The Haunted Gladstone Hotel

It was a gorgeous day in May when I ventured over to the Gladstone Hotel.

My original destination was the Toronto Indie Arts Market.

The market sprawled across two floors and the vendors were varied and engaging.

Toronto has an enormous amount of indie art and this market is a great place for people to buy unique gifts for any occasion. The market occurs periodically so be certain to check out the website for the next one. If you're an artist, writer, photographer, button maker, or any other kind of creator, you can sign up for your own table on the website. Toronto Indie Arts Market

I've never really walked around the Gladstone Hotel, which is pretty funny when you consider I lived a block away from it back in the eighties when I was pregnant with my first child. It was a much different hotel back then. I was way too scared to ever go inside just by judging the rough and tumble regulars who hung around out front.

That Gladstone Hotel as I remembered it died twenty years ago.

Built in 1889, it has weathered Toronto's growth and change. It was a popular stopover destination and known to be the last call for alcohol until Hamilton in a stricter era. Over the years, it has been all gussied up and is a real delight to experience.

There was also a photographic exhibit throughout the hotel celebrating forty years of hip-hop. I followed the display.

There were lobbies on each of the two upper floors. The top floor had a different exhibit that was equally breath-taking.

While I was walking along the third floor hallway, I had one of my feelings. I hadn't gone into the hotel looking for ghosts. But one was waiting for me in the hallway. I walked through the top two floors twice each, and each time, that "Lizzie Borden House" feeling as I call it hit me in the same spot. I wish I had brought my K2 meter to see if there was a lot of wiring in that spot or what might be causing that sensation.

I was drawn to the elevator several times too though I wouldn't go on it. I'm not sure if I was allowed to but it looked like something out of a horror movie to me. I took a few pictures but haven't checked them yet for anything unusual.

A quick look through Google didn't turn up any real compelling ghost stories. There is mention of a piano player by Chris Mysterion and I have no doubt there's something going on in that room.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the locals still hung out there in the afterlife.

You never know what's going to happen in the oldest continuously running hotel in Toronto. I'd like to stay in a room one or two nights to see if I would have any experiences. If anyone else has ever had experiences at the Gladstone, please feel free to share below.