Top 10 most haunted hotels in the world: from the place that inspired Stephen King and tragic love stories to the afterlife haunts of celebrities

What could an abandoned 1920s hotel on the edge of a cliff in Colombia and a boutique hotel in Los Angeles that is a favorite of many celebrities have in common? They and a host of other hotels are united by mystical ghost stories and accounts of eyewitnesses who have observed paranormal phenomena there. All of the most famous haunted hotels in the world have mysterious events in their past, the echoes of which still make your skin cover with goosebumps from fright.

While most hotel ghosts are said to be quite friendly or neutral, the ghosts of some hotels seem to scare the hell out of guests and make even the most ardent skeptics doubtful. If you're a fan of the supernatural or want to test your mettle, check out this top 10 of the most haunted hotels in the world.

1. The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado

Among the world-famous for its haunted encounters, The Stanley Hotel, located in the Rocky Mountains, is probably the most famous. It is also popular for the fact that it is the place that inspired Stephen King's novel The Shining.

In 1911, there was a gas leak in room 217, and after maid Elizabeth Wilson went inside with a lit candle, the explosion practically destroyed the entire west wing. Despite this, Elizabeth survived, but legend has it that her soul that day decided to stay in the hotel she had so diligently cared for.

But Elizabeth's ghost is only one of several. First and foremost are the spirits of Stanley's first owners, Flora and Freelan Oscar Stanley. Eyewitnesses said you can hear Flora playing the antique Steinway piano in the Music Room here, and Freelan likes to watch a game of billiards. In the room, however, you may find your belongings unexpectedly unpacked, taken care of by Elizabeth.

2. Hotel Chelsea, New York

Famous writers, poets, and bohemians have stayed at this historic hotel. Some of them decided to stay here even after their deaths, making it one of the most haunted hotels in the world.

In June 1952, the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas stayed here for the first time, and a year later, during a second visit, fell into a coma and soon died in the hospital next door. Afterward, guests claimed to have seen his ghost in the form of a disembodied head in room 206.

A horrific crime occurred at the hotel in October 1978 in room 100: a young woman, Nancy Spungen, was stabbed to death in what police blamed on her boyfriend, former Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. Vicious died the following February, and his ghost, according to eyewitnesses, has since been seen in the hotel, roaming the halls and in the elevator. Another local otherworldly "guest" is the ghost of Mary, whose husband died on the Titanic, sitting in front of the mirror.

3. The Langham, London

Many put this prominent retreat, established in 1865, at the top of the list of the most haunted hotels in the world. Most of the unexplained phenomena here are linked to room 333, but quite often some daredevils venture into this particular room to share their ghostly experiences.

For example, some have told of the ghost of a Victorian doctor who allegedly killed his wife on their honeymoon and then killed himself. Others claimed to have seen the ghost of a German prince who jumped out of the 4th floor, still wearing his military-style jacket. Other local spirits belong to a bootless butler, Emperor Napoleon III, and a footman in a powdered wig.

4. Russell Hotel, Sydney

This mysterious hotel is located in one of Sydney's most legendary historic neighborhoods, known as The Rocks. It is also famous as one of the best haunted hotels in the world.

Its most famous ghost belongs to a colonial-era sailor. Guests have claimed to have seen the ghost roaming the halls. He also likes to hide in some of the rooms and has been seen particularly often in room 8. He prefers to pay attention to women and more often shows himself to them. There are versions that on the site of the hotel in the 19th century there was a hospital for sailors, a quarantine center for bubonic plague, and even a brothel. This ghost sailor was killed in room 8 by a brothel worker, so he is particularly haunted by this room, appearing when women are alone in it.

5. Dragsholm Castle, Horve, Denmark

Among the hotels most likely to be haunted, this one boasts one of the oldest mystical stories.

In the 1500s, the area where Dragsholm Castle now stands was ruled by the Norwegians. They captured James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, and imprisoned him in Dragsholm Castle. The isolation caused the Earl to go mad and eventually died, tied to a post, and left for dead. To this day, his spirit cannot leave the castle grounds.

Eyewitnesses tell of seeing him riding on horseback in the night through the grounds of the estate, accompanied by the White Lady. This ghost is believed to belong to a young girl, Selina Bovles, who was imprisoned in the castle by her father because the girl became pregnant before marriage. It is said that a skeleton in a white dress, believed to be Selina's remains, was discovered in the castle walls by workers in the 1930s.

6. Nottingham Road Hotel, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Many of the world's popular haunted hotels are in one way or another connected to the tragic love stories that became the cause of paranormal occurrences in them.

One of them tells of a girl, Charlotte, who at the turn of the century often visited the walls of the Nottingham Road Hotel. According to various versions, the girl was a maid, a guest, or even a sex worker. In any case, she fell in love with a British soldier staying here on a passing visit. This love did not have a happy ending: the soldier according to one version died in battle, and according to another – did not respond to Charlotte's feelings. As a result, the girl threw herself off the balcony of room 10. Now her spirit still spends time in the hotel, rearranging flowers and mirrors and folding the clothes of guests.

There is also a version that the girl was thrown off the balcony. You can try to meet Ms. Notty, as the ghost is called, on your own and ask about her love story.

7. The Bell Hotel, Norfolk, UK

This modest hotel was built back in the 15th century, and now many paranormal researchers and enthusiasts call it one of the most haunted hotels in the world. It consists of 46 bedrooms, the main one being haunted by the ghost of a hooded monk.

On the first floor, guests have repeatedly seen the ghost of Elizabeth Radcliffe, a former landlady who was murdered in the hotel by her lover. She was most often seen in room 10. Other unexplained phenomena that have been spotted here include the feeling of being watched, the sounds of footsteps nearby, and the unexpected scent of perfume.

Grab a drink at the tavern and listen to the many mysterious stories associated with the hotel that the locals can share with you. This is a true dream destination for ghost hunters.

8. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Los Angeles

This gorgeous hotel in the City of Angels is so beloved by some of its guests that they refuse to leave it in the afterlife.

The Hollywood Roosevelt is one of the most famous haunted hotels in the world, particularly because many of its ghosts are celebrities themselves. For example, Marilyn Monroe often stayed here for extended stays. What she loved most was the "Suite 1200" with its full-length mirror. Hotel guests can now gaze into this mirror to try to see the world's superstar, whose reflection appears in it again and again.

Other notables such as Errol Flynn, Carole Lombard, and Montgomery Cliff have made Hollywood Roosevelt their eternal residence. They remind the living of their presence by knocking on doors or amusing themselves with the telephone. Local ghosts can also be seen dancing in the Blossom Ballroom, by the pool, in the hallways, or in Clift's room 928.

9. Hotel del Salto, San Antonio del Tequendama, Colombia

This place resembles more of a museum than a hotel and was once a favorite luxury getaway among Colombia's elite. The hotel balances on the edge of a cliff and offers an unobstructed view of the beautiful Tequendama Falls, which are over 400 feet high. It was abandoned in the 1990s and soon gained a different reputation – one of the most haunted hotels in the world.

The reason for this was not only due to the imposing and mysterious appearance of the building but mostly due to countless suicide stories. A huge number of people at different times have committed suicide by jumping off these cliffs. The most famous of these cases involve the indigenous Muisca people. In an attempt to escape the conquistadors, people threw themselves into the waterfall, believing that it would turn their souls into free eagles and thus help them escape a life of slavery. According to stories, hotel guests heard disembodied voices that spoke in the indigenous Chibcha language.

10. Ross Castle, Killarney, Ireland

This 16th-century castle is known for the ever-present ghost of a young girl named Sabina, the daughter of an English lord nicknamed the Black Baron, and the tragic story of her love, which turned the castle into one of the most haunted hotels in the world.

She fell in love with a young man named Orvin, who was the son of her father's enemy. Realizing that her parents would not approve of their liaison, the unhappy lovers decided to escape across a nearby lake. But a storm capsized their vessel and Orvin perished. Mad with grief after the loss of her beloved, Sabine locked herself in the walls of Ross Castle and refused food and water. Soon the girl passed away, and now her spirit roams the castle along with the ghost of her father, devastated by the death of his daughter.

The castle has become a bed and breakfast, and its guests report strange rumblings at night and recount their encounters with Sabine and the Black Baron, who move about the grounds and appear in photographs.