South Africa’s haunted hotels

THERE are many things for which South Africa is world renowned – the good, the bad and the ugly – but who would have thought we are also among the world leaders of the strange and unusual, and downright scary.?

According to research carried out by hotel search engine travelmyth.com, South Africa is home to seven of the most haunted hotels in the world.

Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein

Lucy is the hotel’s resident ghost.

Rumour has it she likes to make noises behind closed doors, scaring away guests.

Located on the fringe of the Great Karoo, the Lord Milner Hotel is named after Lord Alfred Milner, governor of the Cape during the Anglo-Boer War.

The building was completed in 1899 and served as headquarters of the Cape Western Command.

Foxwood House boutique hotel, Johannesburg

Steeped in history, Foxwood House is one of the oldest houses in Johannesburg, having been built in 1924.

The house is filled with old worldly charm and antiques. And ghosts.

Some guests have reported seeing the figure of a woman holding a child on the balcony, while others say they have seen the ghost of Paul Kruger.

Kimberley Club boutique hotel, Kimberley

Kimberley is one of South Africa’s most historical towns, renowned for diamond mining from days gone by, and the Big Hole

Appearing to be home to more than one ghost, guests reported to have seen a ghost waiter in the dining room, an old man wandering the upstairs passage ways and a woman clothed in a Victorian dress standing near the staircase.

What is perhaps most chilling about the Kimberley Club is that, according to legend, the howling of a ghost dog can be heard from far and wide, chilling to the bone those who hear it.

Nottingham Road Hotel, KZN Midlands

Rumour has it that the hotel’s resident ghost, Charlotte, is that of a chambermaid who jumped to her death from the balcony of room 10 after being jilted by her lover.

Her ghost is said to wander the rooms of the hotel, especially room 10, moving vases, tidying clothes and straightening bed sheets.

Hotel Glencairn, Cape Town

Glencairn is considered to be one of the most haunted places in South Africa, and Hotel Glencairn reportedly has its fair share.

Guests and staff have reported seeing in their mirrors a black-haired woman wearing a white dress, while others have seen the ghost of a boy near the kitchen, playing pranks and breaking glasses.

Mountain Park Hotel, Bulwer

This hotel is home to a few residential guests – those of the ghostly variety.

The ghosts of two drunk men have reportedly been seen in the bar, while the ghosts of Ruth the governess, seven-year-old Matilda and Wisp the dog have been seen roaming the premises.

Zorgvliet Wines Country Lodge, Stellenbosch

Legend has it that the area in which this lodge is located was, in days gone by, ruled by gangs, runaway slaves and wild animals, and one of the most feared areas in the Western Cape.

While this is not the case today, ghosts apparently abound, playing pranks on the guests, switching their bedroom lights on and off, or opening and closing doors.

Source: www.travelmyth.com

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