‘Slapped across the face’: Former Hydro Majestic hotel manager reveals terrifying ghost encounters

A former manager of a luxurious NSW hotel has revealed the supernatural encounters that led him to never set foot in one of the rooms.

James Shipton had heard all the stories before. As a historian and former duty manager at the Hydro Majestic in the Blue Mountains, he’d read numerous accounts of the historic hotel being haunted and had taken thousands of people on tours of the building.

But he’s never spoken about his own encounters with the hotel’s uninvited guests. Until now.

Shipton opens up to author James Phelps in his new book Australian Ghost Stories and tells of his first encounter five years ago - when he was just three months into his job.

“I started my shift at 3pm and did the rounds as usual,” Mr Shipton told Phelps.

“I noticed we were running low on milk in the Belgravia lounge, so I started toward the kitchen to get more.”

It’s a 150m walk to the kitchen via the hotel’s casino, pavilion bar and an area known as Cat’s Alley.

“I was the only person in that section of the hotel,” Mr Shipton recalled.

“It was a weekday, so everything apart from the Belgravia lounge was closed.”

Former Hydro Majestic duty manager James Shipton who had two strange encounters. Picture: Rohan Kelly

James Phelps’ picture captured at the Hydro Majestic. Can you spot the ghost?

As he entered Cat’s Alley, he heard the squeaking of the floorboards beneath his feet.

But it’s what he heard next that left his heart pounding.

“I heard a woman whisper something into my ear …” he told Phelps.

“It was loud, like she was standing behind me, but I couldn’t understand what she said.”

Mr Shipton figured it must be a guest who’d gotten lost.

“I spun around, ready to give her directions,” he recalled.

“But no one was there. My heart began pounding. Like, full-on palpitations. I couldn’t see anyone but knew I wasn’t alone.”

The 41-year-old told news.com.au he couldn’t make out what the voice said but the sound was whispered into his right ear.

It wasn’t long before Mr Shipton had another strange encounter – again in the area of the hotel known as Cat’s Alley.

“It had been a quiet night, and the few people staying in the hotel had all left the Belgravia lounge at 8pm to go to bed,” he recalled.

Cat's Alley where James Shipton had his two encounters. Picture: Rohan Kelly

“I closed everything up, grabbed the cash till and headed towards the office. And the moment I stepped into Cat’s Alley, I was overwhelmed by the smell of perfume.

“It just hit me like a slap in the face. Strong. Floral. It was like somebody just sprayed it in the air. And then suddenly, I heard footsteps.”

It was then that Mr Shipton learnt about the legend of Room 311, which was right above the area of his two encounters, and the ghost said to haunt the room.

The historic Hydro Majestic hotel at Medlow Bath, near Katoomba.

The hotel later went extensive renovations. Picture: John Fotiadis

A chef working at the hotel told Mr Shipton the story of a former worker – who stayed in that room as part of staff accommodation – fleeing in fear after seeing a ghost in the room. A chance encounter with that former employee confirmed it happened.

“He had felt a presence as soon as he began staying in that room,” Mr Shipton said.

“And on a couple of occasions when he woke up, he thought a lady on the left side of the bed was looking down at him.

“He was very uncomfortable but decided putting up with it was better than asking for a new room and explaining why he wanted to be moved. But that all changed the night he was attacked.”

Mr Shipton in Room 311 which is said to be haunted. Picture: Rohan Kelly

A news article from 1938 reporting the murder of Hydro Majestic employee June Clemenger. Picture: Truth Newspaper/Trove

The bathroom in Room 311. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Shipton recalled how the former employee told him he was “slapped across the face by something unseen”.

“He said it was so hard that it brought tears to his eyes,” he told Phelps.

“He was trying to figure out what had happened when a lady suddenly appeared in front of his face. She then grabbed his neck and started strangling him. He freaked out and fled the room.”

Author James Phelps. Picture: Brett Costello

James Phelps’ new book Australian Ghost Stories.

He never set foot into Room 311 again.

When the room was eventually opened to paying guests, one female fled the room claiming the bathroom taps had turned themselves on

“The cleaner went in to investigate, and the bath was overflowing and water was coming down the wall,” Mr Shipton said.

Australia’s first Prime Minister Edmund Barton with his wife Jeanie and daughter Stephanie in undated photo from the book Edmund Barton: The One Man For The Job by Geoffrey Bolton. Picture: Supplied

Mr Barton died at the Hydro Majestic Hotel in 1920.

After doing his own research, Mr Shipton strongly believes the ghost haunting Room 311 is that of a former employee named June Clemenger, 21, who was murdered by her jealous lover in 1938.

He even hired a spirit medium to help him.

“I told her nothing about what was happening or my suspicions, and the thing she said was that she was getting a strong feeling of a rope around her throat,” he said.

“There is a lady here. She either hung herself with a rope or was murdered by being strangled with one.”

The ghost of a young girl who died following a balcony fall, and that of a little boy, are also believed to be haunting the Hydro Majestic, along with that of Australia’s first Prime Minister Sir Edmund Barton, who died in the hotel in 1920.

Australian Ghost Stories by James Phelps will be published on October 2 (HarperCollins Australia $34.99)