It may be Halloween, but these haunted hotels are said to bring the fear factor all year round. Whether you’re a seasoned ghost-hunter or a curious skeptic, Europe offers some truly spine-chilling locations that promise an encounter with the supernatural - if you dare.
Picture yourself at the Mermaid Inn in Sussex, where spectral figures roam the halls, or at the towering Château de Brissac in France, home to a heartbroken maiden who haunts its rooms.
These legendary sites, steeped in eerie tales and unexplainable phenomena, are magnets for paranormal activity and are certain to leave even the bravest visitors questioning what they believe.
Rebecca Swain, mattress expert at WinstonsBeds.com said: "Real thrill seekers and paranormal fanatics will be excited by the thought of spending a night in some of Europe's most haunted locations.
"But only the brave would take it one step further and stay in the very rooms where paranormal activity is said to occur.
"Those looking for a real fright can stay at these locations, some of which are so haunted they have converted non-believers after their stay."
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© The Mermaid InnThe Mermaid Inn, England
Location: Sussex
The Mermaid Inn is believed to be one of the most haunted places in the country. Guests have reported feeling an eerie presence in their rooms, while Room 17 is known to turn extremely cold for no apparent reason.
The hotel has also had several reports of sightings of a 'Lady in White' who sits in a chair next to the fireplace in Room One.
Guests who leave their clothes on the chair overnight have reported complaints of their garments being completely soaked when they wake up in the morning.
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© David WallDragsholm Slot, Denmark
Location: Zealand
This historic castle in Zealand was formerly a prison and has attracted a number of mediums and paranormal investigators over the years. There have been several sightings of apparitions in the building, but the most frequent is said to be the ghost of Celina Bovles, also known as 'The White Lady'.
Celina was betrothed to marry the son of a nobleman, but fell pregnant outside of wedlock with another man - said to be her true love - before she could marry.
When her father found out he chained her to a wall in the basement of Dragsholm where a wall was built around her and she was left to die. Guests report seeing and hearing the White Lady crying for her partner in the night.
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© David WallHotel Bilan, Sweden
Location: Karlstad
Another former prison, Hotel Bilan was first built in the 1800s with some of its remaining cells in the cellar now turned into a museum.
The hotel's receptionist has reported feeling an invisible obstruction one night after trying to lock up the museum. Guests have also claimed to feel strange rumblings in other parts of the hotel.
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© William Attard McCarthy - McCartTulloch Castle, Scotland
Location: Dingwall
Tulloch Castle is believed to have many ghosts but the most popular one is the Green Lady, believed to be Elizabeth Davidson. After catching her father with the castle's maid, Elizabeth ran back to her room, (room 15) tripped down the stairs and broke her neck.
The Green Lady has been captured on film in the past and paranormal teams who have inspected the castle have reported balls of light, cold spots and constant noise and bangs with no explanation.
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© MARTIN BERTRANDChâteau de Brissac, France
Location: Brissac Loire Aubance
Unlike many other haunted sites across Europe, the Château de Brissac is said to host a single, spectral resident. Charlotte de Brézé, the illegitimate daughter of King Charles VII, met a tragic end one fateful night when her husband, Jacques, discovered her in the arms of her lover.
In a fit of rage, he killed them both, leaving their spirits bound to the chateau.
Today, Charlotte’s ghost is often seen lingering in the tower room of the chapel - her favorite haunt - where visitors report hearing faint whispers, feeling cold drafts, and sometimes even glimpsing her shadowy figure drifting through the halls.
