Looking for spooky places to stay in the UK? From genuinely haunted hotels and eerie inns to gothic escapes and magical stays, this guide rounds up some of the UK’s best spooky stays, featuring a mix of first-hand recommendations and researched bucket-list finds.
As a morbid tourist, I’m very proud to have ticked off a good few spooky and haunted hotels over the years. Give me an old, creaky and characterful inn over a luxurious, expensive stay any day. Some of my favourite places have been the cheapest rooms above traditional pubs, complete with questionable creaking floorboards at night. Why? Because they make for the best memories (and mean I can spend more money elsewhere on things like ghost tours and spooky attractions!).
That said, there are still plenty left on my bucket list. So I thought I’d share my favourite spooky hotels in the UK, from the ones I’ve already visited that gave me one too many scares to the eerie stays I’m still dreaming of booking.
This guide includes a mix of first-hand recommendations and carefully researched bucket-list stays, whether you’re a fellow dark tourist, a ghost hunter or simply someone who loves a hotel with a story to tell.
My only rule? Never, ever stay in a haunted hotel room alone…
Key: 👻 Haunted | 🕯️ Magical | 🐦⬛ Gothic
Best Spooky Hotels in the UK I’ve Stayed In
I’ve been lucky enough to stay at a handful of wonderfully spooky hotels over the years. Here are the ones I’d happily recommend to anyone looking for an unusual UK getaway.
White Hart Hotel, Coggeshall, Essex
👻 Haunted
The White Hart Hotel is easily one of the most memorable stays I’ve had. This 15th-century coaching inn sits in the historic village of Coggeshall, near Colchester – an area deeply tied to the Essex witch trials. With its crooked corridors, creaky floorboards and exposed oak beams, it feels exactly like the kind of place you’d expect to be haunted.
That feeling only grew stronger when I checked in and realised our room was just off what staff referred to as the ‘haunted corridor’ – said to be one of the most active spots in the building.
That night, I barely slept. At around 3am, I woke suddenly, convinced a ghost had sat on the end of my bed – only to realise (after a lot of panicked screaming) that my partner had simply brushed past it on his way to the bathroom… or at least, that’s what we think happened. To this day, I’m still not entirely convinced.
Despite the slightly unsettling experience, this is genuinely a lovely place to stay. It’s cosy, full of character, and perfect if you’re looking for one of the UK’s lesser-known haunted hotels you can stay in.
Best for: those looking for a cosy, historic stay with a slightly spooky edge.
Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel, York
👻🕯️ Haunted & Magical
Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel is probably one of the most unique magical hotels in the UK – and easily one of the most unusual places to stay in York. Sitting within a historic Grade II-listed medieval building, this curious boutique offers five mystical-themed rooms to choose from.
From apothecary bottles tucked into the walls to hidden nooks filled with the cosiest beds, Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel is packed with magical details. Some rooms even include tools to cast your own spells.
I stayed in the wonderfully themed Apothecary room last summer, but other rooms take inspiration from everything from a medieval castle to an antique library. It was a genuinely lovely stay – I couldn’t quite believe my surroundings – but I did lose a bit of sleep after finding out the building is haunted. But hauntings aside, Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel offers a truly whimsical stay.
It’s tucked away just off the Shambles too, making it the perfect place to rest your head after a day of magical adventures in York.
Best for: those looking for a magical escape in one of the UK’s most haunted cities.
Read my review of Hocus Pocus Tiny Hotel, York | Check availability here
The Jamaica Inn, Cornwall
👻 Haunted
I’ve visited the Jamaica Inn time and time again, and it keeps drawing me back. It’s exactly the kind of place that comes to mind when I think of the best haunted hotels in the UK, and as one of my favourite places in Cornwall, there’s just something so iconic about it. It’s surprisingly affordable for what it is, yet I still feel genuinely lucky every time I book a stay here.
Perched on the windswept Bodmin Moor, Jamaica Inn is steeped in smuggling history and intrigue. Dating back to around 1750, this historic coaching inn now features hotel rooms, two restaurants, a bar, a smugglers’ museum, a farm shop and even a gift shop filled with pirate and spooky-themed finds.
It’s incredibly atmospheric – and extremely haunted. On our most recent stay, we slept in Room 5 – a room believed to be so active that guests leave gifts for a little girl called Hannah, along with notes about any unexplained experiences.
Best for: those looking for an atmospheric stay filled with history, character and a touch of the paranormal.
Read my full guide to The Jamaica Inn, Cornwall | Check availability here
Spooky Hotels in the UK on My Bucket List
As every morbid tourist knows, the bucket list never really gets any shorter. These are the spooky stays I’m hoping to check into next.
My bucket list is pretty selective, so I don’t add places lightly. Every stay below has been recommended to me, thoroughly researched or has such a fascinating history that I can’t wait to experience it for myself.
The Skirrid Mountain Inn, Wales
👻 Haunted
I’ve been lucky enough to visit the Skirrid Mountain Inn already – on a dark tourism-meets-astrotourism break in Wales – but I haven’t yet had the pleasure of staying. As both the oldest and one of the most famous haunted hotels in Wales, the Skirrid Inn is steeped in history. It has served as both an alehouse and a courthouse during its time – the latter of which resulted in up to 180 people being hanged on site. You can even see the original hanging beam today.
The best-known spirits said to haunt the inn are ‘Hanging Judge’ George Jeffreys and former landlady Fanny Price, but it’s also home to a range of unexplained phenomena, including glasses flying and the sensation of being choked – particularly around the staircase and hanging beam.
Dining here genuinely feels like stepping back in time into an old medieval hall, with huge roaring fireplaces and banners lining the walls. The food is hearty and delicious, too. There are three rooms on site – one of which is the former courtroom – each said to be rife with paranormal activity (particularly Room 3).
Best for: those looking for a classic haunted hotel experience.
Read my full guide to The Skirrid Mountain Inn | Learn more on the official website
Image Credit: The Witchery
The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh
🕯️🐦⬛ Gothic, Whimsical & Magical
The Witchery by the Castle has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember – as has Edinburgh! Often considered one of the most beautiful Gothic hotels in the UK, The Witchery is as romantic as it is opulent – with a fabulous Gothic twist. Expect plush fabrics, antique furniture and rich tones alongside your ambient stay in the heart of one of the UK’s great dark academia cities.
The hotel is historic too, hidden in a collection of buildings dating back to 1595, and takes its name from the women and men accused of being witches burned at the stake here in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. You’ll find it at the top of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile – a perfect home base for exploring Edinburgh,
If you can’t stay overnight, don’t miss out on dining here regardless. Choose from the original dining room oozing with opulent baroque décor and flickering candlelight or the lighter, whimsical secret garden that almost transports you to a bygone era.
Best for: those who love dark academia stays.
Image Credit: The Golden Fleece
The Golden Fleece, York
👻 Haunted
As one of York’s most haunted pubs – in what’s probably the most haunted city in Europe – the Golden Fleece is likely on most people’s bucket lists. I remember this pub being my first stop on my very first trip to York many years ago when I was a uni student. It’s so famous for its hauntings that it even lists its five most-spotted ghosts right outside: Lady Alice Peckett, Geoff Monroe, One Eyed Jack, Grumpy Old Man, and a small child.
Inside, it’s a fun place to have a pint or grab a bite to eat, with a skull, death masks, and other morbid curiosities on display. Though some parts of the pub are a little dated, the rooms are actually much more modern and boutique – and rife with their own paranormal activity.
I can only imagine how iconic it would be to spend the night somewhere that genuinely has a claim to being one of the most haunted pubs in the UK – perhaps even the world. It’s easy to see why it’s also considered one of the best haunted hotels in York. It’s more or less right across the road from the Shambles (another York spot that’s incredibly historic, atmospheric and spooky after dark)… and right next door to a Greggs (perfect for a bacon buttie in the morning).
Best for: those who don’t mind a seriously spooky night (in the city of 1,000 ghosts…)
The Dracula Rooms, Whitby
🕯️🐦⬛ Gothic
Of course, I had to include a gothic stay in Whitby on this bucket list! If you’re heading to Whitby to get your Dracula fix, a stay at The Dracula Rooms is a must.
This wonderfully gothic self-catering cottage is just a stone’s throw from the seafront and even offers views of Whitby Abbey, making it the perfect base for exploring the town’s vampire connections.
Inside, it’s both cosy and gothic, with dark furnishings and plenty of atmospheric touches, while vampire-themed décor is tastefully woven throughout. It’s themed enough to feel immersive without sacrificing comfort, making it ideal for anyone who loves gothic literature, horror or all things Dracula.
After a day wandering Whitby’s cobbled streets, climbing the 199 Steps or visiting the abbey that inspired Bram Stoker, there’s no better place to continue the gothic atmosphere than back at The Dracula Rooms.
Best for: Dracula fans looking for the ultimate Whitby getaway.
The Mermaid Inn, Rye
👻 Haunted
Set in the picturesque medieval town of Rye, the Mermaid Inn has a rich history of smugglers and ghosts. Established in the 12th century, the inn has a strong connection to the notorious Hawkhurst Gang of smugglers, who once used it as one of their strongholds – and are said to haunt the premises today. There are also secret tunnels beneath the inn, one of which ran to another historic inn in Rye. It’s easy to see why it’s regularly mentioned among the UK’s best haunted hotels you can stay in.
There are 31 unique rooms to choose from, each one named after a person from the history of the inn and Rye. The grand rooms feature historic details such as Tudor architecture, Caen stone fireplaces and even secret stairways. Room 16 is said to be the most haunted, though many of the rooms have a ghost story attached – as does the rest of the building, including the restaurant and bar.
The hotel overlooks the historic – and very beautiful – cobbled Mermaid Street, lined with timber-framed houses and offering one of the most iconic views in Rye.
Best for: those seeking a stay full of character and history.
Georgian House Hotel, London
🕯️🐦⬛ Magical & Gothic
If you’ve ever dreamed of spending the night at Hogwarts, the Wizard Chambers at Georgian House Hotel are about as close as you’ll get.
Hidden beneath this elegant Victorian townhouse, the spellbinding rooms are filled with stone walls, stained glass windows, four-poster beds, trunks, cauldrons and flickering candlelight, creating the perfect magical escape in the heart of London.
The magic doesn’t stop at the rooms either, with the hotel also offering experiences such as Wizard Afternoon Tea and Wizard Potion Making.
Whether you’re visiting the Harry Potter filming locations around the capital or simply looking for a wonderfully unusual place to stay, the Wizard Chambers offer an immersive experience that’s equal parts cosy, whimsical and gothic.
Best for: witches, wizards and anyone still waiting for their Hogwarts letter.
Elvey Farm, Pluckley, Kent
👻 Haunted
The most haunted place to stay in the most haunted village in Britain – once appearing in the Guinness Book of Records with 12 different ghosts reported – what better way to get your spook on? Elvey Farm is a medieval farmstead dating back to the 15th century, now offering five charming B&B suites on the historic grounds.
The farm is closely linked to the ghost of Edward Brett, a former farmer who took his own life in the farmhouse in 1900 during a period of temporary insanity. His story remains one of Pluckley’s best-known hauntings, with reports over the years of unexplained whispers, the smell of burning hay and other strange disturbances around the property.
Today, Elvey Farm offers five beautiful B&B suites, making it the perfect base for exploring Pluckley and its many ghost stories. Keep an eye out for local legends such as the Screaming Man, the Highwayman and the Walker if you decide to venture into Britain’s most haunted village.
Best for: those curious about the UK’s most haunted village.
💻 Learn more on the official website
My Haunted Hotel, Chester
👻 Haunted
My Haunted Hotel might just be the most haunted hotel on this list… as well as one of the most unique. In fact, it’s not your typical hotel. Overnight stays are exclusively available as part of its paranormal investigation events, making the experience unlike anywhere else in the UK.
Based within the historic 400-year-old Ye Olde Kings Head, guests have the chance to investigate the entire building, with CCTV capturing and broadcasting every moment. If you’ve ever wanted to star in your own ghost-hunting show, this is about as close as you’ll get. The team are on hand throughout the night to offer guidance, share their knowledge and provide all the ghost-hunting equipment you’ll need.
Once the evening winds down, guests can retreat to one of six terrifyingly themed bedrooms, if they’re brave enough, where they can continue investigating or simply get some sleep. At this point, they can also request for the cameras to be switched off for privacy.
The building has a reputation for paranormal activity, much of which is shared on their YouTube channel and Patreon. And if you’re not quite brave enough to spend the night, the ground floor is home to a traditional pub and restaurant that’s open to the public.
Best for: ghost hunters looking for a truly immersive paranormal experience.
💻 Learn more on the official website
Talliston House & Gardens, Essex
🕯️🐦⬛ Gothic, Whimsical & Magical
Talliston House is probably one of the most whimsical – and gothic – places I’ve ever come across. It’s not really just a house, nor quite an art installation or museum. Instead, it’s something entirely its own – a carefully curated world of themed rooms, hidden details and thousands of curious artefacts, all tucked inside what looks, from the outside, like a completely ordinary ex-council house.
Step inside, and you’ll find everything from a Venetian palazzo to intricately themed rooms inspired by different times and places, each one designed down to the smallest detail. It’s strange, immersive, and completely unlike anywhere else in the UK.
And it’s not just about wandering the rooms either, with everything from house and garden tours to candlelight suppers and whimsical parties hosted throughout the year.
And because this is very much the kind of place that feels like it should be haunted, it’s worth mentioning that the ‘Haunted Room’ isn’t actually haunted (at least not anymore…).
Best for: those looking for a stay that feels completely unlike anywhere else.
💻 Learn more on the official website
Tips for Booking a Spooky Stay in the UK
Before you book your spooky escape, here are a few things worth keeping in mind to help you choose the right stay:
👻 Not every haunted stay is the same
Some hotels on this list have centuries of ghost stories and reported paranormal activity, while others have earned their place through gothic architecture, eerie history or wonderfully spooky interiors. If you’re specifically hoping for a paranormal experience, it’s worth reading up on the property’s history beforehand rather than relying on the décor alone.
🎃 Visit in autumn for the ultimate atmosphere
While these stays are worth visiting all year round, there’s something special about booking a spooky getaway in autumn. Crisp evenings, misty mornings and Halloween events add to the atmosphere, especially in destinations like London and York. Even without a special event, there’s no better time to embrace the UK’s haunted history. But Christmas can be just as enchanting, with twinkling lights, flickering candles and centuries-old buildings creating the perfect setting for a ghost story.
🛏️ Check what kind of stay you’re booking
Not every property on this list operates like a traditional hotel. Some are self-catering cottages, others are B&Bs, and places like My Haunted Hotel only offer overnight stays as part of organised paranormal investigation events. It’s always worth checking exactly what’s included before you book.
👀 Be careful what you wish for…
If you’re staying somewhere with a haunted reputation, remember that a creaky floorboard or an unexplained noise doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve encountered a ghost. Historic buildings are full of quirks, and sometimes an overactive imagination can be just as convincing! That said… if you’re anything like me, you might still find yourself sleeping with the lights on.
Final Thoughts From a Morbid Tourist
From medieval coaching inns and centuries-old pubs to castles, Victorian townhouses and smugglers’ hideaways, the UK is packed with historic buildings that have been transformed into unforgettable places to stay. Many come with ghost stories attached, while others simply ooze gothic atmosphere, making Britain one of the best places in the world for a spooky getaway.
Whether you’re hoping to encounter a ghost, immerse yourself in gothic surroundings or simply stay somewhere a little different, the UK has no shortage of wonderfully spooky places to spend the night. And who knows…you might even come home with a ghost story of your own.
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