Commissioned by railway magnate Charles Melville Hays, who tragically died aboard the Titanic just days before its grand opening in 1912, the Chateau Laurier has long been said to host its ill-fated owner. Guests and staff claim to see Hays’s ghost pacing the elegant halls, especially near the ballroom and on the fifth floor, where lights flicker and footsteps echo without cause. Other reports include mirrors clouding over on their own and a heavy presence in empty rooms. Frequently featured on haunted hotel specials, the Chateau Laurier’s mix of opulence and tragedy makes it Ottawa’s most iconic ghost story.