The reputation of Room 406 at Thainstone House Hotel might send shivers up the spine of some folk, but its spooky reputation held no fear for late TV spiritualist Derek Acorah.
Acorah, who died in 2020, visited the hotel on several occasions, and by his own account got to know a beautiful young girl while he was there.
Not a living one you understand, but the mysterious Green Lady who has ‘spooked’ staff and guests on many occasions in Room 406.
On Valentine’s Day 2007, he was due to give a show at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, and he booked Room 406 hoping for another encounter with his friend from the other side.
On two previous occasions staying at Thainstone House, he claimed he saw and talked with the spectre of a young woman in a green riding cloak.
He also saw an older woman, possibly her mother or grandmother.
Green Lady of Thainstone House
It turned out the Green Lady was the daughter of a previous owner, who died while riding in the grounds.
She was crushed when her horse landed on top of her.
Frantic relatives carried the mortally hurt woman to what’s now Room 406, where she died.
But Derek brought a happy message about her presence in the hotel.
He said: “These are not negative spirits who have become grounded.
“You could say they are happy spirits – peaceful souls visiting a place they loved.
“I get an extremely positive, good atmosphere in the hotel.
“The girl has talked. But she is very shy and quiet, as she was in life.”
General manager at the time, Calum Mclachlan admitted he was a bit of a sceptic.
“But the hairs on the back of my neck have definitely stood up at some of the things Derek has done, like when he’s spoken to some of the staff here.
“He gave them information about their lives and families he really shouldn’t have known.
“As for me and the Green Lady, I often work late at night in my office on the same landing as room 406.
“And yes, I do hear noises – but I usually put them down to the guests.”
Does she still haunt the house?
These days the Green Lady is still around, according to Ivana Dasko, who has worked in Thainstone House for fifteen years.
She says some guests ask to stay in Room 406, knowing its reputation.
But others, who don’t know its reputation, have appeared at reception asking to be moved out.
She said: “Some guests have said they felt the bed shaking, some have complained about staff banging doors when there are no staff around.
“One lady about five months ago told me she felt someone at the door of 406 all the time.”
Ivana has also been a little spooked at times.
She said: “I was setting up a wedding and the room went cold, and I felt I was being watched.”
Children have also proved sensitive to goings on from the other side of the veil.
Ivana said one mum asked to be moved from the floor above 406 as her 8-year-old was distressed and couldn’t settle.
Staff moved them to the new part of the building, and the little girl immediately calmed down and was able to sleep.
Another mum saw her four-year-old in the opposite room talking to an invisible someone, whom she described as ‘the girl’.
‘The Green Lady isn’t scary at all – if she likes you’
Sam Fraser works in Thainstone House’s spa and describes herself as intuitive, picking up on energy from people and places.
She said: “At reception there is a man wearing a white shirt, black suit and black hat who walks up and down, floating.
“We don’t know who he is but there are pictures of men dressed like that in the ball room.”
One of Thainstone’s invisible presences seems to like music, she said.
“When I switch the music off in the spa I sometimes feel a change in energy and things happen like hair-driers go off on their own.
“It’s as if they’re not happy that the music’s stopped.
“But the Green Lady isn’t scary at all.
“If she likes you, she’ll leave you alone, I think it’s only if she doesn’t that she makes herself known.
“I wasn’t here when Derek Acorah visited, I wish I had been.”
Conversation