Built in the 1870s, Inspiration House hit fame when it was featured in the Netflix show Amazing Vacation Rentals. The eerie property was bought by paranormal researcher Michelle Belanger in 2018, who has maintained its frozen-in-time appearance with plenty of period features and antique furniture. She swears it’s populated by several spectral beings, with guests reporting hearing the sounds of screams and seeing the ghost of a dead dog.
Johannesburg's Foxwood House was built in 1924 and is said to be filled with the spirits of its former residents. The ominous figure of a woman on the balcony has been reported by some guests, while others believe they have spotted the phantom of Paul Kruger, the former President of the South African Republic. But whether you believe in ghosts or not, its historic rooms – complete with antique furniture, fireplaces and period details – certainly make for a unique stay.
Love this? Follow us on Facebook for more travel inspiration
It might look modern and swanky, but Q Station has a haunting history. Up until 1984, this building in Sydney Harbour National Park served as a quarantine station for immigrants to Australia who were detained for carrying infectious diseases including cholera, smallpox and the bubonic plague. While it now serves as both a visitor centre and a cool place to stay the night, it’s still teeming with the ghosts of its former residents, which you can learn more about by booking a ghost tour.
If you’re after a historic stay in St. Louis and don’t mind coming into contact with some ghosts, this Haunted Suite in a house dating back to 1890 is just the ticket. The second-floor studio apartment within the historic brick building has racked up plenty of reports of paranormal activity from guests. One recent reviewer says they woke up to sudden strong scents in the night, while another swears they heard a voice that no other soul heard while staying here.
Founded in 1851, The Marshall House survived two epidemics of yellow fever and served as a hospital during the Civil War – which means it’s surrounded by stories of the sickly spirits that once resided here. Guests have reported everything from taps turning on by themselves to seeing figures in the hallways and foyers. The property, located in the heart of Savannah, is home to a variety of unique rooms, the most luxurious of which feature wrought-iron balconies complete with rocking chairs.
Frequently ranking among the most haunted locations on the planet, this eerie bolthole in Gloucestershire, England has been around for more than 800 years. One popular story suggests that it’s possessed by the ghost of a woman who was burned at the stake in the 1500s, for being suspected of being a pagan witch. It’s thought that her figure haunts the room she hid in before being captured, known as 'the witch’s room'. Pictured here is the property's former landlord in front of the inn. Nowadays, you can book a spooky ghost hunt and sleepover from just £69 ($77).
There’s something especially sinister about staying in a former hospital, where you can only imagine how many spirits there are milling around. At this former Civil War hospital in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, guests have apparently reported seeing the ghosts of soldiers dressed in Confederate uniforms, although the Airbnb host claims all the spirits here are friendly. Cursed though it may be, the property looks surprisingly inviting with its wood-panelled interiors and cosy patchwork bedding.
You’d certainly have to be at least a little brave to book an Airbnb known as the ‘madness chamber’. This spooky home in the heart of York earned its moniker thanks to it reportedly being haunted – but even if you don’t believe in paranormal activity there are plenty of quirky details to make it unique, from crooked floors to dim lighting, wooden beams and low ceilings. Plus, you can indulge any need for spooks by joining an original ghost walk around the city centre.
Looking as if it’s been plucked straight from a horror movie, this chilling abode has been impressively decorated in Scottish Art Nouveau style, complete with a four-poster bed, ornate pillars and of course plenty of tartan. Sitting within the unusual Talliston House and Gardens, this bedroom is designed to look like the creepy domain of a seven-year-old Edwardian boy. It’s even filled with books and toys that the young boy may have owned.
Located in New Orleans' historic Garden District, the Parks-Bowman Mansion is a 130-year-old property with one bedroom that’s supposedly haunted, which you can book on Airbnb (if you dare). Known as ‘the dead girl’s bedroom’, the hair-raising space is said to be frequented by the spectre of a young girl in a yellow dress, who was buried in the property’s grounds in the 1890s. The whole property has plenty of Halloween-y features, including spooky skeletons, dolls and figurines.
You could be forgiven for thinking that Laura’s Cottage is just a cosy holiday home. Located in Savannah’s Historic District, the 18th-century, self-catering property certainly fits the bill with its old-school rocking chairs on the front porch, stunning Juliet balcony and gorgeous stone fireplace in the living room. But you’ll be sharing it with one other resident: a mysterious flower-carrying spectre named Laura who’s said to haunt the property.
Built in 1690, this unique property is owned by a Danish countess and has been decorated in a dark style: think antique furniture, candlelit rooms and plenty of mahogany. Guests stay in the stunning library room, which comes with plenty of historic tomes if that’s up your alley. And for the ghost-hunters, some say it's cursed by Slavic pagan gods who were once worshipped in this area.
Never mind a haunted house – there’s nothing spookier than staying in a haunted mansion. This Victorian property in Ellicott City, near Baltimore, Maryland, has seen plenty of paranormal activity. Staff have reported seeing the figure of a young girl in a chiffon dress in several rooms, while the chandelier in the dining room has been known to swing of its own accord. A baby’s crying can sometimes be heard in the upstairs bedroom. Terrors aside, the stunning building, complete with turrets and period decor, makes for a special stay.
This storied mansion in the quaint town of Penetanguishene, Ontario, is filled with tales of those who once lived here. Originally built in 1885, it was home to lumber baron Charles Beck, along with his wife and nine children. But when Beck died, he allegedly left just $1 to one of his daughters – it’s said that her vengeful spirit haunts the house to this day. Whether you’re into supernatural beings or are more of a sceptic, you’re sure to love its original Victorian features, from wooden balconies to spiral staircases and spires.
There’s something about Victorian-era properties – they all seem to be teeming with ghosts. In the case of this spooky bolthole in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the owner described seeing apparitions of a young girl who allegedly died in the house more than a century prior. Perhaps her spirit lingers; Airbnb reviewers describe the house as having a “spooky” and “creepy” atmosphere. The owner has made an effort to up the spook-factor too, with plenty of period details and Victorian paintings on the walls.
If you’ve money to splash and want to rent out an entire castle, try this one-of-a-kind property in Italy’s stunning Piedmont region. The chilling property, which dates back to the 10th century, is said to be haunted by an ominous presence known as Barbara. As the story goes, she fell in love with a visiting soldier called Matteo and they sought out the castle’s dark corners for their secret liaisons. But after Matteo married another woman, Barbara is said to have been locked away in one of the castle's towers, where she met her untimely death. She still haunts it today.
Dating back to 1876, this former vicarage in the central Swedish province of Jämtland has a long history of spectral sightings. In 1927, priest Nils Hedlund reportedly saw a figure tear down his laundry on the line, then in 1930 a different priest reported seeing a grey woman in the Great Hall. In 1947 it was named the most haunted house in Sweden by a local newspaper and since then its ghostly connection has blown up. If you dare to stay here, rooms start at just £19.50 ($22.84) per guest and can be booked online.
Loch Lomond is a stunning place to visit but if you want to up the thrill factor, try booking a room at The Drovers Inn. This historic West Dunbartonshire property is thought to be inhabited by the phantom of Angus the Drover, a local man who was murdered in cold blood nearby, as well as the ghost of a young girl who drowned in the nearby River Falloch. Aside from spooky spectres, guests here can expect unique rooms kitted out with period furniture and oil paintings. Plus it’s within easy reach of Loch Lomond and the North Coast 500 driving route.
Now check out the UK's abandoned places that are too scary to visit