The 20 Most Haunted Hotels In The UK That You Can Actually Stay In

The Scotsman Hotel opened in 2001 in the Edwardian building which housed The Scotsman newspaper for nearly a century. The building is said to be haunted by ghosts dating back to its use as the news offices. The ghosts include the spirit of a printing assistant and a phantom copyist.

A stunning 4-star Tudor hotel located right in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon in one of the most historic buildings in the town. The hotel, which is now owned by Mercure, changed its name to The Shakespeare in the 18th century in honour of the local Bard.

The hotel is supposed to be home to several spooks, including the apparition of a cavalier, and the ghost of an elderly man who is often see wandering the corridors. House keeping staff claim to have mistaken the man for a guest. The hotel is also haunted by the ghost of a girl named Lucy. She's said to have hung herself after an assault and now haunts room 203. Her apparition has been spotted by a member of staff and she's said to move guests' belongings around in the night.

Barcaldine Castle is a 17th-century tower house that was attacked during the massacre of Glencoe in 1692. The castle fell into disrepair in the later 19th century, but has since been restored and survives today as a hotel. Barcaldine is the perfect location for a ghost hunt, with a bottle dungeon and two hidden passageways.

It is said to be haunted by the ghost of Sir Duncan Campbell, who roams that castle searching for the man who murdered him. The hallways are also said to be haunted by a female spirit, she's also been spotted in the dining room. Figures have been see walking past doors, and guests have reported feeling as if they're pinned to their beds at night.

The Queen's House in Greenwich is a former royal residence and is now home to an internationally renowned art collection and is a free museum. It's not just the art here that is famous, the Grade I listed building is famously thought to be haunted, after a visiting reverend from Canada caught what appeared to be a ghost in his photo taken on the Tulip Stairs.

The photo was taken in 1966 and seemed to show a shrouded figure ascending the stairs in pursuit of a second and possibly a third figure, despite the fact that there was no one on the stairs at the time the photo was taken.

More recently in 2002, one of the gallery's staff had an unusual experience while talking to two colleagues. He saw a figure gliding across a balcony, dressed in an old-fashioned, white dress and passing through a wall.

The world famous, luxury hotel on The Strand in Central London is said to be one of the most haunted hotels in the capital, especially on the fifth floor.

Oddly the ghostly activity includes tales of a ghostly lift, its apparition is seen in the fifth floor corridors as well as in room 502. It is said to be operated by the ghost of a young girl who died in the building.

The grade I listed building was originally built as a monastery in the 12th century, it was only open as a hotel in 1992 and since people have reported lots of odd goings on. Guests have reported seeing the ghost of a hooded figure, believed to be the spirit of Abbott Geoffrey, one of the original cistercian monks. It's said that he was murdered in the monastery in 1345.

There's also said to be the ghost of a young girl called Matilda, people have reported hearing her footsteps walking around the hotel grounds. The story goes that she was stablehand who fell pregnant to the master of the house. He refused to accept that the child was his, but sadly the baby died during childbirth. She then placed a curse on any young children born in the building. Some believe her hex may have worked as the Craven family who took up residence in the house lots several children during their time there.

The hotel was one of the grand railway hotels to be built in the UK and is said to be haunted by the ghost of a little girl. She's most frequently spotted on the second floor in an area that was said to have once been a nursery, and people have reported hearing her tricycle in the corridors at night. Her ghost is said to sneak up on female guests as they fill up the baths in the hotel rooms. Some have even claimed that the mischievous spook has pulled their hair.

The Tudor House Hotel in Tewkesbury, dating back to the 16th century, is rich in history and paranormal tales. This black-and-white-timbered hotel, established around 1540, offers 25 en-suite rooms, but it is also known for its long-term spectral residents.

The most well-known ghost is the 'grey lady,' believed to be the spirit of a maid who worked at the hotel. This maid, reportedly mistreated by her mistress, is said to have taken her own life by jumping from a top-floor window. Guests and staff have reported seeing her wandering the corridors, only to vanish upon reaching a doorway. Some also mention a 'woman in white,' although it's unclear if this is another entity or the same as the grey lady.

Another frequent sighting is of a ghostly black Labrador, often seen at the top of the main staircase. This apparition adds to the eerie atmosphere of the hotel.

Additionally, the hotel is said to be haunted by the spirit of a small drummer boy, related to the bloody battles of Tewkesbury. Numerous guests have been awoken by the loud sound of a kettle drum in the night, often attributed to this young drummer's ghost.

The hotel's past as a courtroom in the town, with executions reportedly taking place just outside in the courtyard, further contributes to its haunted reputation. The combination of these various apparitions – the grey lady, the black Labrador, and the drummer boy – makes the Tudor House Hotel a significant site for those interested in the paranormal and historical hauntings.

The purpose built Langham Hotel in Marylebone opened in 1865 and is said to be haunted by at least five different ghosts. The most prolific of these ghosts is the spirit of a German prince who is said to have died after being thrown out of a window in one of the guest rooms on the upper floors of the hotel. There's also a spirit who has been sighted passing closed doors and solid walls.

But it's room 333 which is claimed to be the most active part of the hotel. One guest reported seeing a strange ball of light hovering two feet above the floor in the room. As he watched, the orb of light began to take human form, only with the lower part of its legs missing.

The Red Lion, dating back to 1465, has such a prolific history of hauntings that for many years the management have enforced a strict preventing staff from mentioning the ghost, fearing the tales might scary away customers. Anyone member of staff caught breaking the rule faced instant dismissal.

The building is said to be haunted by a murder victim by the name of Alice Katherine Millar. She mostly been spotted in rooms five and six, where she's said to have passed through solid walls. Her spirit has also seen been on the stairs and in the hotel's kitchen.

The Adelphi in Liverpool is actually the third hotel on the site and the Grade II listed building is easily one of the most haunted in the country. Guests have reported seeing multiple spirits in naval attire. Staff have seen someone hanging out of a window in the Crosby Room, but upon investigation found that the room was empty and the window was locked.

Other guests have claimed to have seen the ghostly figure of a man known as George standing next to their bed at night. While others have reported feeling inexplicably ill, or like they are being watched. Most of the reports are focussed on the hotel's third floor, where there has also been reports of a demon.

The grand hotel, which now stand abandoned on the seafront, was built in 1895 by Edmond Park, the luxury hotel attracted England's wealthiest and most influential, but it was rumoured that after hours Park held séances and strange occult rituals. He mysteriously disappeared in 1899, never to be seen again. Many think that he was murdered in the hotel, cursing the property and his spirit has never left. The story of the curse it well known throughout the town.

Locals say a young soldier drowned in the sea and was brought back to the hotel, where he was pronounced dead. They also tell the tale of a woman named Emma Manson, who was murdered by her husband on the second floor and his body was found hanging in the tower. Another man took his life on the tower too, hanging himself from the outside.

Staff and visitors in the hotel have heard disembodied screams, seen phantom apparitions in the hallways and witnessed a child spirit roaming the building. Lights are said to turn themselves on and off and the property's manager has even caught a demonic face on CCTV.

The historic 17th century hotel is located on the main high street through the Somerset town of Chard, and is named after a type of crow that usually inhabits Britain's costal regions. With over 400 years of history in a part of the country that witnessed the Battle of Sedgemoor, one of the country's bloodiest battles. Not to mention the fact at times the building has been used as a school and a brothel, it's no wonder the building has so many tales to tell.

The paranormal activity at the hotel ranged from sightings of dark shadowy figures, a phantom knight in armour and even the sinister apparition of a man crouched down by the fire. It's believed this is the ghost of the infamous Judge Jeffreys, who allegedly stayed in the hotel while he held trials in the old court house down the road.

The hotel's bar is said to be one of the most paranormally active part of the building. Here there have been reports of poltergeist activity including glasses being thrown from the bar. It is here that the disembodied sound of coughing has also been heard and the ghosts of an old couple have been sharing a drink together.

The bedrooms are also said to be haunted, one of the rooms by the ghost of a man who was murdered there. Another of the rooms is said to be haunted by a young women named Elizabeth. She's said to have taken her own life in 1845 to avoid entering into a life of prostitution. In the attic, there have been reports of the apparition of a man who hanged himself.

Elvey Farm Hotel is situated in Pluckley, a place which holds the title as the most haunted village in England, and the hotel is said to contribute to that accolade. The farm is said to be haunted by the ghost of a farmer who shot himself, ever since his death people have reported hearing him whispering his final words "I will do it."

The hotel has played host to various paranormal investigation teams, including the cast of the television shows 'Most Haunted' and 'Ghost Hunters International'.

The Schooner Hotel, a grade II listed building in Alnmouth has been named by some as the most haunted hotel in the country. The hotel's history is rooted in the town's history as a port, and the whole area has a reputation of smuggling. There's even said to be a secret tunnels leading from the cellar to the port.

The most haunted room in the hotel is room 28, it's said a family was murdered in the room and today guests report hearing children's voices and crying, as well as the screams of a woman.

But room 28 isn't the only haunted part of the hotel, in fact there's been reports of paranormal activity in all 33 of the hotel's rooms. There's been sightings of apparition in rooms 16 and 17, while in rooms 28 to 30 whispers have been heard and guests have reported feeling dread and sickness.

Ye Olde Kings Head was built on Chester's Lower Bridge Street in 1622, and as it's allegedly home 13 different ghosts, it's no surprise that paranormal occurrences are reported as often as once or twice a week, including disembodied voices, the sound of children laughing and playing in the dead of night, and poltergeists pranking the unsuspecting.

There's the ghost of a lost little boy, plus a dark entity that roams the whole building and the ghost of a tall well-built man who has an unpleasant demeanour. In the bedrooms guests have reported having their covers being removed and a phantom dog is said to stalk the rooms. Others claims to have been shaken awake at night, heard loud knocks on their doors, and unexplained bangs from in and around their rooms.

There's also said to be a floating corpse that appears over the bed in room three, and in room four a woman is said to appear in the window, as well as the spirits of two men who both duelled to the death in an attempt to win her affections.

Ettington Park has been a luxury hotel since 1983, but was once home to the Shirleys, one of Warwickshire's oldest families. The house is said to be haunted by various ghosts. Staff and guests have reported icy chills, disembodied voices, footsteps, and even a candle which appeared to float through the air. The ghost of an old woman in Victorian clothing has been seen walking around the building. There's also as spirit of a man and his dog who haunt the library.

The hotel's two most famous spook are a woman in white and a woman in grey. The lady spotted in the white gown has been seen around dusk and throughout the night walking along the corridors, before passing through a wall. While the grey lady is seen floating at the foot of the stairs where she's believed to have fallen to her death at some point in the building's past.

Today Bodmin Jail is a tourist attraction, but for almost 150 years it was prison, in which time it saw over 50 public hangings. The jail is a popular location for paranormal researchers, including the 'Most Haunted' team who visited in their sixth series.

This was the location of the legendary incident that involved the show's producers feeding medium Derek Acorah false information, which saw him get possessed by a named Kreed Kafer. It came to light after the show that the spirit was fictionally and was in fact an anagram of the phrase "Derek Faker."

One of the oldest coaching hotels in Cornwall, it dates back to the 17th century but was sadly damaged in the flood which devastated the village in 2004, but has since been restored to its former glory.

As well opening its doors to thousands of guests over the year, the hotel has also played host to plenty of spooked. Guests have reported seeing the ghost of a coachman walking the corridors. There's also the ghost of a little girl, and a spirit of an old lady has also been spotted walking through solid walls.

Room nine is said to be the most haunted part of the hotel, many guests have reported icy blasts, shadowy figures and even a presence stood over their bed in the dead of night.

Built in 1750, the Jamaica Inn is historic, atmospheric, welcoming and supposedly very haunted. The traditional coaching inn is setback from the busy A30 in Bolventor, overlooking Brown Willy, the highest point on Bodmin Moor.

Due to its history of hosting smugglers the pub has been the subject of books, television shows and an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

The paranormal activity at the inn includes the disembodied sound of footsteps throughout the building, unexplained tapping, the sound of children playing and babies crying, and most famously the sound of horses and carts moving in the courtyard.

Room 5, which is said to be one of the most haunted rooms is said to be haunted by the ghost of a mother and child. The young girl is often referred to as Hannah. The ghost of a murdered man has been seen in the main bar and sat on a wall outside the inn.

Guests and staff have reported seeing dark shadowy figures moving through corridors, the restaurant and the kitchen and many visitors have reported being touched by unseen hands while sleeping or having their hair pulled.