The Crown Hotel

The most famous phantom here is "The Lady in Black", who is usually to be seen on the first floor. Dressed in black crinoline, reports date back to the 18th century. On one occasion, a worker followed whom she thought was a colleague, who was wearing a black dress, into a room but there was no one there; when she called out for her friend, she answered back from a room further up the corridor. Another time, a worker who was standing on a chair hanging pictures observed a black skirt behind her, but no one was there when she turned around. An attempt was made to exorcise the ghost by a psychic - without success, it seems. Another famous phantom is a highwayman in a black cloak and a tricorn hat, who was shot dead while trying to rob the hotel in the 18th century. He has been seen in the bar area and "flitting through the restaurant." He was killed in the courtyard, the nearby stable block becoming the Sealy Suite, the hotel's function hall. It is in this section that an unusual phantom has been reported - a horse's head emerging from the toilet wall!
Recent intriguing claims add to the tally of stories here: One couple angrily complained that someone had tried to enter their room via a connecting door in the bathroom, and a hand emerged around the door frame from the other room before the couple shouted and the hand pulled back. The manager said that the door was locked and had been painted over, and bunkbeds were pushed against the door in the other room. Besides, the room was not in use that night. There is a claim that the Sealey Suite was/is haunted but there are no more details. Additionally, a woman walked past a witness on the upper floor and then vanished. Another (?) lady all in white walked down the stairs and out of the door. Whistling was sometimes heard by a maid as she serviced one of the rooms.

Update 25/2/22: Jack O’Donoghue a the hotel replied to my query for any recent phenomena: "Unfortunately we have had no reports of any activity since we had our refurbishment 4 yers [sic] ago"

Link: Dorset Live

Website