5 haunted hotels where you can really sleep

For lovers of thrills and the paranormal, there are hotels that offer much more than a simple overnight stay. Among medieval castles, luxurious palaces and resorts that inspired horror masterpieces, they are just waiting for the bravest travellers. This guide explores some of the most haunted hotels in the world, to visit if you want a spine-chilling experience.

The Stanley Hotel – United States

Dominating the Estes Park landscape with its imposing Georgian Revival architecture, the Stanley Hotel is much more than a historic hotel. Built in 1909 by Freelan Oscar Stanley, co-inventor of the legendary Stanley Steamer car, this iconic building has witnessed some of the most fascinating moments of the 20th century. Its illustrious guests include Titanic survivor Margaret Brown, President Theodore Roosevelt and even members of the Japanese imperial family.

But the hotel’s real fame is tied to one name: Stephen King, who found the inspiration here for his horror masterpiece “The Shining”. As well as being a natural set for the 1997 TV miniseries based on King’s novel, the Stanley Hotel is famous for its well-documented paranormal phenomena. In the ballroom, many swear they have heard the piano playing by itself late at night, attributing it to the spirit of Flora Stanley, the founder’s wife. Room 217, where King stayed, is particularly active, with reports of suitcases mysteriously opening and the feeling of an invisible presence. Shows like “Ghost Hunters” have recorded unexplained events here, including objects moving on their own and sudden temperature drops.

Today the Stanley Hotel offers a unique experience for thrill-seekers, with night tours in search of paranormal activity and special screenings of Kubrick’s film. But the hotel doesn’t live only on its past: for several years it hosted the Stanley Film Festival, devoted to horror, as well as concerts and events. With its unique mix of history, legend and modernity, the Stanley Hotel keeps fascinating visitors from all over the world, offering them much more than a night’s stay, a real journey into the mysteries of a past that still seems unable to find peace.

The Langham Hotel – London

Since 1865 the majestic Langham Hotel has dominated the London skyline with its elegant architecture inspired by Florentine palazzi. This Victorian jewel, considered England’s first “grand hotel”, hides a dark side: it is thought to be one of the most haunted buildings in the capital.

Room 333 is at the centre of disturbing legends. Here, in the 1970s, a BBC presenter saw the ghost of a Victorian doctor who killed his wife on their honeymoon before taking his own life. In the early hours of the morning, many guests have instead met the spirit of a German prince in military uniform who, according to legend, took his own life in the hotel. But the Langham’s mysteries don’t end there. Napoleon III, who lived here during his exile, seems to prefer the basement, while a man with a deep wound on his face roams the corridors. Some staff speak of an entity that violently shakes beds and of a faithful ghost butler who appears in socks full of holes.

The atmosphere gets particularly tense at night, when many staff members even avoid going up to the third floor. A porter confessed to a brave guest: “I would never set foot up there”, while other colleagues gathered curiously outside the door of 333, as if expecting the worst. Despite the chills, the room can be booked. Those who dare to stay will find elegant furnishings and an inviting bed… but perhaps something more. As Stephen King wrote, hotel rooms are naturally spooky places, and the Langham proves it perfectly. A curiosity: the number 333 is linked to esoteric legends, and some swear that 3:33 am is the spirits’ favourite time to make themselves heard.

Hotel Burchianti – Florence

In the heart of Florence, a few steps from the Duomo, the Hotel Burchianti enchants with its atmosphere suspended between history and mystery. This 16th-century gem, opened in 1919 by the Burchianti sisters as a guesthouse for Swiss students, combines original 16th-century frescoes and period furniture with a darker fame: it is considered the most haunted hotel in the city.

Within its walls, guests tell of encounters with eerie presences: a woman knitting, a ghostly maid who wakes guests at dawn and invisible children running through the corridors. The “fresco room”, with its painted ceilings, is the scene of particularly intense phenomena: many say they have felt icy breaths on their face in the middle of the night, even with the windows closed. In 2016 a photo supposedly even captured a ghostly figure, feeding the legend. Some link these manifestations to Benito Mussolini, who is said to have stayed here, but the real charm of the Burchianti lies in its ambiguity: with no documented tragic history, the apparitions remain pure enigmas.

For the brave, the junior suites offer an unforgettable experience, between the beauty of the Renaissance frescoes and the thrill of a sudden shiver. A curiosity: the Swiss students who once lived in the building might be the very “guests” who still wander the rooms today… in a different form. Book if you dare: the Duomo is five minutes away on foot, but the supernatural adventure begins at your bedroom door.

Parador de Jaén

On top of the Cerro de Santa Catalina, the Parador de Jaén dominates the Andalusian city with its imposing architecture, the legacy of a past rooted in the Arab era. This 13th-century castle, turned into a luxury hotel, is the only Spanish parador that boasts two “official” ghosts, whose stories weave together legend and history.

Jasmina, the sorrowful soul of the castle

The first spirit is Jasmina, a young Arab woman with olive skin and green eyes, tied to a tragic legend. She is said to have been the lover of the Condestable de Castilla, killed in revenge by Christian nobles. Her presence is felt above all in room 22 (now 401), where guests have reported knocks on the door, crying and screams in the middle of the night. In the 1980s a man fled in terror after sensing “invisible flames” approaching the bed.

The ghost of Abdelaziz

The other supernatural resident is the ghost of Abdelaziz, a Muslim rebel left to starve in the dungeons by Ferdinand III “the Saint”. His soul wanders the ruins of the old alcazaba, but according to legend he can possess the living, disguising himself as a guest or a member of staff. How to recognise him? Just watch out for anyone who suddenly forgets conversations…

Built on an old Arab fortress, the Parador retains Gothic arches and medieval towers, but also an atmosphere full of echoes from the past. Despite the unexplained phenomena (such as the sound of chains and apparitions in empty corridors), Jasmina’s room is among the most requested. Perhaps for the thrill of meeting those green eyes that, it is said, appear in the mirror on full-moon nights.

Dragsholm Slot – Denmark

Overlooking Nekselø Bay, Dragsholm Slot is one of the most haunted castles in Denmark. Built around 1200, this medieval fortress turned luxury hotel is home to four ghosts whose stories are so well known that they are almost… “official guests”.

The weeping bishop and the lady walled up alive

On the second floor, the spirit of Joachim Rønnow, the last Catholic bishop of Roskilde, still laments the imprisonment he suffered during the Protestant Reformation. Guests in his former cell report moaning at night and invisible footsteps. But the most famous presence is Celina Bovles, the “White Lady”: a noblewoman made pregnant by a humble stable boy, she was walled up alive in the basement by her furious father. In the 1930s, during plumbing work, a skeleton was found in the walls. Today many swear they see her wandering in white robes, still looking for her beloved.

The cursed earl

More peaceful is the Grey Lady, a former servant who returns to thank the lord of the castle (who gave her medicine for a toothache). Less serene is James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell: the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, he died here as a prisoner. His restless ghost appears in the courtyard in a phantom carriage, perhaps still fleeing his sins.

For the brave: today you can sleep in the bishop’s cell or in the rooms where the White Lady appears. The castle also offers night tours among legends and unexplained phenomena. A tip? If you hear crying in the dark… better not to open your eyes. A curiosity: some guests have photographed strange “mists” in the corridors. Could it be the White Lady looking for company?