From his portrait, Henry VIII stares at us in the darkness of the anti-chamber. The corridors are poorly lit, which gives this part of the castle a special atmosphere. I personally do not believe it. But since sensible and learned people claim to have experienced these experiences, who am I to judge them?” Banff Springs historian Dave Moberg told me in a convincing tone.

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Having its bases on these places since 1915, the hotel has something to feed the stories of ghosts. Huge building with recesses imbued with more fantastic memories than each other, it is easy to let his imagination drift towards what seems to be footsteps or even stealth shadows. History, however, stayed here: kings and queens, presidents, or famous actors. According to legend, however, less famous (and deceased) characters walk along the corridors and occasionally visit (living) guests of Banff Springs. Preceded by Mr. Moberg, I met the most famous of them. The bride, first, ran down the stairs and broke her neck on the marble floor. We can also see her, sometimes, in the ballroom, waltzing to the rhythm of inaudible music, her first dance that fate refused her.

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On another floor, Mr. Moberg tells me the story of Sam McAuley, the door attendant who decided never to retire, even after his death. There are a lot of anecdotes about him. A gentleman of a certain age, dressed in a costume that dates from the sixties, offers you, upon your arrival, to bring your suitcases.

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You look away for a few seconds, and when you turn around, it is gone. If you missed it at the front desk, you may be able to see it when it opens the doors or accompanies you to the elevator. Even today, the staff at the front desk receives calls from customers who want to thank the nice man who helped them in their room.

 

When you talk to people who come here often, or any Albertan (who knows someone who knows someone), you will get a ghost story at Banff Springs. There is this man, a staff member, who is looking on a particular floor for the place where he hid his tips. The floor has undergone renovations since, the man can no longer find his loot and tirelessly seeks in the rooms the place where he left it. There is also a man who, while you are sleeping, sits beside you on your bed and gently touches your arm, as if to protect you. Several people from the same group found themselves, one morning at breakfast, with the same story. This man next to them, in their room. They all thought they had a waking dream. Yet….

The last recorded event is the one that brings us back to the portrait of Henry VIII. A man attending a conference at the hotel had an eventful first night. The room, luxurious and with quiet appearances, does not worry at first sight. Should we wait until nightfall? Anyway, the man got out of his sleep with laughter that seemed to come from the corridor.

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Believing that they were guests from the hotel who were returning to their rooms, he was not careful and tried to sleep again. The laughter increased as it seemed to him that it came from his own room. Then, without knowing what was going on, he felt his mattress rise, his own body being pushed down.

 

After taking a few pictures and talking for a few minutes with Dave Moberg, the tour ended. Then I realized that I had forgotten a piece of my equipment in the bedroom!!!!! I went up, a little fearful, to the room to get back what I had left there. But was it just a coincidence or was it an excuse for the ghost to be alone with me? Henry VIII will not have had time to hold on to me because it is at full speed that I came out of this room. I now had to spend the night at the hotel hoping that no entity would come and tuck me in while I was sleeping.