
Pallavi is a Los Angeles and Mumbai-based freelance journalist. She writes about design, travel, and lifestyle for leading publications like Travel & Leisure, Architectural Digest, Conde Nast Traveller, GQ, Thrillist, and Observer. An avid traveler and design enthusiast, she finds inspiration in everything she encounters, be it her immediate environment or her travels around the world.
If you’re like us and have patiently waited for the spooky season, take it to the next level by going on a haunted staycation or vacation. Here’s your guide to the 10 most historic and spooky hotels in the world. From historic castles and grand European manors to sinister city hotels, these properties will add a touch of eerie glamour to your next holiday. Bookmark this guide for a hair-raising and spine-chilling stay. These properties are not for the faint-hearted!

1. The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, India
Unveiled in 1903, this iconic hotel is situated in the heart of the city, overlooking the majestic Gateway of India. This property, which showcases a combination of Moorish, Oriental and Florentine architectural styles, has hosted royalty, dignitaries and eminent personalities from across the globe. Each of the hotel’s 543 rooms and suites showcases a mix of the charm of a bygone era with contemporary amenities. It’s rumored that the property’s old wing is haunted by the ghost of the hotel’s English architect, W.A. Chambers, who was reportedly distraught over the building’s incorrect alignment. Guests and staff report mysterious sightings and unexplained noises.

2. Ashford Castle, Mayo, Ireland
This 800-year-old castle is the former home of the Guinness family. In 2013, Red Carnation’s five-year restoration brought the hotel back to life. The property’s 83 elegantly conceptualized guest rooms and suites each have a distinctive personality. Set on 350 acres overlooking Lough Corrib, it is celebrated for its opulent interiors, exceptional hospitality, and a wealth of country activities, including Ireland’s School of Falconry. Legend has it that the castle is haunted by at least one spirit who is said to be a friendly spirit that watches over guests. Spend the night, and you may see this spirit dancing through the halls!

3. Dalhousie Castle Hotel, Bonnyrigg, Scotland
Encompassed by eleven acres of verdant countryside, this 13th-century fortress has been converted into a luxury property and today makes its way into our list of spooky hotels. The hotel boasts 29 character-filled guest bedrooms reached by a grand staircase and secret passages. Its resident ghosts include the Grey Lady, Lady Catherine, who is believed to have died of a broken heart in the tower in 1695, and Sir Alexander Ramsay, who was starved to death in the castle dungeon in 1342. He is said to still roam the castle grounds and halls.

4. The Langham, Hong Kong
This grand, luxurious hotel is large enough to accommodate many guests, both living and spectral. The hotel features an elegant, European-inspired aesthetic, offering 498 refined rooms and suites. It is a major culinary destination, particularly for housing T’ang Court, its signature three Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant. Guests have reported feeling a dark, eerie presence around them and hearing tapping noises and gusts of wind right next to their ears, even when alone in their rooms. If you stay here, don’t be surprised to see or hear some mysterious activities.

5. Dragsholm Slot, Hørve, Denmark
A Relais & Châteaux property, this historic castle was originally built around 1215 by the Bishop of Roskilde and was later used as a prison. The property is surrounded by the shallow bays, woods and fields of a Unesco Geopark. This property is home to 41 rooms, suites and villas and an award-winning culinary team that crafts delectable Nordic gourmet cuisine that celebrates the area’s local produce. It’s considered one of Europe’s most haunted castles, known for the ghosts of the Earl of Bothwell (third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots) and the tragic “White Lady,” a former noblewoman’s daughter who was walled up alive after falling in love with a commoner. Make your way to Dragsholm Slot to get into the Halloween spirit!

6. The Emily Morgan Hotel, San Antonio, United States
Located across from The Alamo, this Gothic Revival skyscraper was originally constructed in 1924 as a medical arts building, housing a hospital and doctor’s offices. Its dramatic architecture features numerous gargoyles, each depicting a different medical ailment. Given its past, it’s no surprise that it has a reputation for intense paranormal activity, with guests reporting phantom antiseptic smells and unexplained ringing phones, particularly on the higher floors. We’re getting the creeps just thinking about a stay here!

7. The Savoy Mussoorie, India
An old colonial luxury hotel connected to a famous unsolved murder mystery and a resulting ghost story, what’s not to love? Located in the center of the picturesque hill station of Mussoorie, this sprawling hotel exhibits the style of English Gothic architecture. Opened in 1902, this hotel is over 11 acres with spectacular vistas of the Himalayas. The hotel is particularly famous for a mysterious, unsolved 1911 poisoning case that is said to have inspired Agatha Christie’s very first detective novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. We also love the property’s quaint The Writer’s Bar for a nightcap.

8. Hotel Monteleone New Orleans, United States
While not Gothic in the European castle sense, this historic hotel in the French Quarter boasts dramatic, old-world architecture and an impressive list of ghostly residents. Guests have often reported encounters with the spirit of a young boy named Maurice, who died of a fever in the late 19th century, and a phantom maid known to staff as “Mrs. Clean.” Its ornate lobby and opulent rooms provide a distinctly atmospheric, sophisticated stay. To ring in Halloween, there’s no better activity than to stay at Hotel Monteleone.

9. Fujiya Hotel, Hakone, Japan
Opened in 1878, this highly historic hotel hosted many famous figures, including Charlie Chaplin and John Lennon. Its age and historical significance lend to a memorable stay. Guests have reported seeing shadowy figures in the long, old corridors, particularly at night, which can feel quite unnerving. Only the bravest will dare to book a room at the Fujiya Hotel. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

10. Asia Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand (also pictured top)
Well-known as one of the most spooky hotels in Thailand, it has a generally eerie and dimly lit ambiance. Visitors have reported sightings of apparitions, hearing random laughter and crying, and some have even claimed to wake up with mysterious bruises or scratch marks after feeling a presence on their bed. We’re getting goosebumps just thinking about these experiences!
Which spooky hotels have you stayed at? Let us know in the comments.