Haunted hotels in Europe offer travellers a different kind of Halloween getaway, with historic buildings, reported ghost sightings and local legends that have become part of their appeal. From an old pub in England to a grand manor house in Sweden, these properties invite guests to spend the night in places where stories of unexplained encounters have survived for generations.
For some travellers, the idea of sharing a hotel with a ghost is enough to rule out a booking. For others, a reported sighting or a centuries-old tale adds an extra layer of intrigue to an overnight stay. With Halloween approaching, these five hotels in the UK, Ireland, Norway and Sweden offer a look at some of Europe’s best-known haunted accommodation stories.
In York, England, the Golden Fleece combines the atmosphere of a traditional pub with a reputation for paranormal activity. Located on Pavement, the historic establishment is among the city’s properties associated with ghost stories. York has long promoted its connections to haunted places, and the Golden Fleece is often singled out as one of its most haunted pubs.
According to York’s tourism board, the spirits reportedly associated with the property include Lady Alice Peckett, the wife of an early 18th-century owner, and a British airman who is said to have fallen from a window in 1944. Guests can book a room at the pub, making it possible to experience the building beyond its role as a drinking spot. The stories remain part of its reputation, although the reported paranormal encounters have not been scientifically established.
The Ancient Ram Inn in Gloucestershire offers a different setting for a night surrounded by ghost stories. Dating to the late medieval period, the building has accumulated a collection of supernatural claims over the centuries. Its owners have described it as one of the UK’s most haunted bed and breakfasts, with around 20 alleged spirits associated with the property.
Among the figures said to haunt the inn is a young girl known as Rosie. The property has also attracted attention from paranormal investigators, including one ghost hunter who claimed to have encountered a female entity described as a sex demon, according to a report by Metro. Such accounts have helped make the inn a destination for people interested in the paranormal, although they remain personal claims rather than verified evidence of supernatural activity.
For travellers who prefer a more luxurious setting, The Shelbourne, Autograph Collection, in Dublin, Ireland, offers a striking contrast between five-star hospitality and a long-running ghost story. The hotel is known for its place in Dublin’s history, but it is also associated with reports of a young spirit named Mary Masters.
According to accounts reported by the Irish Mirror, Mary was seven years old when she died of cholera in 1791. Her ghost is said to appear on the hotel’s sixth floor, with some staff reportedly claiming to encounter her two or three times a week. Actress Lily Collins has also said she saw the apparition while staying at the hotel during the filming of “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones”. These accounts have added to the hotel’s reputation among visitors drawn to haunted locations, even as the stories remain unverified.
In Norway, Hotel Union Øye offers a ghost story rooted in romance and tragedy. Set in a historic building, the hotel is associated with the tale of Linda, a servant girl said to have fallen in love with an officer connected to Emperor Wilhelm. According to the legend, the pair met secretly in a room now known as the Blue Room.
The relationship reportedly ended after the officer found himself unable to divorce his wife. The story says he took his own life, while Linda later walked into a lake and disappeared. Her spirit is now said to linger in the Blue Room, where guests have reportedly heard her weeping. Norway’s official tourism website includes the hotel among destinations associated with haunted stories, helping keep the legend alive for visitors interested in the country’s folklore.
Sweden’s Toftaholm Herrgård, a historic manor house turned hotel, is associated with another story of love ending in tragedy. The legend centres on Mats, a servant who fell in love with a count’s daughter. She was later married to the son of a nobleman, leaving Mats devastated. According to the story, he died by suicide in one of the manor’s guest rooms.
The hotel describes Mats as a gentle ghost. Staff say guests have reported seeing him appear behind women staying at the property, sometimes placing a hand on their shoulder. The account forms part of the manor’s history as presented by the hotel, giving the story a continuing place in its identity.
These five properties approach the idea of a haunted stay in different ways. Some are old inns whose reputations have grown through decades of paranormal claims, while others are established hotels where tragic love stories have become part of the visitor experience. None of the reported hauntings has been established as fact, but the stories remain central to the appeal of these places for travellers seeking something beyond a conventional Halloween break.
