5 Chilling True Horror Stories on Genting Island Hotels, Malaysia

1. The Haunting of Amber Court

Contributor: Ahmad Faisal, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

“Amber Court. If you’ve ever been to Genting Highlands, you’ve probably heard of its reputation. Some people say it’s just old and rundown, but those who’ve stayed there? They’ll tell you it’s much more than that. I learned it the hard way.

My friends and I had planned a weekend trip to Genting Highlands, and we booked a room at Amber Court because it was affordable. From the moment we arrived, the place felt… off. The building looked eerie with its peeling paint, misty surroundings, and dark corridors. We laughed it off at first, thinking it was just our imagination fueled by all the ghost stories we’d heard.

Our room was on the 13th floor. Typical, right? A bad omen. Anyway, we settled in, and the first night was uneventful. Just the creaky sounds of the old building. But on the second night, things took a terrifying turn.

At around 2 a.m., I woke up to the sound of crying. It was faint but unmistakable—a woman sobbing somewhere nearby. I thought it was coming from outside, maybe another guest. I tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, but the sound didn’t stop. It felt like it was getting closer.

I got up to check. When I opened the door, the hallway was silent and empty, but the crying had stopped. Just as I was about to close the door, I felt a cold draft, like someone had walked past me. I brushed it off as the mountain air and went back to bed.

The next morning, I told my friends, but they joked about it, saying I was just hearing things. But then one of them admitted that he had felt something strange too—a heavy feeling, like he was being watched.

Later, we asked the receptionist about it. She hesitated before telling us that many guests have reported hearing a woman crying on the 13th floor. Some say it’s the spirit of a woman who ended her life there years ago.

We left Amber Court that same day. Even now, the sound of that crying haunts me. It was too real to be a figment of my imagination.”

2. The Phantom Gambler of First World Hotel

Contributor: Lim Wei, Penang, Malaysia

“If you’ve ever stayed at the First World Hotel in Genting Highlands, you’ll know it’s a busy place. With thousands of rooms and constant foot traffic, you’d think there’s no room for ghosts. But let me tell you what happened to me there.

I had just finished a long night at the casino. It was around 2 a.m., and I was exhausted. I stumbled back to my room, hoping for a few hours of sleep before heading back to the tables. But sleep was the last thing I got that night.

As I lay in bed, I started hearing strange noises. At first, I thought it was just my neighbors being loud—shuffling sounds, murmured voices. But then I realized it wasn’t coming from the next room. It was coming from my room.

It sounded like people were playing cards—shuffling, chips clinking, soft laughter. I turned on the lights, but there was no one there. The noises continued, though, as if an invisible poker game was happening right in front of me.

I was too scared to move, so I stayed in bed, clutching the blanket, my heart pounding. I must have drifted off at some point because I woke up to silence and daylight. But the memory of those sounds was crystal clear.

When I told the receptionist about it, she gave me a strange look. ‘You’re not the first to report this,’ she said. Apparently, many guests have heard phantom gambling noises in the hotel, believed to be the spirits of gamblers who lost everything and couldn’t bear to leave.

It’s been years since that night, but I can’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t alone in that room.”

3. The Ghostly Hitchhiker on Karak Highway

Contributor: Siti Nur, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

“We were driving home from Genting Highlands after a fun weekend. It was late, maybe around midnight, and the Karak Highway was eerily quiet. We’d heard stories about the highway being haunted, but we laughed it off. Until we saw her.

There she was—a woman in white, standing by the roadside, her long hair covering her face. She was motionless, just standing there with one hand raised as if asking for a ride. My father slowed down, thinking she might need help, but as we got closer, she vanished.

We were stunned. My father sped up, and no one spoke for a while. But then, just a few kilometers down the road, we saw her again. Same spot, same pose. This time, my father didn’t slow down. He kept driving, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.

At the next rest area, we pulled over. We told the security guard what we had seen, and he nodded like he’d heard it all before. ‘The woman in white,’ he said. ‘Many travelers have seen her. Some say she’s the spirit of a woman who died in a car crash on this highway.’

We were all shaken but relieved to make it home safely. To this day, I can’t drive on the Karak Highway at night without looking over my shoulder.”

4. The Elevator to Nowhere at Theme Park Hotel

Contributor: Raj Kumar, Ipoh, Malaysia

“The Theme Park Hotel in Genting Highlands is a lovely place, but it has its dark secrets. I found that out the hard way during a family trip.

One evening, I decided to explore the hotel. I got into an elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. But instead of stopping there, the elevator descended to a basement level I didn’t even know existed.

The doors opened to a pitch-black corridor. It was eerily silent, and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. I stepped out, but as soon as I did, the elevator doors closed and it began to ascend, leaving me alone.

I started walking, hoping to find another way back up, but the corridor seemed endless. Then I heard it—a soft whispering, like someone was speaking just behind me. I turned around, but there was no one there.

Panicking, I ran back to the elevator and pressed the button repeatedly. When the doors finally opened, I rushed in and pressed the button for my floor.

Back in my room, I told my family what had happened. They laughed it off, but I later found out that the hotel was built over an old burial ground, and guests have reported strange occurrences, especially with the elevators.

I didn’t sleep well that night and was glad to leave the next day.”

5. The Restless Spirit of Ria Apartment

Contributor: Melissa Tan, Malacca, Malaysia

“Ria Apartment. I’ll never forget the weekend my friends and I stayed there. The place had a creepy vibe from the start, but we thought it was just the old building. We were wrong.

On our second night, we started hearing knocking on the door. When we opened it, no one was there. This happened several times, and each time, it felt more sinister.

Then, around midnight, we heard furniture being dragged in the living room. We all went to check, but everything was in place. One of my friends claimed she saw a shadowy figure standing by the window, but it disappeared when she turned on the lights.

We didn’t wait to find out what else might happen. We packed our bags and left immediately. Later, we learned that the apartment has a history of paranormal activity, with previous tenants reporting similar experiences.

Even now, the thought of that place sends shivers down my spine.”