Guillermo del Toro revealed a chilling supernatural episode at the Waitomo Caves Hotel on New Zealand’s North Island, where he stayed while scouting locations for The Hobbit. The acclaimed director recounted to Jimmy Kimmel on his talk show how he distinctly heard what sounded like a violent murder taking place inside his hotel room despite no one else being present. This unsettling incident is a rare instance where his curiosity about haunted places turned into a real-life ordeal.
A Haunting Night in the Waitomo Hotel
Del Toro explained that he frequently requests haunted rooms whenever he stays at hotels, but had never encountered anything unusual until this stay. While watching The Wire on DVD to pass the time, he suddenly heard a series of disturbing sounds — screams, stabbing noises, and cries as if a murder was unfolding before him. Although host Jimmy Kimmel joked that the sounds were likely coming from the show itself, del Toro insisted otherwise, emphasizing the absence of other guests or staff in the hotel at that time.
“I have heard [a ghost] twice,”
del Toro told Kimmel.
“The second time was very dramatic. We were scouting for The Hobbit in an empty hotel in Waitomo, the Waitomo Hotel. Every hotel I go, I know the haunted room. I say, ‘Can you give me the haunted room?’ Nothing ever happened until then.”
During this eerie night, del Toro said,
“I was watching The Wire on DVD, so it was not exactly the mood. I was watching [Idris Elba’s character] Stringer Bell and, all of a sudden, I hear an entire murder in the middle of the room. The screams and the stabbings and the crying.”
Despite the fear induced by these phantom sounds, the director confirmed there was no one else in the hotel, stating,
“There was nobody else in the hotel, not even the manager. They gave us the keys because it was off-season. And I was on the east wing and everybody else was on the west wing.”
Fear That Kept Him Frozen
Rather than fleeing or switching rooms, del Toro spent the entire night fixated on his laptop screen to avoid turning around and possibly confronting whatever ghost might be lurking behind him. He shared,
“I put the earphones back and I stayed looking at the computer the whole night. I didn’t sleep at all. I didn’t want to turn around — there was a balcony and I said, ‘What if I look and there’s something there?’”
Del Toro’s Passion for the Supernatural in Film and Life
Better known for merging horror and the mystical in movies such as Pan’s Labyrinth, Cronos, and The Shape of Water, del Toro’s fascination with haunted settings reflects deeply in his work. His 2015 movie Crimson Peak tells the story of a young woman who moves into a haunted estate in Northern England, a theme that closely mirrors del Toro’s own interests outside of filmmaking.
In fact, del Toro disclosed plans to purchase an actual haunted house in England, emphasizing his commitment to experiencing the supernatural firsthand.
“My instruction to the broker, I said, ‘It has to be haunted,’”
he revealed.
“And I said, ‘I have to be able to spend a night there and get haunted or I will not buy it.’”
He further explained the necessity of witnessing paranormal activity personally before committing to the purchase, remarking,
“I would like to see something. I heard already.”
Past Paranormal Experiences Reinforce His Belief
This is not del Toro’s first encounter with eerie hotel rooms; while filming Frankenstein in Aberdeen, Scotland, he described a similarly ominous experience.
“The room has more than vibes,”
he said.
“There is something angry and teritorial [sic] there. A shred of rage.”
Why This Encounter Matters
Del Toro’s story highlights the persistent allure and terror of haunted places, especially to those drawn to the supernatural both personally and professionally. His willingness to immerse himself in these unsettling environments—whether for film or real life—demonstrates a rare blend of fascination and fear. As he prepares to buy a haunted property in England, audiences can expect his curiosity about the unknown to continue influencing his creative endeavors and public tales of ghostly encounters.
6:28 Scotland. Finished the shooting day. Going into the room now- dinner at 8:00 Anything happens and I will update. the room has more than vibes there is something angry and teritorial there. A shred of rage. Room #4
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) August 22, 2024
