The world-famous Playboy Mansion may be at the center of some very strange paranormal activity, just two years after owner Hugh Hefner passed away at the age of 91.
One of the American publisher’s longtime ex-girlfriends, Bridget Marquardt, claimed on Tuesday that the residence in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, is haunted by several ghosts. Marquardt, who’s a self-proclaimed “ghost hunter,” told Channel 7’s The Morning Show that she has seen spirits in the hallways of the L.A. mansion and that she finds the whole property “spooky.”
The 45-year-old talked about a chilling experience that really stuck with her, in which she was watching TV in one of the bedrooms along with some friends, and a woman appeared to be “standing in the doorway.” According to the Daily Mail , she said the sighting was so frightening for everyone present that her sister, who was also there, immediately started crying. Marquardt added that while she didn’t manage to get a good look at the spirit, it appeared to resemble a woman just standing there. However, the former model didn’t feel the same negative energy emanating from the female ghost as her friends — quite the contrary, in fact.
“I didn’t get a negative vibe from it at all.”
“I got a very positive vibe and I think that it might have been a former employee of Hef’s just coming to see the new addition to the family,” she said, referring to the new dog she had just gotten that day.
A new episode of my podcast Ghost Magnet is up! Hear all about the Curse of Benedict Canyon with my good friend and Death aficionado…Scott Michaels @LADeathTrip! ??????????? Available on iTunes & Spotify! pic.twitter.com/7wfIZXLPjR
— Bridget (@Bridget) March 18, 2019
This is not the first time someone describes ghost sightings in the huge Playboy Mansion, which was originally built in 1927, as several other people who have either stayed at or visited the property over the years claimed it is haunted. There were even reports of scantily-clad female spirits, as well as the ghost of an older man roaming through the hallways.
Hugh Hefner, who was the founder of the entire Playboy publishing empire, lived there for 43 years before dying in September 2017. He was known for always being surrounded by gorgeous women, many of whom lived with him in the mansion, and went on to become his official girlfriends, including Kendra Wilkinson, Holly Madison, and Marquardt — who were the stars of the hit reality TV show The Girls Next Door .
Recording some new Ghost Magnet Podcasts!! Mar. 18 I have Scott Michael’s from @dearlydepartedtours ??to talk about The Curse of Benedict Canyon Mar. 25 I have @ShannaMoakler Actress, former Miss USA and Playmate ? to share her spooky ?tales! Available on iTunes & Spotify! pic.twitter.com/DdsYk2xdZd
— Bridget (@Bridget) March 15, 2019
The majestic house, located in the Holmby Hills, in western Los Angeles, boasts 29 rooms, a grand hall, a wine cellar, and a massive outdoor swimming pool with its own grotto. The building is so relevant, it is even protected by the local government to prevent it from ever being demolished.