William Cornelius Van Horne, the Canadian Pacific Railway's general manager, understood that transcontinental trains needed destinations. He built a chain of grand hotels across Canada - in Quebec City, Ottawa, and in the wilderness of Alberta, where hot springs and mountain scenery would draw wealthy tourists. The original Banff Springs Hotel opened in 1888, designed by architect Bruce Price in a château style that evoked European castles. A construction error placed the building backward, with the kitchen getting the mountain view. Van Horne reportedly arrived, assessed the error, and added a rotunda to fix it. The hotel has been expanded and reconstructed multiple times, most recently after a 1926 fire. The current building is mostly 1920s construction.

The ghost bride is the hotel's most famous phantom. According to legend, a young bride was descending a marble staircase when her dress caught fire from the candles lining the steps. Panicking, she tripped and fell, breaking her neck. Some versions have her burning to death; others have her dying from the fall. Guests report seeing her dancing in the ballroom, her gown in flames. Staff have reported seeing a figure in white on the staircase. The story has never been verified - there's no historical record of a bride dying this way - but the tale persists. Ghost tours include the staircase as a primary stop. The bride dances on.

Sam McAuley worked as a bellhop at the Banff Springs from the 1940s until his death in the 1970s. He loved the hotel and reportedly said he'd never leave. According to staff and guests, he hasn't. Guests report an elderly bellhop appearing to help with bags or give directions, only to vanish when they turn around. He's described in period uniform, cheerful, always helpful. One guest reported Sam carrying her bags to her room, then disappearing before she could tip him. When she described him at the front desk, they showed her Sam's photograph. He'd been dead for years. The hotel has a photograph of Sam displayed in the lobby; guests still report recognizing him.

The most macabre legend involves Room 873, allegedly sealed after a family - parents and child - was murdered there in the 1920s. Blood appeared on the walls and mirrors; it couldn't be cleaned. Finally, the hotel bricked up the room entirely. Guests walking the eighth-floor corridor can see where Room 873 should be - between 872 and 874 - and find only wall. Some report bloody handprints appearing on the wall. The truth is more mundane: Room 873 was reconfigured during renovation, its space absorbed by adjacent rooms. But the legend persists, and the absent door fuels imagination. The hotel has never confirmed a murder. The hotel has never completely denied it, either.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is located at 405 Spray Avenue in Banff, Alberta, within Banff National Park. The hotel is open year-round; room rates are substantial. Non-guests can visit for dining, drinks, or the spa. Ghost tours are occasionally offered, particularly around Halloween. The hotel's Willow Stream Spa is one of Canada's largest. The mountains are the primary attraction - skiing in winter, hiking in summer, scenery year-round. Banff is 80 miles west of Calgary; Calgary International Airport is the nearest major hub. The town of Banff offers additional lodging, dining, and outdoor recreation. Even without ghosts, the hotel is worth seeing - a castle in the wilderness.