The grand Fairmont Château Laurier has hosted royalty, prime ministers, and dignitaries since 1912—but its most devoted resident never checked in, dying 12 days before opening night when the Titanic sank beneath the icy Atlantic.
Every hotel has its stories, but few can claim a haunting as poignant as the one at Ottawa’s Château Laurier. Charles Melville Hays, the visionary railway tycoon who commissioned the castle-like hotel, perished aboard the RMS Titanic on April 14, 1912, just weeks before his dream project was to open. For over a century, staff and guests have reported inexplicable events that they attribute to Hays’ restless spirit—as if the man who built Ottawa’s grandest hotel simply couldn’t stay away. Today, the Château Laurier stands as one of Ottawa’s six most haunted locations, where history and the paranormal intertwine beneath copper turrets and limestone walls.
Key Highlights
TL;DR: Charles Melville Hays, president of Grand Trunk Railway, built the Château Laurier but died on the Titanic April 14, 1912, before the June 1 opening. For over 110 years, guests and staff have reported paranormal activity—particularly on the fifth floor Charles Melville Hays Memorial Suite. Unexplained noises, moving furniture, and ghostly apparitions make this one of Ottawa’s most haunted sites. The Haunted Walk of Ottawa includes the hotel as a key stop on their tours.
| Quick Facts | Details |
|---|---|
| 📅 Death of Hays | April 14, 1912 (Titanic sinking) |
| 📍 Location | 1 Rideau Street, Ottawa |
| 🎟️ Tours | Haunted Walk of Ottawa available |
| ⏰ Most Active | Fifth floor and CBC studio area |
The Man Who Built a Castle
Charles Melville Hays wasn’t just a railway executive—he was a visionary who understood that grand hotels could transform travel into an experience of luxury and prestige. As president of the Grand Trunk Railway System in the early 1900s, Hays embarked on an ambitious plan to build château-style hotels across Canada that would rival the finest properties in Europe.
The Ottawa hotel was to be his masterpiece. Located beside Union Station at the heart of Canada’s capital, the French Gothic structure would feature Indiana limestone walls, copper roofs, ornate turrets, and 429 guest rooms. Hays poured his energy and resources into every detail, determined to create a hotel worthy of hosting world leaders and international dignitaries.
Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier strongly supported the project, and Hays decided to name the hotel in his honour. Construction began in 1908, with workers carefully quarrying stone and crafting the elaborate architectural details that would define the building’s distinctive character. By early 1912, the Château Laurier neared completion, with an opening date set for late April.
Hays travelled to London in March 1912 to finalize business arrangements and purchase furnishings for the hotel. For his return voyage, he accepted an invitation from White Star Line chairman J. Bruce Ismay to travel as a private guest aboard the company’s newest and most luxurious ocean liner: the Titanic.
The Prophecy and the Disaster
On the evening of April 14, 1912, Charles Melville Hays sat in the Titanic’s first-class smoking room, discussing the future of ocean travel with fellow passengers. According to witnesses who survived, Hays made a chilling statement that night: he warned that ship owners had become so focused on speed and luxury that they were inviting “an appalling disaster.”
Hours later, at 11:40 PM, the Titanic struck an iceberg. The supposedly unsinkable ship began taking on water, and chaos erupted as passengers realized the vessel didn’t have enough lifeboats for everyone aboard. Hays helped his wife and daughter board a lifeboat, kissing them goodbye and promising they would reunite in New York.
Charles Melville Hays, age 55, went down with the ship. His body was recovered from the frigid Atlantic weeks later and returned to Montreal for burial. The man who had built Ottawa’s grandest hotel never walked through its doors, never saw guests marvelling at its beauty, never experienced the success that his vision had created.
The Château Laurier’s grand opening was postponed out of respect for Hays and the Titanic victims. When the hotel finally opened on June 1, 1912, Prime Minister Laurier presided over a somber ceremony, noting the absence of the man whose dream had brought them all together. The celebration was muted, tinged with the tragedy that had occurred just weeks before.
The Hauntings Begin
Almost from the moment the Château Laurier opened, staff began reporting strange occurrences that defied explanation. Furniture that had been carefully arranged would be found in different positions minutes later. Doors locked from the inside would swing open on their own. Guests complained of feeling watched in empty hallways, and some reported hearing footsteps in unoccupied corridors.
The fifth floor became particularly known for paranormal activity. This is where the Charles Melville Hays Memorial Suite is located—a fitting tribute to the hotel’s creator, but also the epicenter of the most frequent ghostly encounters. Guests staying on this floor have reported inexplicable cold spots, the sensation of someone tapping their shoulder when no one is there, and the distinct feeling that they are not alone in their rooms.
Staff members with decades of experience at the hotel describe Hays as a “friendly ghost”—mischievous perhaps, but not malevolent. It’s as if he’s simply checking in on his creation, ensuring that his standards are being maintained, making his presence known in subtle but undeniable ways.
The most famous account came from Patrick Watson, chairman of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, who stayed at the hotel during the 1980s. Watson reported waking one morning to a loud crack and discovering that a glass ashtray on his bedside table had split perfectly in half—yet it had not fallen or shattered, simply cracked while sitting in place. On another occasion, Watson found his shaving kit, which he had carefully wedged between the bathroom faucet and wall, sprawled on the floor—despite the fact that no one had entered the room.
Voices in the Stairwells
Beyond Hays’ spirit, the Château Laurier has accumulated more than a century of reported paranormal activity. The seventh floor, which housed Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio studios for 80 years, became a hotspot for unexplained phenomena. Radio producers and technicians working late nights reported hearing voices singing in the stairwells when the building was otherwise empty.
A longtime room maid, with over 30 years at the hotel, shared a particularly unsettling experience. He would carefully arrange furniture in guest rooms between check-outs, only to return minutes later and find chairs moved, lamps repositioned, or items shifted. At first, he suspected colleagues were playing pranks, but the changes occurred too quickly for anyone to have entered and rearranged things. The phenomenon repeated itself regularly, always when he was working alone on upper floors.
Guests have also reported seeing ghostly apparitions in period clothing walking the halls late at night. Some describe a woman in early 20th-century dress near the grand staircase, while others mention seeing a man in a porter’s uniform near the old CBC studios on the seventh floor. A particularly tragic legend tells of a maid who worked at the hotel in its early years and reportedly took her own life by jumping from the sixth floor after discovering she was pregnant. Guests on that floor sometimes report hearing crying or feeling an overwhelming sadness in certain rooms.
Another spectral resident is photographer Youssef Karsh, who lived at the Château Laurier for 18 years and used a suite on the eighth floor as his portrait studio. Karsh photographed countless world leaders and celebrities during his decades at the hotel, and some staff believe his creative spirit still lingers in the building. Electrical equipment occasionally malfunctions in unexpected ways near his former studio, and photographers working in the hotel sometimes report their cameras behaving strangely.
Experience the Haunting Yourself
The Haunted Walk of Ottawa has made the Château Laurier a centerpiece of their popular ghost tours. Carrying lanterns through the city’s historic downtown, guides lead visitors to Ottawa’s most paranormally active locations, with the limestone castle hotel serving as the evening’s dramatic finale. Tour guides share the story of Charles Melville Hays and the Titanic connection, recount witness testimonies from staff and guests, and point out the windows of the notorious fifth floor.
If you’re brave enough to stay overnight, booking a room on the fifth floor—particularly the Charles Melville Hays Memorial Suite—offers the best chance of encountering the hotel’s most famous ghost. Guests who have stayed there describe the experience as simultaneously thrilling and unnerving. Many report that while they feel a presence in the room, it’s not frightening—more like sharing space with a proud owner who wants to ensure you’re enjoying your stay.
The hotel itself has embraced its haunted reputation without sensationalizing it. Staff will candidly acknowledge the building’s history and the reported paranormal activity when guests inquire. The Château Laurier’s ghosts have become part of its story, adding another layer of intrigue to an already fascinating piece of Ottawa history.
For those interested in Ottawa’s rich history, the Château Laurier offers more than just ghost stories. The building is a National Historic Site, and guided tours showcase its architectural significance and the famous guests who have stayed there over 110 years. You can explore the grand ballrooms where prime ministers have celebrated election victories, see the halls where wartime leaders planned strategy, and stand in spaces where countless historic photographs were taken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Château Laurier really haunted?
Over a century of consistent reports from staff, guests, and paranormal investigators suggest significant unexplained activity in the building. While skeptics attribute the phenomena to natural causes, the volume and consistency of paranormal reports—particularly surrounding Charles Melville Hays—make the Château Laurier one of Ottawa’s most credibly haunted locations.
Can I visit the hotel to look for ghosts?
Yes, the Fairmont Château Laurier is an operating hotel, and anyone can visit the public spaces including the lobby, restaurants, and bars. For the best experience, consider joining the Haunted Walk of Ottawa tour or booking an overnight stay. The fifth floor rooms offer the highest likelihood of paranormal encounters according to staff and frequent guests.
Did Charles Melville Hays’ furniture really sink with the Titanic?
This is one of the hotel’s most persistent legends, though historical evidence is inconclusive. While there’s no explicit reference in the Titanic’s cargo manifest to furniture bound for the Château Laurier, many believe Hays purchased furnishings in London that were lost when the ship sank. The hotel opened with furniture from multiple sources after the disaster delayed the opening.
Are there other ghosts besides Charles Melville Hays?
Yes, staff and guests report several other spirits including photographer Youssef Karsh who lived at the hotel for 18 years, a former maid who allegedly died tragically in the 1920s, a porter seen on the third floor, and even a little girl who has been spotted playing in hallways. The seventh floor CBC studio area is particularly active with reports of disembodied voices.
Has the hotel ever been investigated by paranormal researchers?
Montreal Paranormal Investigations and other groups have conducted investigations at the Château Laurier over the years. While the hotel doesn’t actively promote paranormal tourism, it acknowledges its haunted reputation and has cooperated with serious researchers. Many investigations have documented unexplained electromagnetic field fluctuations, temperature anomalies, and electronic voice phenomena particularly on the fifth and seventh floors.
Final Thoughts
The ghost of Charles Melville Hays stands as a poignant reminder that ambition and tragedy often walk hand in hand. The man who built Ottawa’s most magnificent hotel was denied the opportunity to see his vision realized, yet his presence seems to linger in the castle he created. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the Château Laurier’s story compels us to reflect on the lives cut short, dreams left unfulfilled, and the strange ways that history refuses to let go of those who shaped it.
The next time you walk past the Château Laurier’s limestone walls and copper turrets, look up at the fifth floor windows. According to legend, Charles Melville Hays is still there, watching over his creation, ensuring that his standards are maintained, and perhaps wondering what might have been if he had only missed the Titanic’s sailing. For those interested in more of Ottawa’s fascinating history, the capital offers countless stories of triumph, tragedy, and the enduring spirit of those who built this remarkable city. You might also enjoy learning about the Rideau Canal’s remarkable story or exploring Parliament Hill’s historic significance.
Sources: Haunted Walk of Ottawa, Moon Mausoleum, Fairmont Château Laurier’s Invisible Guests
