Wish you were fear

Is searching out the supernatural, or listening for strange noises in the night your idea of a good holiday? Then check out Tina Nielsen's guide to spooky castles and haunted hotels, where ghosts are free of charge

A sudden icy chill down your spine, doors that lock and unlock by themselves, the sound of laughing children on stairways in the middle of the night. These may be classic features of a good ghost story but, for an increasing number of us, they are also the sort of thing we're looking for on holiday.

How to get a fright on vacation—beyond the shock of seeing yourself in the mirror in swimming trunks—is something that Peter Taylor from holiday firm Haunting Breaks specialises in. From hair-raising hocus pocus in Transylvania to ghost-hunting breaks at haunted castles and mansions across the UK, Taylor believes more people are now interested in this kind of excursion, partly due to the rise of TV shows such as Most Haunted.

"We see two kinds of guests. One is the serious ghost hunter, the other just an experience seeker who wants to try something new and exciting," says Taylor. Haunting Breaks can offer experiences including paranormal activities such as table tipping and glass divination as well as tours with one of their mediums. "There is a real buzz when things start happening," he adds.

The history of a place is often enough to get visitors spooked regardless of whether they believe in the paranormal or not and, for many, the thought of something scary is more appealing than the real thing. After Hours has picked 10 of the best scary stays—not all of which will give you sleepless nights.

Dracula's Castle, Transylvania Romania
Transylvania, a small district in Romania, is synonymous with horror thanks to its famous resident vampire, and brings to mind visions of horse-drawn coaches rambling through dark forests to gothic castles. The 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker launched the myth of blood-lusting count, loosely based on the life of Vlad the Impaler, the prince of Vlad who had a habit of killing his victims using wooden stakes. Stoker's Dracula lived in a remote castle in the Borgo Pass and has long since become the national hero of Romania.

There is plenty to get your teeth into in the region. Top of your list should be a visit to Bran Castle—the medieval fortress, often referred to as Dracula's—which comes complete with claustrophobic corridors and secret chambers; unleashing images of vampires hiding around every corner. While a Dracula-themed amusement park never materialised due to environmental protests, it is possible to visit Vlad's birthplace in Sighisoara. Dracula House, where he was born in 1431, is now a restaurant, bar and a small museum of medieval weapons. You can also visit Vlad's reputed burial place at Snagov Monastery on a small islet on Snagov Lake to see where he ended his days.
Last, stay at Hotel Castel Dracula, built on the Borgo Pass where Bram Stoker set the vampire's fictional castle. The hotel also arranges Halloween events every year, featuring a masked ball and dinner.
www.castel.dracula.hotel.tourneo.ro

The Stanley Hotel, Colorado US
Dating back to 1909, the Stanley Hotel in Colorado was the inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King's horror novel, The Shining. King stayed at the hotel in 1973 while writing part of the novel and the 1997 television miniseries version of the book was filmed at the Stanley Hotel.

As if this spooky history wasn't enough by itself, the hotel is also said to be haunted by several ghosts, most notably the founders of the hotel, FO Stanley and his wife Flora. While FO Stanley is mostly seen spending time in the lobby and the billiard room, his wife allegedly continues to entertain guests, playing the piano in the ballroom. Staff and guests have reported hearing music coming from the room and, on closer inspection, have seen the keys on the piano moving.

Room 418 is particularly popular with ghosts, and cleaners have more than once reported seeing impressions on the bed when the room was vacant. Those staying in the room have complained about children making a noise outside when no children were staying at the hotel.

King fans should check into room 217 where he stayed. It features a fully-stocked bookcase of his books and DVDs. The 135-room Georgian hotel is set in the shadow of the Rockies and many rooms boast stunning views. The hotel offers a highly-rated ghost tour and also arranges murder mystery dinners for groups.
www.stanleyhotel.com

Halloween in Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallee/Chessy France
Disneyland Paris is again hosting a Fantastitch Halloween extravaganza for children of all ages. From early October to early November Frontierland, one of five fantasy lands at Disneyland Resort Paris, will be transformed into Halloweenland. The Disney Village will be decked out in full Halloween gear including garish decorations with giant spooks roaming the streets, Pumpkin Men painting the park orange, and Pink Witches adding a splash of pink. Famous Disney characters that will attempt to leave the crowds spooked include Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook and Jafar. And Stitch, the blue rascal, will be running wild in the park trick-or-treating. Face painting and hair experts will be on hand to ensure that all kids are suitably styled.
www.disneylandparis.com

Ruthin Castle, Denbighshire North Wales
A bloody history provides ghosts galore at this historic castle near the Welsh market town of Ruthin. When the wife of a powerful resident murdered his lover with an axe in a jealous rage during the reign of Edward I, she was sentenced to death and buried outside the castle walls. Today her ghost, known as the Grey Lady, is said to wander the battlements and the chapel. Other ghosts include a soldier and the spirit of a girl. Visitors have reported strange noises, footprints and temperature changes. Those with a real interest in ghosts can go on a Haunting Break stay which includes crystal protection, dowsing techniques, group vigils and séances with psychics, a tour of all active locations, a three-course dinner and breakfast before departure.
www.ruthincastle.co.uk
www.hauntingbreaks.com

Europe's most haunted city, Edinburgh Scotland
With a gruesome history of murder, torture, hangings and plague, Edinburgh is perfect for a bit of ghost hunting. Once described as the "most haunted city in Europe", it even hosts an annual Ghost Fest. The four-star Royal Terrace Hotel near the city centre is at the top of the hanuted hotels list. Sightings have included a nurse in 19th century uniform, a child from the 1800s and a gentleman enjoying a drink at the bar. Guests have reported cupboards opening on their own, strange noises, unexplained movements and apparitions in photographs.

The dark and damp South Bridge Vaults—consisting of a number of underground rooms originally used as storage and workshop spaces and then, in the late 18th century, taken over by slum dwellers—went on to become the scene of many unsavoury events, including robberies and murders. Today ghost busters and fans of the paranormal visit to meet the vaults' spirits, including Jack, a mischievous six-year-old boy who allegedly throws stones at people, pulls their sleeves and hit their legs. Others are not so friendly and visitors have reportedly been made to faint or been grabbed around the head, kicked and scratched.

Other ghostly locations include Edinburgh Castle, which is haunted by at least seven spirits, and the Real Mary King's Close, a warren of closes beneath the Royal Mile. A character guide takes visitors round the four closes which has houses dating back to the 1600s. Mercat runs a variety of tours featuring gruesome storytelling. They include the Ghost Hunter Trail, the Ghosts and Ghouls Tour plus a number of vault vigils held every year.
www.primahotels.co.uk/royal-terrace.html
www.mercattours.com
www.realmarykingsclose.com

The Feathers Hotel, Ludlow Shropshire
Women who stay with their partners at the Feathers Hotel in Ludlow should try to avoid room 211—or prepare to be harassed by a jealous female spirit. One unfortunate couple reportedly woke up in the night to find that the woman had had her hair pulled so hard that she was dragged from the bed. Her partner meanwhile had felt a hand gently stroking his face. The stunning timber-framed Feathers Hotel, which was built in 1619, has other spooky residents. One of them, a man dressed in Victorian attire, has been seen wandering with a dog from room 232 to room 233. Outside the hotel a scantily clad girl who only appears to men, has been seen on numerous occasions walking through cars outside the hotel. The Feathers has a rich history—it served as an inn from 1670 and was used as a venue for cock fighting and prize fighting. Haunting Breaks also does a paranormal themed weekend here.
www.feathersatludlow.co.uk
www.hauntingbreaks.com

The Jamaica Inn, Bodmin Moor Cornwall
Hailing from 1750, the Jamaica Inn was immortalised in Daphne de Maurier's novel of the same name where Bodmin Moor, with its granite skies and howling wind, was the perfect setting for her story of murder and madness. The coaching inn, sitting on the moor's edge, has a rich history of smugglers, who used it to hide contraband, and is allegedly inhabited by ghosts. Visitors have been woken up by the clattering of horses' hooves, metal rims turning on the cobbled courtyard and footsteps pacing the corridors at night.

Others have seen a strange looking man wearing a tricorn hat and cloak walking through doors. The sound of a man tramping to the bar is understood to be the spirit of a stranger murdered in the middle of drinking his tankard of ale—presumably he is returning to finish his drink. Spirit activity is regularly reported in rooms four and five. Those with a more serious interest in the paranormal can join the Haunted Hotel Guide on a weekend visit, complete with vigils, séances and a tour with a medium.
www.jamaicainn.co.uk
www.hauntedhotelguide.com

Chillingham Castle, Alnwick Northumberland
Share a genuine medieval castle with a handful of ghosts. The appropriately named Chillingham Castle, dating back to the 1200s, is allegedly the most haunted castle in Britain. It offers self-catering apartments sleeping up to six people. One of the troubled spirits that haunts Chillingham is that of Lady Grey, looking for her errant husband who ran away with her own sister. He left her on her own to live at the castle with only her baby daughter for company and, today, the rustle of her dress is still heard as she anxiously paces the corridors and stairs. Some have claimed seeing her ghost escape her portrait to go looking for her husband. Other guests have reported chills and impressions indicating a presence in the room, or hearing voices in the library when there is nobody there. People staying in the old dairy, which was an infirmary during wartime, have seen and heard child ghosts.

The castle has a torture chamber, complete with gruesome instruments, and a dungeon with a trap door through which it is claimed you can see the bones of a child in the vault below. While the rest of the castle boasts original antique furniture and fixtures, the holiday apartments are modern and allow free access to the impressive gardens and surroundings. Guests can also take part in the popular evening ghost walks around the castle.
www.chillingham-castle.com

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood California
Stay at the luxurious Hollywood Roosevelt where room 928 is supposedly haunted by the ghost of Montgomery Clift. Visitors have also seen the ghost of Marylin Monroe in a mirror that was originally in her poolside suite 1200 but is now located by the lift on the lower level. While in the city of stars, why not mingle with the spirits of the red carpet? Those in search of supernatural celebrity sightings can venture into Hollywood at night to find the places where the famous dead pass their time. Groucho Marx is said to make nightly visits to the Laugh Factory comedy club, while Harry Houdini roams his former house in Hollywood Hills. Those who don't fancy exploring on their own can join the Dearly Departed for the Tragical History Tour. Almost 100 sites are crammed into the three-hour tour going through decades of deaths and murders in addition to a selection of scandal spots, including the site of the Manson murders, the Menendez murders, the last home of Mae West and the site where Frank Sinatra died.
www.hollywoodroosevelt.com
www.deadlydepartedtours.com

Ballygally Castle Hotel, Co Antrim Northern Ireland
Dating back to 1625, Ballygally Castle is the only 17th century building in Northern Ireland still in use as a residence. And it has a friendly resident ghost in Lady Isobella Shaw who, along with her husband, built the castle. Legend has it that her husband wanted a son and when she delivered a daughter, he snatched the baby and locked Lady Isobella in a room at the top of the castle. There are two theories about how she died. One says she fell to her death trying to escape, the other claims she was thrown from the window by Lord Shaw or one of his henchmen. Either way, today she walks the corridors of the castle and knocks on doors. Many guests have reported feeling a presence, hearing unexplained noises and seeing a green mist over the castle.

Ballygally Castle, which features high walls, a steep roof and dormer windows was extended and renovated in the 1950s. Today it offers luxury accommodation in a picturesque location along the coastline of County Antrim and only 20 miles from Belfast.
www.hastingshotels.com