Amber Court & the rumours that shroud it
There’s something extra eerie about the weathered facade of a decaying hotel, all veiled up in mystery and shrouded in eerie tales and whispers of a chilling past. These spooky lodges scatter the globe, beckoning the curious and intrigued for some paranormal run-ins.
One such infamous hotel in Malaysia is Amber Court, nestled within the mist-laden hills of Genting Highlands. The imposing building has been gaining popularity in recent years, especially as a tourist destination – for reasons rather dark.
Read on to discover more about the history of Amber Court and its alleged otherworldly guests.
Hotel-turned-apartment building
Image credit: Drone South KL via Facebook
Amber Court, a decades-old edifice perched on the peaks of Mount Ulu Kali in Genting Highlands, stands as a silent witness to the passage of time. Despite its dilapidated state, or perhaps because of it, the looming building lures curious minds with its long-standing reputation of being haunted.
Constructed in the 1990s, Amber Court was envisioned to be a lush residential complex part of plans to expand offerings at Genting Highlands, which was flourishing as a leisure and entertainment destination at the time.
Image credit: Booking.com
The 23-storey building was meant to provide a luxurious abode for tourists of a new nearby theme park, and was as well equipped as any proper apartment complex. Its variety of facilities include a sauna, gymnasium, indoor games room, restaurant, as well as car parks, conference rooms, and banquet halls.
Following a financial crisis, the apartment complex’s developer was liquidated and the condition of Amber Court lost its grandeur gradually as its upkeep was not being prioritised.
Dark tourism of Amber Court
Image credit: Wikipedia
Once a beacon of lavish shelter, Amber Court now bears marks of neglect, sporting a mosaic of reddish-brown hues of red algae and mould due to the wet and foggy climate of Genting Highlands. The rust-coloured mould disturbingly resembles “blood” trailing down the balconies, adding more spook to the building’s already slummy exterior.
Amber Court’s weathered facade boosted rumours of paranormal activities within the hotel, of which many happily indulged in. Due to these rumours, coupled with the building’s lack of safety standards and maintenance, the hotel eventually lost its appeal as a desirable accommodation option in the hill station.
Image credit: Business Insider
This took a turn in recent years when the world saw a boom in dark tourism, which involves horror-loving folks exploring destinations linked to significant and often distressing events – and haunted hotels seem to be at the centre of it all.
Amber Court does not escape this. Stories of unexplained phenomena and glimpsed ghostly apparitions were increasingly being circulated online, with an influx of reviews by visitors on hotel booking sites seemingly attesting to this.
Image credit: MyDrama List
To add more fuel to these rumours, a local horror movie called Haunted Hotel was filmed at Amber Court in 2017. Cast member Alvin Chong, even recounted the real-life hauntings he had apparently encountered during the filming, and went as far as to swear off starring in horror flicks for life after the experience.
In 2021, a documentary citing Amber Court as the “world’s scariest hotel” was released on YouTube, and to this day, the video has raked up over 10 million views.
Much to the delight of ghost hunters and fans of the supernatural, the enigmatic and spectral appeal of Amber Court served as a huge fascination among locals and tourists alike, luring in flocks of vloggers and content creators.
Reaction of residents
Image adapted from: Exploring With Cody via YouTube
The dark tourism surrounding Amber Court does more harm than good however – the more widespread rumours only solidified its reputation as a notoriously haunted building. While this has attracted mobs of curious visitors armed with cameras, such allegations have diminished the value of the apartment.
Image adapted from: Oriental Daily News Malaysia via Facebook
Residents of Amber Court who have lived there for years have voiced their displeasure with the haunting rumours. Having had enough, more than a hundred residents gathered for a protest in 2022 against all those who have contributed to these persisting rumours.
According to The Star, the chairman of Amber Court Management Corporation Datuk Seri Dr KK Chai spoke on behalf of the residents, warning that legal action will be taken against anyone that continue to spew such baseless claims.
The rumours surrounding Amber Court in Genting Highlands
Amber Court is a looming silhouette of a sentinel, seemingly isolated on the peaks of the mountains, with wisps of fog lazily draped over its spires. The sombre giant hums with mystique, as if echoing with held secrets waiting to be unearthed by those who dare explore its realm.
While the halls of these extra spirited lodgings such as Amber Court do contribute to its allure for many of us, it is important to note that this apartment complex is currently still inhabited and that rumours may disrupt the lives of its longtime residents who only want peace in their homes.
For more happenings in Malaysia, here are 14 haunted places in KL & Crag Hotel, an abandoned building on Penang Hill.
Cover image adapted from: Drone South KL via Facebook