Ghostly echoes stir within the opulent walls of The Exchange Hotel when the lights dim in Cardiff Bay
In the heart of Cardiff’s historic Butetown, The Exchange Hotel stands grand and stately. It’s a monument of stone, history and, some say, the supernatural.
But behind its French Renaissance façade, this former Coal and Shipping Exchange holds secrets deeper than its foundations.
Locals whisper of ghost sightings at The Exchange Hotel. Staff speak quietly of doors that open themselves, footsteps in empty corridors, and sudden chills brushing past like an unseen guest. This is not mere hotel lore — it is part of the building’s very soul.
History of The Exchange Hotel
The Exchange Hotel was original the Coal Exchange. Built between 1884 and 1888, the Coal Exchange was the beating heart of Cardiff’s meteoric rise as the coal capital of the world.
Designed by Edwin Seward and J.P. Jones, the building dominated Mount Stuart Square with its grandeur – vaulted ceilings, intricate woodwork, and a vast trading hall where fortunes were made and lost.
It was here in 1904 that the world’s first £1,000,000 coal deal was signed, an astonishing milestone that sent ripples through the global trade community.
Cardiff, then a flourishing port city, owed its success in no small part to the bustling activity within these very walls.
But success cast long shadows. With prosperity came pressure, greed, and tragedy.
There are murmurs of fatal falls from staircases, unexplained deaths during renovations, and miners whose spirits never truly left.
Hauntings at The Coal Exchange
Reports of paranormal activity in Butetown often circle back to the Exchange. When the building sat derelict after its closure in the 1950s, tales emerged of people seeing candlelight flickering in boarded-up windows.
Later, as workers moved in to restore it, unexplained events increased, tools vanished, cold spots appeared, and music was heard with no source.
One chilling claim came from a night porter in the early 2000s, who described seeing a man in Victorian garb walking across the Grand Hall – only to vanish before reaching the staircase.
And then there’s the legend of the watchman, a shadowy figure seen pacing along the upper gallery. Some believe he’s an old caretaker still doing his rounds. Others say he’s a soul waiting for justice.
Visitors have described waking in the night to the feeling of being watched, with one guest insisting she heard tapping at her room door—three sharp knocks, at 3:00am. No one was there.
These unexplained events at the Coal Exchange aren’t widely publicised by the hotel, but they persist in local folklore — and among those brave enough to ask the staff after hours.
After decades of decline, and serious threats of demolition, the Coal Exchange was finally rescued and transformed into a luxury hotel in 2017.
With painstaking restoration, the building reopened as The Exchange Hotel, a place where original wood panels meet velvet drapes, and chandeliers illuminate stories centuries old.
The hotel became a magnet for film crews (Torchwood, Doctor Who) and history enthusiasts alike.
But it also continued to attract those drawn to the eerie legends of the site.
Today, it stands not just as a place to rest your head, but to immerse yourself in the industrial – and haunted – history of Cardiff Bay.
Visiting The Exchange Hotel
Whether you’re staying the night or stopping by for dinner at Culley’s Kitchen & Bar, The Exchange Hotel offers a unique blend of elegance and intrigue.
Located in Mount Stuart Square, just minutes from Cardiff Bay Station, it’s perfectly placed for exploring the city’s maritime past… and perhaps encountering its restless spirits.
Room 215 is said to be particularly cold. The upper floors hold the strongest sense of unease after dark. Ask your server if they’ve ever seen anything strange. You might be surprised by the answer.
And if you’re walking past after midnight, glance up at the tall windows. Sometimes, a light flickers on. Sometimes, a figure watches from above.
Have you seen or experienced ghost sightings at The Exchange Hotel? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
