If you’ve spent most of your day scrolling Instagram, checking out your friends, colleagues, relatives and friends’ stories on the app, basking in the scorching Goan sun, sign out. Familiarize yourself with the country’s new quirky destinations here. And, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, settle into an old-fashioned mansion nestled in the Mussoorie Hills that could be part of The Shining.
A 70-room and suite Savoy in Mussoorie is a testament to the hill station’s quaint British-era charm. The English Gothic structure is found in the pages of a story of Agatha Christie, a Ruskin Bond mystery, and in the mind of a Dehradun inhabitant, who recently recalled the strange history of the place to the small – lunch with this writer.
Locals think the hotel is haunted. According to an excerpt from the Hindustan Times, in 1911 a spiritist named Frances Garnett-Orme was poisoned at the Savoy, and since then many mysterious incidents have continued to occur at the property. Of course, this could all be a series of coincidences, I question my mountain friend. But she refuses to agree and swears she heard someone screaming, in the middle of the night, while she was there a few years ago.
She won’t stop visiting the haunted hotel, however, as it serves the best breakfast buffet in the area. And I think that’s reason enough for you to check out the place. Make sure to record any weird noises at night though!
While the Savoy is India’s most famous haunted hotel, former guests of the Fern Hill Hotel in Ooty and the Raj Kiran Hotel in Lonavala have also reportedly documented paranormal experiences while staying at these respective hotels.
Also Read: Haunted Hotels In India
Haunted Hotels to Visit in India
Fern Hill Hotel in Ooty
The Fern Hill Hotel in Ooty has completely shut down its operations after the crew of the film Raaz (2002) reported a bizarre incident that occurred while they were there, the Hindustan Times said. One night the team, including members of a dance troupe, began to hear loud noises from moving furniture in the room above theirs. As they initially rejected the noise, it turned into screaming sounds and loud bangs. Annoyed, they finally called the front desk but didn’t answer because the line was dead. Eventually they came down the stairs to complain about the noise and were greeted with startling looks from the staff as they began to explain to them that there was no room above theirs. They were booked on the top floor of the hotel. Sinister.
Raj Kiran Hotel in Lonavala
Although it was difficult for this writer to determine the exact location of this hotel, several media reports, including one in Hindustan Times, called it a very famous haunted hotel in Maharashtra. Located in Lonavala, the room behind the reception on the ground floor of the Raj Kiran Hotel is believed to have a paranormal presence. Guests have complained about observing movement in the dark, with their sheets sometimes pulled back in this room.
Would you like to book a stay here? I will not do it.
