Book a room in one of the spookiest hotels of the world! If you are particularly brave, Halloween could be the best time to check-in and see what happens... But maybe you're afraid, aren't you? Stay at these hotels for a guaranteed thrill!
Most travelers try to stay away from haunted hotels in favor of a peaceful night’s sleep… But for the more adventurous, thrill-seeking type, a paranormal experience hits just the right spot!
Whether you are a lover of all things spooky, believer in all things strange and unbelievable, or skeptic in search of a challenge, you will certainly enjoy this eerie selection of haunted hotels. Dive with us into the fascinating and often tragic stories of the long-term otherworldly inhabitants of these otherwise lovely establishments.
Book your spooky stay at them now, if you dare!
Hawthorne Hotel, Salem, USA
This New England city is no stranger to paranormal activity, being the site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The Hawthorne Hotel is no exception, and guests regularly witness unusual activity, from water taps and light switches turning on and off by themselves, to eerie sounds and moving objects.
Room 612 in particular seems to be the preferred haunt of the ghost of Bridget Bishop, one of the first women executed; she was the owner of an apple orchard, so apparitions are often accompanied by the sweet smell of apples.
Would you dare to book a room?
Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, USA
This charming 4-star hotel was founded in 1880, and over the years this historical building has accumulated a multitude of otherworldly guests that makes this one of America’s most haunted hotels. In 2003, the International Society of Paranormal Research managed to make contact with more than a dozen ghosts!
Several former employees still haunt the place, as well as guests that have died on the premises. But the most heartbreaking story is that of Maurice Begere, a toddler who died on the 14th floor and whose spirit started to haunt the building; his parents returned to visit often, until they were killed in a carriage accident a few years later. To this day, poor Maurice still roams the halls, waiting for his Mom and Pop to return.
Would you dare to book a room?
The Russell Hotel, Sydney, Australia
This historical building, located in The Rocks, Sydney’s oldest district, has many legends associated with its persistent ghostly residents. This part of town was frequented by rowdy, drunken seamen, and the building itself served as a makeshift hospital during an outbreak of bubonic plague in the early 1900s.
Therefore, many restless spirits are often spotted here, as well as heard wandering the halls and making the floorboards creak loudly. A frequent apparition is a particularly salty sailor who seems to enjoy terrorizing guests, particularly in room number 8 – make sure to request it if you wish to lock eyes with this ornery ghoul!
Would you dare to book a room?
The Langham Hotel, London, England
This historical hotel has hosted several famous personalities since its opening in 1865, such as Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain and Winston Churchill… as well as several otherworldly guests that allegedly hang about to this day!
Room 333 is your sure bet for a paranormal experience, with regular appearances from the ghost of a Victorian doctor who murdered his wife and then committed suicide on their honeymoon. Other spooky encounters could be with a German prince who jumped to his death off the fourth floor, the exiled Emperor Napoleon III, and various odd happenings with unexplained cold gusts of air, strange noises, faucets and light switches with a mind of their own.
Would you dare to book a room?
Ettington Park Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Charmingly located on 40 acres of parkland in Warwickshire, this Neo-Gothic building was featured in the 1963 film “The Haunting”, and guests regularly report paranormal experiences during their stay.
Among the sightings of floating objects, candles being put out and similar supernatural mischief, you can catch a glimpse of Lady Emma, who glides along corridors to then disappear into walls, an ancient groundskeeper and his spectral dog, a monk, and an army officer.
Would you dare to book a room?
Airth Castle Hotel, Airth, Scotland
The 14th century Airth Castle is one of Scotland’s most important historical building, and like any self-respecting castle, it is home to a host of ghostly residents. Most of them roam the entire building, such as a phantom dog that chases and nips the ankles of unsuspecting guests, while others seem to prefer a few rooms, such as a group of children playing in rooms 3, 9, and 23.
The most bone-chilling story, however, is that of the ghost of a 17th century nanny who died in a fire together with the two children in her care; she is said to haunt the corridors, searching for the lost children to this day.
Would you dare to book a room?
The Shelbourne Dublin Hotel, Dublin, Ireland
This historic landmark is ideally located for visiting the Irish capital, but guests beware: you may be visited by ghoulish apparitions yourself! Actress Lily Collins, among others, is a celebrity victim of the poltergeist that seems to haunt the building.
Taps turning on and off randomly, shadows moving, wardrobe doors opening and closing, and occasional apparitions of a small, giggling figure roaming the halls: all this mischief is attributed to the ghost of Mary Masters, a 7 year old girl who died of cholera.
Would you dare to book a room?
Harding Hotel, Dublin, Ireland
This location of this unassuming hotel is perfect walking distance to Dublin’s major attractions, but it gets even more enticing if you’re on the lookout for spooky experiences with bone-chilling backstories. The area is said to be haunted by the ghost of Darkey Kelly, Ireland’s first female serial killer.
A madam who operated a brothel in a southwest neighborhood of Dublin, Dorcas Kelly was first accused of killing shoemaker John Dowling, then convicted of the murders of 5 men whose bodies were found in her brothel. She was then executed by a horrifying partial hanging and burning at the stake in 1761.
Would you dare to book a room?
Casa Wagner, Sighisoara, Romania
Looking for a holiday filled with spooky adventures and scary stories? The Romanian region of Transylvania is the destination for you: don’t miss a stop in Sighisoara, the birthplace of Vlad Dracula.
This building dates back to 1477, and is right in the heart of this evocative and beautiful region… But make sure to complete your visit and return to your hotel by nightfall, as darkness spawns apparitions and horrors that fill centuries of legend.
Would you dare to book a room?
Dr Holms Hotel, Geilo, Norway
The amazing ski resort town of Geilo is home to this luxurious hotel, complete with all the amenities you’d expect from 4-star accommodation… As well as a persistent guest of the paranormal variety, usually haunting room 320.
In 1926, a young woman honeymooning here caught her new husband cheating on her with another woman, and disappeared for three days. Her lifeless body was then found hanging in the attic of the hotel, and her ghost has haunted the premises since then.
Would you dare to book a room?
Château De Marçay, France
In the heart of the Loire Valley stands this beautiful 15th century castle, today a luxurious hotel and home to ghost apparitions with a haunting backstory.
Legend has it that one of the ladies of the Château had been transformed into a werewolf, and therefore roamed the grounds every night. An unwitting farmer accidentally took a shotgun to the creature, killed her, and buried her in unmarked land in great secret. Since then, the beautiful shrouded ghost of this young woman has roamed the halls of the castle.
Would you dare to book a room?
Hotel Burchianti, Florence, Italy
Located just a few steps from the cathedral, this Renaissance palace turned boutique hotel is host to a number of ghostly figures, and guests are guaranteed an exciting night of otherworldly experiences!
The beautiful Fresco Room, in which dictator Benito Mussolini also stayed, is the most frequent location for spotting a mysterious pink translucent figure; the halls are filled with giggles from the ghost of a young girl, as well as an elderly woman sitting in a creaky rocking chair, knitting away. You may also encounter the spirit of a maid, who is said to wake guests in the morning with an icy kiss, moving from room to room.
Would you dare to book a room?
Hotel San Clemente Palace Kempinski, Venice, Italy
The location of this hotel itself is beautifully haunting: this luxury 5-star resort is on the small island of San Clemente in the middle of the Venetian lagoon, not far from St. Mark’s Square, but often shrouded in eerie fog.
Founded as a monastery, from 1844 to 1992 the island housed a women’s mental asylum, in which Mussolini’s first wife was interned, among many others. You can therefore imagine the abundance of tormented souls that still haunt the grounds and the hotel’s vast hospital-style hallways.
Would you dare to book a room?
Hotel Ambos Mundos, Havana, Cuba
This lovely hotel is located in the Old Havana neighborhood, and its great location made it the ideal residence for writer Ernest Hemingway, who lived in room number 511 for several years. Today, the room he stayed in has been converted into a museum of sorts, complete with his typewriter and original furnishings.
His was a tormented and trouble-filled life, and after a long struggle with diabetes and mental illness, Hemingway committed suicide by gunshot in 1961. As troubled souls do, though, his ghost is still looking for peace in the places he loved while alive, and this hotel is often visited by his spirit.
Would you dare to book a room?
Hotel Alex Johnson, Rapid City, USA
This historical establishment, aside from having hosted 6 US Presidents, is a hotbed of paranormal activity, so much that a segment of “Ghost Hunters” was filmed here. The hotel proudly offers a “Ghost Package”, so be sure to ask!
The most widely reported encounter is the Lady in White: the spirit of a young bride who flung herself (or perhaps was flung?) out the window of room 812. To this day, she wanders the halls of the 8th floor in her white gown, and often opens and overturns the drawers in her old room.
Would you dare to book a room?
The Queen Mary Hotel, Long Beach, USA
The luxury ocean liner RMS Queen Mary is now a stationary hotel in the city of Long Beach, California, since 1967. With such a long and varied history of various human events, it’s no wonder that it is a true hotbed of paranormal activity!
Most frequent ghost sightings are by a sailor, a lady in white, and several children, although minor phenomena such as moving objects, sounds, and cold gusts of air are not uncommon. The ship’s resident paranormal investigator offers complete ghost tours, so make sure to ask!
Would you dare to book a room?
Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta, Canada
This chateau-style building stands majestic in Banff National Park, with the Rocky Mountains as a spectacular backdrop. It is considered one of the most haunted buildings in Canada, so be prepared to encounter some interesting phenomena!
Amongst the regulars, there is a bride who tragically fell to her death tumbling down the stairs during her wedding, a family that was murdered in room number 873, and a bellhop who still assists guests with their luggage: it is the ghost of Sam Macauley, who died in 1967 shortly after announcing his retirement.
Would you dare to book a room?
Grand Hyatt Taipei, Taiwan
This luxury hotel is actually of very recent construction, being built just in 1989, but it is still one of the most haunted in the world: its paranormal activity is most likely due to it being constructed over the site of a former wartime political prison, and the spirits that now haunt it are the tormented souls of those tortured and executed on those grounds.
Eerie shouting, smashing objects, and strange appearances are commonplace, even though hotel management has filled the premises with Feng Shui accessories, sacred scrolls, and ancient Chinese amulets to try and assuage the spirits that still haunt the grounds.
Would you dare to book a room?
The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, India
Arguably one of the best and most luxurious hotels in the world, this building is often reported as haunted by the many guests that have experienced paranormal activity. Many of the spirits are among the 167 people killed during a terrorist attack in 2008, which escalated into a 3-day gruesome battle.
But the most persistent ghostly presence is the specter of W. A. Chambers, the English engineer who designed the palace. Once he realized his masterpiece had been constructed in the wrong direction, he threw himself off a fifth floor balcony in despair, and still haunts the hotel to this day, trying to rearrange its objects within.
Would you dare to book a room?
If you’re looking for an edgy twist to your next vacation, filled with adrenaline-fueled eerie encounters, book a stay at one (or more!) of these haunted hotels… if you dare.
Even if you travel solo, you’ll definitely have plenty of spooky spirits to keep you company!
