Recently updated on September 30th, 2025 at 08:49 pm
Looking for a spooky place to spend Halloween or do you just want as little sleep as possible during your vacation? Either way, we’ve rounded up 10 of the most haunted hotels in the world for you to check into if you want to see which spirits, specters, and souls haven’t checked out.
1. The Riccarton Racecourse Hotel, Christchurch, New Zealand
Let’s kick this list off with a haunted hotel that houses an unsolved mystery. In 1933, a man named Donald Fraser was shot to death in the Riccarton Racecourse Hotel. At the time, it was a most in-depth police investigation in the country’s history and remains unsolved to this day. Perhaps you can get some answers if you visit the hotel and see the ghost of Fraser. Guests claim his disembodied ghost roams the hallways, making it one of the most haunted buildings in New Zealand.
2. The Hollywood Roosevelt, California, USA
Hollywood royalty hung out at the Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles circa the mid-1900s, particularly the Blonde Bombshell. The iconic Marilyn Monroe actually lived in the hotel for two years. In the 1980s, the hotel underwent renovations and the Hollywood heroes of yesterday apparently didn’t dig the new decor.
Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift, and a number of other unknown ghosts have been seen dancing in the Blossom Ballroom, hanging by the pool, wandering the hallways, and spending the night in Clift’s room 928.
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3. The Maldron Hotel, Cork, Ireland
You can pretty much bet that whenever a hotel was formerly a hospital, there’s bound to be at least one ghost who won’t get out. That much can be said about The Maldron Hotel in Cork, Ireland. The former hospital opened in 1720 and closed relatively recently in 1987. Not all of the souls made it out before the doors locked.
Planning to use the gym during your visit? Fair warning: it was once the mortuary and equipment tends to malfunction. Some rooms have TVs that turn on by themselves, others like room 325 are sealed off permanently due to spooky shenanigans. And if you see a woman begging for help in the hallway? Well, she might not be “all there” in every sense of the phrase.
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4. 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, Arkansas, USA
Regularly regarded as the most haunted hotel in the United States (and as good of a reason as any to visit Arkansas) the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa is also considered the symbol of the state’s hospitality.
Tell that to the ghosts.
Depending on what you consider hospitable, the hotel truly welcomes all guests, including the variety of ghosts that allegedly haunt the space. Room 218 is one of the most paranormally active in the hotel, seeing as a stone mason is said to have died there.
Room 419 is lively with the dead as well; the hotel was once an experimental cancer hospital and 419’s Theodora and Dr. Baker has been seen. Employees also regularly report seeing Victorian-era ghosts in the common spaces. There are seriously too many ghost stories to go over in a single article which is why the hotel gladly gives ghost tours.
5. The Nottingham Road Hotel, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
With a cute name like the Notties, you’d think few naughty deeds could go down at South Africa’s Nottingham Road Hotel. As a matter of fact, the ghost that haunts these KZN halls is sometimes referred to as Miss Nottie. The fable behind Charlotte, a so-called friendly ghost, is that she might have been a chambermaid or just a guest who was a little too friendly.
Presumably, a man did not appreciate her friendliness and that’s where you need to finish the story. One version says the jilted woman threw herself over her room’s balcony. Another version suggests there might have been another literal hand at play. Perhaps you can ask ol’ Nottie Lotte herself when you stay.
6. Himeji Castle, Hyogo, Japan
We rarely envision castles in Japan, though film buffs and cult horror fans will already know why Himeji Castle is notable. Hyogo’s “White Heron” has a dark legend, one which went on to inspire the movie, The Ring. Built in the 1300s, Himeji Castle started as a rom-com when the samurai who owned it fell in love with his servant. The servant did not reciprocate the feelings and that’s where this tale takes a sinister turn. The samurai accused her of theft, a crime punishable by death, blackmailing her into accepting his advances. She refused, so he threw her down a well. An end so tragic it’ll make your heart sink, the castle today (and many moviegoer’s nightmares) is haunted by the woman returning from the well.
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7. Château de Brissac, Brissac-Loire-Aubance, France
Château de Brissac, or Brissac Castle, has sat in the Loire Valley of France since the 11th century so you’d better believe that it’s seen its share of souls sticking around. Its most famous revenant, however, didn’t begin roaming the castle until the 1400s. Visit Brissac Castle and you’ll hear a ghost story about the Green Lady. Charlotte of France was married to the heir of the castle, Jacques de Breze. Jacques found out that Charlotte was more of a charlatan when he caught her and a huntsman committing not so noble acts in the bedroom. Jacques murdered them both; Charlotte, in her green dress, is said to still wander the castle’s Chapel Tower.
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8. Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff, Alberta, Canada
Banff is such a stunning part of Alberta that you’d think even the most tragic of phantoms could find peace amongst the evergreens. It seems the ghosts allegedly haunting the Fairmont Banff Springs didn’t get the memo. Apparently things that start with a ‘b’ go boo and bump in the night: babies, bellhops, and brides are the most common sightings.
A century ago, a bride-to-be stumbled down the hotel stairs to her death on her wedding day. A one-time bellhop of the hotel still shows up from time to time to assist guests, despite being off life’s payroll for decades. One writer’s colleague even claims that a crying ghost baby appeared in the hallway during a visit.
9. Gran Hotel Bolivar, Lima, Peru
Right on Plaza San Martin, the Gran Hotel Bolivar is one of the most elegant and charming hotels in Lima. Just look at its guestlist for proof: John Wayne, the Rolling Stones, and Ernest Hemmingway have caught their z’s here.
But it’s also one of the most haunted hotels in Peru.
There are multiple reports of guests seeing different female ghosts of overnighters and employees who died in the hotel (one was said to have taken a shortcut to the lobby via a window). The hotel has also closed the 5th and 6th floors due to some spooky activity. The Gran Hotel Bolivar turns 100 years old in 2024 so who knows which celebrities or specters will turn up.
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10. The Stanley Hotel, Colorado, USA
The Stanley Hotel is now an iconic sight thanks to Stanley Kubrick. Used as the fictional Overlook Hotel in The Shining, the property is a real hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, just outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. You can spend the night and take a Shining-themed film tour, but The Stanley Night Tour takes you into the hotel’s real-life haunted history. Stephen King, author of The Shining, actually stayed there and had a few paranormal encounters of his own. Even before his arrival, guests as far back as 1911 have claimed the see ghosts of owner Mr. Stanley and his wife, a chambermaid named Elizabeth, cowboys, children, and more.
What happened in room 217 at the Stanley Hotel?
Let’s start with the facts: a gas leak caused Room 217 to explode in the 1920s with no fatalities. One maid, Elizabeth Wilson, was injured but recovered and continued working at the Stanley Hotel until her death. Here’s where it gets speculative yet spooky: The Denver Gazette reported that after her death, her spirit started haunting the hotel. After Stephen King’s stay, comedian Jim Carrey stayed in the room while filming Dumb and Dumber reportedly fled in the middle of the night out of fear.
11. Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
The spiritual realm runs deep in New Orleans so it’s no surprise that it’s effortless to find hotels with a haunted reputation in the Big Easy. Hotel Monteleone is one of them. Opened in 1886, over a dozen ghosts are said to haunt this historic hotel, including a toddler named Maurice Begere who has been seen near the room where he died.
12. Dalen Hotel, Telemark, Norway
A nightmarish stay in Norway, the Dalen Hotel is known for a tragic deed committed by one of its international hotel guests. Dubbed “The English Lady”, Miss Greenfield was a months-long guest who stayed in room 17. Hotel staff entered her room one day to find a dead infant and no sign of the English Lady. Eventually, Greenfield was arrested and took her own life. Although she now haunts the hotel, the staff seems to still accommodate her spirit by keeping a table set for her in the dining area.
13. The Mermaid Inn, East Sussex, UK
If you stay at The Mermaid Inn, there’s a solid chance you’ll snooze in a hotel room with something that goes bump in the night. Take your pick: a swordsman in room 16, the Lady-in-White in rooms 1 and 5, a strange sensation looming over you in Room 3, or a ghostly man roaming about rooms 10 and 19. Perhaps room 15 is a better choice: the supernatural events occurring in the room can only be experienced via séance or paranormal equipment.
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14. Hawthorne Hotel, Salem, Massachusetts, USA
Stay in Salem and you’ll surround yourself with history — including haunted history. The Hawthorne Hotel doesn’t outright say it’s haunted, but it does acknowledge that guests have reported scary experiences. On one hand, Salem’s first “modern hotel” opened in 1923 did attempt to summon Harry Houdini during an unsuccessful séance in 1990. On the other hand, it’s surrounded by haunted historical buildings and 17th century landmarks that have no doubt seen the city’s darkest times. It’s only fitting that a local ghost might phase into a room at the Hawthorne from time to time.
What is the most haunted hotel in the United States?
The United States has no shortage of haunted hotels, including the frighteningly famous icons like The Stanley Hotel and 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa. Ghost hunters will name haunted hotels from coast to coast, but some of the more chilling were once the start of real-life tragedies. The Lizzie Borden House is a B&B in Fall River, Massachusettes, where her father and stepmother were butchered. The Ambassador Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is where serial killer and cannibal Jeffery Dahmer claimed a victim. Though demolished, one of the most haunted hotels in the United States was almost certainly the “Murder Castle” in Chicago which was built by serial killer H.H. Holmes to lure in victims. Those who pass by this address, which is now a post office, claim they can still hear screams and feel deeply unsettled.
15. Hotel Sorrento, Seattle, Washington, USA
Flickering lights? Check. A piano playing on its own? Check. A spirit moving objects throughout the hotel, leaving guests creeped out at best and scared shirtless at worst? Check. Hotel Sorrento in Seattle is allegedly the space where Gertrude Stein enjoys haunting, particularly around room 408.
16. Hotel Union Øye, Norangsfjorden, Sunnmøre, Norway
Sadness fills The Blue Room at Hotel Union Øye in Norway. Two lovers, one a duke and one a servant, each took their lives when fate would not let them be together. It’s said that the woman’s ghost still weeps as she haunts this otherwise tranquil Norangsfjorden hotel.
17. Casa Monica Resort & Spa, St. Augustine, Florida, USA
The oldest continuously occupied colonial city in America has more ghosts than you can count, so much so that you can hardly eat, sleep, or stroll the historic streets without bumping into a haunted building, cemetery, or landmark. The ritzy Casa Monica Resort & Spa is just as haunted as it is lively: rooms 411 and 511 are haunted by a woman in white.
18. Langham Hotel, London, UK
They say it’s the most haunted hotel room in London: Room 333 of the Langham Hotel. And by “they” we don’t mean mere ghost hunters; journalists and staff of the neighboring BBC Broadcasting House have seen everything from a Victorian ghost to the ghost of a German price haunting in or around room 333.
19. The Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein, South Africa
Aspiring ghost hunters hoping to catch a glimpse of the being that haunts The Lord Milner Hotel need not bring their paranormal equipment. Simply head to the bar and ask for Johnny, who guests say is happy to introduce them to the resident ghost.
20. The Wort Hotel, Jackson, Wyoming, USA
A haunted hotel offers more than just a spine-chilling visit; in the case of Wyoming’s The Wort Hotel, it trades disembodied voices and eerie occurrences for the kind, sometimes playful, Bob. As unassuming as its name, Bob is the ghost of Robert Tomingas, the hotel’s maintenance engineer in the 1950s. His spirit continues to help current engineers fix problems throughout the hotel, and aside from moving the occasional tool in the maintenance shop, Bob doesn’t bother those who work or stay at The Wort Hotel.
21. The Lord Baltimore Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
If there’s one lesson to take from the most haunted hotels in the world, it’s to avoid the 19th floor whenever possible. Like The Adolphus Hotel in Texas, The Lord Baltimore Hotel in Maryland has a very haunted 19th floor. Visitors have reported ghost sightings as soon as they walked into the lobby of what’s considered one of the most haunted hotels in the United States. Continuing up to the hotel rooms only leads to more sightings. Nearly two dozen people ended their lives by jumping out of windows on the 19th floor during the Great Depression. Among the ghosts most commonly glimpsed is Molly, a young girl whose portrait hangs in the hallway.
22. Dragsholm Slot, Hørve, Denmark
This Danish castle is one of the most haunted places in all of Denmark. Dragsholm Slot reportedly has over 100 ghosts, though its most notable are the White Lady, the Grey Lady, the Earl of Bothwell, and the Bishop of Roskilde, all of whom were spotted around the castle grounds or on the second floor.
Explore not-so-scary Scandinavia on our Nordic Adventure tour.
23. The Shelbourne, Autograph Collection, Dublin, Ireland
One of the finest hotels in the Irish capital is just as renowned for its long-term ghastly resident, a seven-year-old girl named Mary Masters. Long before the hotel was built, the ill child succumbed to cholera in 1846. A British medium and ghost hunter both made contact with the spirit over the years, and many visitors continue to report paranormal activity throughout the hotel.
24. The Alaskan Hotel & Bar, Juneau, Alaska, USA
Built during the Alaskan Gold Rush, The Alaskan Hotel & Bar is the oldest hotel in Juneau. Unsavory acts have occurred throughout its history, including it doubling as as brothel and a speakeasy. In one gruesome legend, a man returned home from the mines only to find his wife using prostitution to pay the bills. He murdered her in cold blood. Another bloody tale: a Navy soldier took his own life by jumping out of room 315’s window. When the staff reached the room, they found it caked in blood…but not from the solider.
What is the most haunted hotel in the world?
One of the most haunted hotels in the world is La Posada del Sol in Mexico City, Mexico. Unlike other haunted hotels on this list, La Posada del Sol never opened. The businessman who helped build the hotel reportedly killed his whole family then himself in the 1940s. The hotel was later converted to an administrative building for rural housing. The building included a daycare, and in the 1960s, an infant disappeared from the nursery and was later found dead in a hidden basement.
25. Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa, Canada
Some ghosts haunt the hallowed ground where they perished, others send their spirits to literal great lengths. Such is the case of the ghost of Charles Melville Hayes, the founder of the Fairmont Chateau Laurier. He wasn’t murdered nor did he claim his own life in this Ottawa hotel; instead, he died while crossing the Atlantic on the Titanic. He’s said to roam the hallways appreciating the beautiful hotel he never returned to. Not to be confused with Hayes, a second ghost sings in the stairwell and a third hangs out on the fifth floor.
Explore the spook-tacular mountains on our Spectacular Canadian Rockies tour.
26. The Biltmore Hotel, Miami, Florida, USA
Now a century old, the building housing the swanky Biltmore Hotel in Miami has a sordid history. A gangster called “Fatty” Walsh was gunned down on the 13th floor by a rival gangster during a party in the 1920s. More death followed, especially when the hotel turned into a military hospital from World War II through the 1960s.
27. The Farnsworth House Inn, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA
The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest events in the history of the United States of America. The battlefield and nearly every structure around it are hot spots for flickering lights, shadowy figures, cold spots, and other creepy occurrences. The Inn became a makeshift military hospital for soldiers on both sides of the Civil War. The very rooms you can stay in were used as operating rooms, and while some soldiers were saved, those who weren’t are said to haunt the hotel.
28. Morgan House Tourist Lodge, West Bengal, India
The now century-old Morgan House Tourist Lodge in India was once a private home belonging to an English family. The lady of the house, Morgan, sadly died an early death. Guests report hearing Lady Morgan’s high heeled shoes walking across the wooden floorboards at night.
29. Grandhotel Giessbach, Brienz, Switzerland
A grand Swiss hotel with a restaurant overlooking a waterfall; what’s there not to like about Grandhotel Giessbach? If you scare easily, or are very critical of its aesthetic, then you may think twice about staying here. The hotel’s architect, Horace Edouard Davinet, still oversees this setting from beyond the grave. Guests have heard his footsteps echo through empty hallways.
30. The Langham Hotel, Hong Kong
The second “Langham Hotel” on this list, the unluckily-named hotel in Hong Kong also has a ghost problem like its English cousin. Though not as substantial as other supernatural stays, many guests report hearing noises or feeling a sense of dread when they’re alone in their quarters.
31. Hotel Presidente Macau, Macau, China
To end on brutal note, the haunted Hotel Presidente Macau has a grizzly ghost story for those who dare to stay. It’s said that a man brought two prostitutes into the hotel, only to viciously murder them and disparage their corpses in the bathroom. Visitors claim weird activities occur in their bathrooms, such as the sudden presence of perfume or finding their toiletries moved. Others claim they’ve seen a man walk into their own rooms, only to disappear without leaving.
Learn about (friendlier) Chinese history on our Classic China tour.
Feeling brave enough to explore the world’s most haunted destinations or simply enjoy the spooky silliness involved when traveling during Halloween? Don’t be afraid to browse Trafalgar’s award-winning tours, some which feature adventures to some of the most haunted hotels and towns in the world.
Have you ever stayed in a haunted hotel? Tell us about it in the comments below