Hollywood director spooked by 'haunted' Aberdeen hotel

Guillermo del Toro reported that there was an oppressive vibe in his hotel room

He is a film director known for supernatural scares - but Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro has been left spooked by his stay at an Aberdeen hotel.

The filmmaker, currently in Scotland filming an adaptation of Frankenstein, has reported "an oppressive vibe" in his room.

In a series of social media messages the Shape of Water and Pan's Labyrinth director told how he agreed to stay in the "most haunted" room in the hotel after another member of the film crew moved out due to "odd" goings-on.

He later reported while he did not encounter any unusual sights or sounds, the room had an "angry" feeling and a "shred of rage".

Del Toro posted a picture on X of him checking the room for eerie sounds

Several of the 59-year-old's films have dealt with horror and supernatural themes, usually with a Gothic edge.

Earlier this week he wrote on X that: "I always stay in 'the most haunted rooms' but only once did I experience anything supernatural- the rest of the time: nothing. I have high hopes [for Aberdeen]."

He added one of the new film's producers had chosen to leave the room because of the amount of strange "electrical and physical occurrences" that had taken place while she was there.

Del Toro later posted that "the atmosphere in the room is oppressive and I am not gonna spend much more time there" before adding pictures of himself checking for eerie sounds - known as electronic voice phenomena (EVP) - on his phone.

The Mexican director then wrote: "The room has more than vibes, there is something angry and territorial there. A shred of rage."

However, the director reported "no sounds or sights happened- but just an oppressive vibe" and said that he would return to the room later on.

'Their energies are there'

The hotel is believed to be near the Dunecht Estate, where filming is under way on a version of Frankenstein that Del Toro is making for streaming giant Netflix.

Paranormal investigator Liam Shand told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland that hotels are often rife with supernatural elements.

He said: "There are just so many people that have gone through them, and their energies are there. Most hotels have a story to tell."

However, Mr Shand - who works with Inverness based group Highland Paranormal -said that angry and oppressive vibes tended to be rare, although he had experienced them.

He added: "I've seen a full shadow figure, I've had a woman whisper in my ear and I've had a finger drawn across my forehead - lots of different experiences over the years."

The production will see Saltburn star Jacob Elordi play The Monster, with Star Wars actor Oscar Issac as Victor Frankenstein and Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth among the rest of the cast.

Filming is also due to take place at Glasgow Cathedral.

Del Toro used social media to praise Scotland, saying it was a country he felt close to due to his ancestors on his mother's side being from Ireland.

He wrote: "I love Scotland- and, even when my links to it are not by bloodline, I feel close to it."

Del Toro won the Best Director Oscar in 2018 for his film The Shape of Water.