Hotel Tugu Malang — antique spirits haunt East Java's collector's hotel

Hotel Tugu Malang in Malang, East Java, is a luxury boutique hotel famous for its extensive collection of Indonesian and Asian antiquities. The owner, Anhar Setjadibrata, has assembled one of the largest private collections of Indonesian art and artefacts, displayed throughout the hotel's rooms and public spaces. The hotel's haunted reputation is connected to these antiquities — many of which were recovered from temples, palaces, and burial sites across the Indonesian archipelago. Staff and guests report EVP phenomena including voices speaking in old Javanese and Dutch, objects in the collection being found moved from their display positions, and the apparition of figures in traditional Javanese court dress near specific artefacts. Some guests describe feeling a powerful presence in rooms containing ancient Hindu-Buddhist sculptures, consistent with the Javanese belief that certain objects retain the spiritual energy of their original owners or the rituals performed with them. Hotel staff perform regular selamatan (Javanese ceremonial offerings) to appease the spirits associated with the collection. The hotel's atmospheric combination of colonial architecture, Javanese aesthetics, and the spiritual weight of thousands of ancient objects makes it one of the most unique haunted locations in Indonesia.