The Scotsman Hotel
The former home of The Scotsman newspaper on North Bridge, where a printer in a blue apron is said to haunt the basement and old typewriters are heard clattering in the night.
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Check prices & availabilityon Booking.comThe Scotsman Hotel at a glance
- Ghosts reported
- The printer, The phantom typewriters, The lady in black, Shadowy figures
- Most haunted spots
- The basement, the corridors and the front desk
- Built
- 1905
- Verification
- Verified Haunt
- Reported activity
- ApparitionAuditoryShadow Figure
About
The Scotsman Hotel occupies the grand Edwardian offices built for The Scotsman newspaper, straddling the Old and New Towns on North Bridge. The marble staircase, panelled rooms and stained glass survive, and so, staff and guests say, do some of the old employees.
The ghosts of the Scotsman Hotel
The printer
Seen: The basement
A man in an old-fashioned blue apron carrying a tray of metal type, as if still setting the newspaper by hand.
The phantom typewriters
Seen: Corridors and former offices
The clatter of old-fashioned typewriters heard late at night, long after the newsroom closed.
The lady in black
Seen: Near the front desk
A woman dressed in black reported near reception.
Shadowy figures
Seen: Corridors
Figures seen moving through the hallways.
Ghost stories and sightings
The printer in the basement
The best-known ghost at the Scotsman is a printer. He is described wearing a blue apron and carrying a tray of metal type, the way newspapers were set by hand before computers, and he is seen in the basement where the presses once ran.
Typewriters in the night
Staff and guests report the sound of old-fashioned typewriters clicking away late at night, and shadowy figures moving through the corridors, as if the journalists never left. A lady in black has also been reported near the front desk.
History of the Scotsman Hotel
The building was completed in 1905 as the headquarters of The Scotsman and the Edinburgh Evening News, built into the slope beside North Bridge so that it rises many storeys from the valley below. The newspapers moved out in 2001, and the building reopened as a hotel the same year, keeping its marble staircase, oak panelling and stained glass.
Tips for staying at the Scotsman Hotel
- The hotel is on North Bridge, a two-minute walk from Waverley Station and the Royal Mile.
- Ask the staff about the printer; the basement is where he is seen.
Brave enough to stay at the Scotsman Hotel?
Check room prices and availability for your dates.
Check prices & availabilityon Booking.comGhost tours in Edinburgh
Make a night of it: join a guided ghost walk before you check in at the Scotsman Hotel.
The Scotsman Hotel: FAQs
Is the Scotsman Hotel haunted?
The Scotsman Hotel is said to be haunted by The printer, The phantom typewriters, The lady in black and Shadowy figures. Reported activity includes apparition, auditory, shadow figure.
Which rooms at the Scotsman Hotel are haunted?
The most reported areas are: The basement, the corridors and the front desk.
Who haunts the Scotsman Hotel?
A printer in a blue apron carrying a tray of metal type in the basement, the sound of old typewriters at night, and a lady in black near the front desk.
Was the Scotsman Hotel a newspaper office?
Yes. It was built in 1905 for The Scotsman and the Edinburgh Evening News, which moved out in 2001.
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