The Langham Hotel in London is widely considered the most haunted hotel in the capital. Built in 1865 as London's first purpose-built grand hotel with nearly 500 rooms and suites, the paranormal activity became apparent when it was owned by the BBC, when at least five ghosts were discovered making regular appearances.
Historical Background
The meticulously designed hotel was started in 1863 and completed in 1865, opened by the Prince of Wales. It was one of the most modern hotels of its time with electric lights, hydraulic lifts, air conditioning, and other extraordinary innovations. The hotel was used during World War II as a post and first aid station before being too damaged to keep open, after which the BBC took ownership and kept several rooms on the third floor as accommodation for journalists. Most Haunted Room
- Room 333
According to hotel legend, a Victorian doctor with grey hair came to the hotel with his new wife to celebrate their wedding night in Room 333. Before checkout, the doctor killed his wife in the room before killing himself there as well. The doctor manifests as a silver-haired Victorian gentleman with a cloak and cravat with blank, staring eyes, and only makes appearances in October. A BBC newscaster woke up in Room 333 to see a fluorescent ball of light which slowly took human shape. The apparition hovered two feet above the floor with the lower portion of its legs missing, dressed in extravagant Victorian evening wear. When the announcer tried to communicate, asking what it wanted, the spirit slowly moved towards him with arms outstretched and empty eyes, causing him to flee. When he returned with a colleague, the ghost was still present but appeared less visible before slowly fading away.
Other Notable Spirits
- The German Prince: The most active ghost at the hotel is a German prince who committed suicide by jumping out of a fourth-floor window. Described as beefy with cropped hair sporting a military-style jacket that buttons up to the neck, he has been sighted walking through doors in the early morning hours and his presence is often accompanied by a sudden drop in temperature.
- Emperor Napoleon III: Napoleon III, who spent much of his exile from France at the Langham, is said to haunt Room 312 and now mostly lurks around the basement of the hotel.
- The Butler and Other Entities: A butler has been seen wandering the corridors in his holey socks, and a footman in pale blue livery and powdered wig has been spotted by BBC staff. There's also a hallway-haunting man with a gaping wound on his face, and a ghost who likes to toss guests out of their bed, especially in Room 333.
Recent Paranormal Activity
During the 2014 test match, members of the England cricket team reported strange occurrences. Stuart Broad recounted his experience: the room was extremely hot and the bathroom taps came on for no reason. When he turned the lights on, the taps turned themselves off, but when he turned the lights off again, the taps came back on. He had to move rooms, and some players' wives refused to stay at the hotel due to fear of the ghosts. The Langham continues to be a destination for ghost hunters and brave travellers seeking encounters with its multiple resident spirits, particularly in the notorious Room 33,3 where the most dramatic paranormal activity has been documented over the past 150 years."