1. Bourbon Orleans Hotel

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

A headless girl, a shadow dancer, nuns and a soldier: several ghosts are said to walk the 200-plus-year-old halls of the four-star French Quarter hotel. © Shutterstock

The Bourbon Orleans Hotel was founded in 1806 as the Orleans Theatre & Ballroom, and some 80 years later became the first African-American order in the United States. It wasn't until 1964 that the building was converted into a luxury hotel. Guests of the renowned establishment report countless sightings: A Confederate soldier (on the 3rd and 6th floors) as well as a headless girl, children and nuns are said to haunt the premises. And a ghost dancer allegedly does her rounds in the ballroom. 

Bourbon Orleans Hotel
717 Orleans St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116, United States
Tel.: +1 855-771-5214
Web: bourbonorleans.com
Price: doubles from $190

More about New Orleans: 4 Party Hotspots for Mardi Gras

2. The Ahwahnee Hotel

Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Whether the Ahwahnee is really haunted remains to be seen – but guests and movie fans will still get shivers down their spine here: the interior of the hotel was the model for Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. © Shutterstock

Nestled in the lonely wilderness of Yosemite National Park, overlooking the Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, lies The Ahnwahnee Hotel. Opened in 1927 for well-to-do guests, the four-star property is now known for fine dining – and paranormal goings-on. Allegedly, owner Curry Tressider, who died in 1970, still watches over her hotel – and even cleans guests' rooms on the 6th floor. The 3rd floor is also said to be haunted: according to eyewitnesses, John F. Kennedy's rocking chair would suddenly appear and move on its own.

The Ahwahnee Hotel
Yosemite National Park, 1 Ahwahnee Drive, Yosemite Valley, California 95389, United States.
Tel.: +1 888-413-8869
Web: travelyosemite.com/lodging/the-ahwahnee/
Price: doubles from $220

3. hotel Sorrento

Seattle, Washington, USA

A ghost with style: the friendly house ghost of Alice Toklas is still said to make an appearance from time to time around her former favorite room, number 408. © Hotel Sorrento

Four stars and a spirit: The Hotel Sorrento in Seattle is one of the city's finest addresses, and has been since 1909. The charm of the last hundred years has been preserved and supplemented with modern elements. The stylish rooms alone make a stay here worthwhile. In addition, there is an extravagant house ghost: Alice B. Toklas. The American author, who consorted with the great names of her time such as Picasso and Hemingway, was literary legend Gertrude Stein's companion. Her ghost is said to keep appearing around Room 408 and in the halls. The Sorrento even has its own drinks, dishes, and events in her honor.

Hotel Sorrento
900 Madison St, Seattle, Washington 98104, United States
Tel.: +1 206-622-6400
Web: hotelsorrento.com
Price: doubles from $160

4. Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

The Victorian four-star hotel, now part of the Marriott chain, is home to the ghost of Jane Stanford. © Shutterstock

The "First Lady of Waikiki" has been welcoming guests with Victorian ambience and modern comfort since 1901. The Moana Surfrider is located directly on the famous Waikiki beach in Honolulu and is now part of the Marriott Hotels. Along with the stylish interior, however, something from the past remains: ghosts. At least if staff members and some guests are to be believed. They claim to have seen one of Stanford University's founders, Jane Stanford, on her nightly walks through the hotel.

Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach
2365 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815, United States
Tel.: +1 808-922-3111
Web: marriott.com
Price: doubles from $190

5. The Langham Hotel

London, England, United Kingdom

Eerily luxurious: the Langham Hotel is London's most famous haunted hotel. © Shutterstock

It's probably the most famous haunted hotel in London: the five-star city hotel The Langham opened in 1865 and comprises 500 rooms and suites. Every single one of them is said to be haunted. Particularly room 333, where repeated sightings of a man in Victorian dress have been reported in October. He's joined by – as legend has it – a man in military garb, a German prince and a ghostly butler, who are all said to wander the halls of the Langham. Guests, including the English cricket team, have also reported unbearable heat as well as water taps or light switches that have taken on a life of their own.

The Langham Hotel
1C Portland Pl, London W1B 1JA, United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 20 7636 1000
Web: langhamhotels.com
Price: doubles from £560

6. the stanley hotel

Estes Park, Colorado, USA

Moving furniture and a suddenly appearing cowboy: the room with the biggest creep factor at The Stanley Hotel is probably 428. © Shutterstock

To some, the Stanley Hotel will look eerily familiar: the 140-room neo-colonial hotel in the Rocky Mountains, which opened in 1909, inspired Stephen King to write his horror novel The Shining. He and his wife stayed – as the hotel's only guests – in room 217, which is said to be haunted by a former housekeeper. Others have reported eerie incidents in the concert hall or the attic, where some claim to have heard the sound of children laughing.

The Stanley Hotel
333 E Wonderview Ave, Estes Park, Colorado 80517, United States
Tel.: +1 970 577-4000
Web: stanleyhotel.com
Price: doubles from $319

7. The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

New Orleans is known for its mysticism. The Ritz-Carlton is also said to be haunted at night. © Ritz Carlton New Orleans

Authentic French Quarter ambience meets luxury: the five-star Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Canal Street is located in a historic Beaux-Arts building dating back to 1908. But the hotel's century-old history is not only reflected in the soothing voodoo ritual in the spa. Ghosts have also been sighted at the luxury hotel time and time again. Among them are two girls who run through the corridors at night.

The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans
921 Canal St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, United States
Tel.: +1 504-524-1331
Web: ritzcarlton.com
Price: doubles from $343

8. dragsholm castle hørve

Hørve, Zealand, Denmark

On Zealand, 75 kilometers from Copenhagen, lies the enchanted Dragsholm Slot, with a total of four alleged ghosts. © Dragsholm Slot

Zealand – the island where Copenhagen is located – is home to Dragsholm Slot. The bishop of Roskilde had the castle built in 1215. Over the centuries, the Danish walls have seen a lot, so it's no wonder that today's four-star hotel has numerous ghost sightings to report, among them a bishop and two unfortunate dames of the castle.

Dragsholm Castle Hørve
Dragsholm Alle, 4534 Hørve, Denmark
Tel.: +45 59 65 33 00
Web: dragsholm-slot.dk
Price: doubles from €190

9. Fairmont Banff Hot Springs Hotel

Banff, Alberta, Canada

The Fairmont has been the scene of a wide variety of deaths, murders and suicides throughout its 134-year history – the ghosts of the departed are said to still haunt the luxury hotel today. © Zachary Kyra Derksen

Surrounded by dense forest and not far from mineral springs, the luxurious Fairmont Banff Hot Springs juts out from among the treetops. The mystical atmosphere of the nine-story, four-star property, built in 1888, is enhanced by countless ghost stories. According to many guests, there's a bride who glides down the stairs where she once fell to her death and does her ghoulish rounds in the ballroom. One room – number 873 – is said to have been haunted so much that it's now sealed shut!

Fairmont Banff Hot Springs Hotel
405 Spray Ave, Banff, Alberta T1L 1J4, Canada
Tel.: +1 403-762-2211
Web: fairmont.com/banff-springs/
Price: doubles from $329

10 Ruthin Castle Hotel & Spa

Ruthin, Wales, United Kingdom

Ghosts in the castle: Ruthin Castle is said to be haunted by creepy apparitions. © Shutterstock

Built in the 13th century, Castell Ruthin in Clwydian Range in North Wales is one of the most famous haunted hotels in the country. Apart from a little girl and a soldier, it's mainly the axe-wielding ghost woman who's made a name for herself. Despite these scary sightings, a visit to the four-star hotel pays off: the moat houses the luxurious BAZAAR SPA.

Ruthin Castle Hotel & Spa
Castle St, Ruthin LL15 2NU, UK
Tel.: +44 1824 702664
Web: ruthincastle.co.uk
Price: doubles from €90