Ghosts, strange noises and haunted rooms bring the past to life at Edinburgh’s Dalmahoy Hotel, writes GRAEME MILNE
A few miles outside Edinburgh, we reach Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club, built in the 1720s to a design by William Adam.
This beautiful building, with its grand entrance, contains many period rooms now used for functions and private events.
It also contains several ghosts, said to be those of former servants – and most famously, that of Lady Mary, the second daughter of a previous owner, the 8th Earl of Morton.
She is known today as the White Lady. But unlike many ‘white ladies’, she is much more than a myth, having been seen on many occasions by both guests and staff.
Earlier this year, I stayed at the hotel while working with Mysterious Adventures Tours. While there, the management gave us permission to hold a short investigation.
Given that everyone in the group had some level of interest in the paranormal or were spiritually inclined, it was an opportunity not to be missed.
We were allowed to investigate several of the larger rooms on the upper floors, including the Board Room and the Lothian Room, and in doing so recorded a few interesting EVPs.
Staff Encounters and Ghostly Footage
Later, I spoke with several members of staff, including Mike, who had worked there for some 40 years.
He told me about several unexplainable encounters, including one which occurred while he stayed overnight.
On that occasion, he had been given Lady Mary’s room. While lying there, he was shocked to see the figure of a woman dressed in white walking by at the foot of the bed before fading away.
She had reddish, shoulder-length hair and was semi-translucent.
In the same room, another guest reported being woken by her covers being pulled from the bed. Sitting up, she then noticed a figure sitting on the bed, which she took to be a woman.
Keen to share her experience online, she posted a positive review on TripAdvisor, alluding to the ghost’s friendly nature.
Several reports of phantom butlers and staff dressed in period clothing have also been made, including those of maids.
During Covid, the guest relations manager, Alan, was in the building checking the cameras.
He told me they are highly sensitive, and on looking noticed what appeared to be a white mist drifting by.
Perplexed, he went to check the footage. On playing it back in slow motion, he realised what he was witnessing – the apparition of a woman wearing a crown or hat of some description.
At the same time, another notable sighting occurred – this time witnessed by the manager, Steven.
He told me that at the time, around 10 members of staff were present in the building and had been split into teams.
While there, he became aware that a motion sensor camera had been set off in the lower bar.
Checking the CCTV footage to see what had triggered it, he was shocked to see something emerge from the wall at high speed and shoot across the bar before vanishing.
Intrigued, he slowed the footage down and was stunned to see the disembodied head of a woman, which he described as that of a young woman in profile.
Her face had a blue-green tinge and looked almost pixelated.
He quickly showed the image to senior staff, who were equally taken aback by the footage, describing the sighting as ‘absolutely incredible’, and saying it was so clear no one could deny what they were watching.
Ghosts on the Staircase and Other Sightings
Other sightings of note have included that of a woman in a long dark cloak, witnessed by a member of staff who had just left the Lothian Room.
He was shocked to see a woman walking up the main staircase. According to his account, she appeared to be elevated above the steps, almost in line with the banister.
He watched in awe as she continued up the stair before vanishing.
This story was later corroborated by another member of staff.
While chatting, Lois, who was working on reception, told me that one of the concierges had also reported seeing someone clad all in white rush past at great speed, but on looking back, he saw no one.
Perhaps the staircase has some significance to the spirit – but what it is, is unclear.
Investigating the Paranormal: Our Night at Dalmahoy Hotel
Considering these reports, I contacted the management team recently regarding holding an investigation there and was pleasantly surprised when invited along.
Our team, Paranormal Scotland Investigations (PSI), were given Lady Mary’s room – regarded as being the most active – and so, arriving on 16 November 2025, we settled in.
The following is a brief description of what happened.
Using dowsing rods to check the original layout of the room, it was thought that the bed once sat facing the window.
This appeared to make sense, as there seemed to be a strong energy in that part of the room.
Temperature drops and electromagnetic fluctuations were also very apparent in one corner of the room, and high readings were recorded on two different devices.
Later, we distinctly heard several voices which appeared to respond to our questions – including a woman named Lucy and a second, a child who claimed to be aged seven.
Interestingly, we were told that some time ago, while on patrol, Steve heard children running in one of the large meeting rooms, yet could see no one.
Later, a paranormal group investigated the same room. When the manager went to speak to them, he was taken aback when they told him they too had heard children running there.
One of the mediums present at the time went on to say that several children were active in the area.
It is without doubt a building worthy of further investigation.
