Jasper's "Haunted Hotel": Inside the Astoria's New Halloween Experience

Behind the doors of Jasper's Astoria Hotel, something sinister is about to check in. This Halloween, for the first time, one of the oldest hotels in town is turning its guest rooms over to ghosts, ghouls and theatrical frights.

Taking place October 30 and 31, 2026, the Astoria Haunted Hotel is a first-of-its-kind event in Jasper National Park. For the spookiest weekend of the year, the Astoria Hotel will fully close to overnight guests (at least, the living variety) and transform a dozen rooms into a walk-through experience that follows an overarching mystery.

The fictional tale begins with a woman who murders her husband to take control of the hotel. But every year his spirit returns, filling its rooms with terrifying encounters in an attempt to drive away its guests. Brave participants will make their way through 12 themed rooms, encountering everything from witches and vampires to sinister clowns and haunted dolls. With both a family-friendly version and no-holds-barred version, everyone can get into the Halloween spirit.

How Jasper's first haunted hotel came to life

"Jasper as a community really loves Halloween," says hotel manager Oliver Andrew, whose family has owned the Astoria since it opened in 1925. In planning the haunted hotel, Andrew worked with Jasper Theater Productions to weave narrative through the horror. So to the wary scaredy-pants among us — cue this author's trembling raised hand — he assures "there's definitely some scary things ... but there's also some really cool, not-so-scary, more performance-based things."

Growing up in Jasper, Andrew remembers neighbourhoods going all out with decorations, families filling the streets for trick-or-treating and locals embracing any excuse to dress up. His own family was no exception: one year, his father transformed their home into a Phantom of the Opera-inspired spectacle, complete with candlelight, speaker-blasted soundtrack and a masked character greeting visitors at the door.

That enthusiasm has carried into adulthood. The Astoria's annual Halloween party at De'd Dog Bar has long been a favourite among locals, and Andrew saw an opportunity to take the celebrations beyond the bar and into the hotel itself. The result is part haunted house, part interactive theatre, and entirely unlike anything the Astoria has hosted before.

What to expect: brave the fear, solve a mystery

Unlike a traditional haunted house built around a series of disconnected jump scares, the Astoria Haunted Hotel has a story to tell. As visitors make their way through the hotel, they'll encounter characters and clues that gradually reveal more details about the murderous hotelier and her vengeful dead husband.

Expect classic horror characters, elaborate decorations, and even an escape-room-style puzzle. Some encounters are designed to make visitors jump, while others are more atmospheric, existential or even unexpectedly funny. Local actors from Jasper's own creative community will bring the production to life.

• Participants will start from the lobby in small groups, with a few minutes' buffer time between each departure.
• The full walkthrough is expected to take approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
• Participants can drop by any time during their chosen performance block.

Family-friendly version | 6:00–7:30 p.m.

The earlier experience offers a lighter take. Think spooky storytelling, playful characters and trick-or-treating through the hotel's haunted rooms. Costumed performers will hand out candy, with more humour and theatrical entertainment mixed into the experience. There will still be some spooky surprises, but the emphasis is on Halloween fun rather than outright terror.

Super scary version | 8:00–10:00 p.m.

When the later session begins, the hotel's sinister side takes over. The same characters who were greeting visitors with smiles earlier in the evening become considerably less welcoming. Expect darker performances, creepier atmosphere and jumpier jump scares.

Astoria Haunted Hotel tickets

• Dates: Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31, 2026
• Location: Astoria Hotel, 404 Connaught Drive, Jasper, Alberta
• Tickets: Free for children 8 and under; $15 for ages 9–17; $25 for adults 18+
• Bonus: Adult ticket holders receive a complimentary drink at De'd Dog Bar or Papa George's.

Book tickets for the Astoria Haunted Hotel