Hazlitt's
A Georgian townhouse hotel in Soho where the essayist William Hazlitt died in 1830. His ghost is said to sit reading in the library and to move things in the dining room.
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Hazlitt's at a glance
- Ghosts reported
- William Hazlitt, Cold presences
- Most haunted spots
- The library, the dining room and the guest rooms
- Built
- 1718
- Verification
- Unverified
- Reported activity
- ApparitionObjects MovingTemperature
About
Hazlitt's fills three early 18th-century houses on Frith Street, kept with their panelling, creaking floors and antique beds. It is named after William Hazlitt, the essayist and critic who died in a rented room here.
The ghosts of Hazlitt's
William Hazlitt
Seen: The library and dining room
The essayist died in the house in 1830. Guests describe a figure sitting in a chair in the library with a book, and objects moved around in the dining room.
Cold presences
Seen: Guest rooms
Guests report a cold presence in their rooms, noises in the night and the feeling of being watched.
Ghost stories and sightings
William Hazlitt
William Hazlitt, one of the great English essayists, spent his last weeks in lodgings at 6 Frith Street and died there on 18 September 1830, reportedly saying "Well, I've had a happy life." He was buried in St Anne's churchyard nearby. Guests and staff say he never left: his figure is described sitting in a chair in the library reading, and objects are said to move in the dining room.
Other disturbances
Guests also describe sudden cold in their rooms, unexplained noises in the night and the feeling of being watched in the old panelled corridors.
These stories come from recent ghost guides. First-hand accounts would raise this hotel's rating.
History of Hazlitt's
The houses on Frith Street were built in 1718, when Soho was a fashionable new suburb. Hazlitt rented rooms at number 6 at the end of his life and died there in 1830. The three houses opened as a hotel in 1986, and the bedrooms are named after people who lived in or visited them.
Tips for staying at Hazlitt's
- Hazlitt's is on Frith Street in the heart of Soho, a few minutes from Tottenham Court Road station.
- There's no lift and the stairs are steep, which is part of the charm but worth knowing.
- Guests have use of the library, where Hazlitt is said to appear.
Brave enough to stay at Hazlitt's?
Check room prices and availability for your dates.
Check prices & availabilityon Booking.comGhost tours in London
Make a night of it: join a guided ghost walk before you check in at Hazlitt's.
Hazlitt's: FAQs
Is Hazlitt's haunted?
Hazlitt's is said to be haunted by William Hazlitt and Cold presences. Reported activity includes apparition, objects moving, temperature.
Which rooms at Hazlitt's are haunted?
The most reported areas are: The library, the dining room and the guest rooms.
Did William Hazlitt die at Hazlitt's hotel?
Yes. He died in lodgings at 6 Frith Street, now part of the hotel, on 18 September 1830.
Where is Hazlitt's ghost seen?
Most often in the library, sitting in a chair with a book. Objects are also said to move in the dining room.
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