Halloween is almost upon us and if you’re really looking for a fright, spending the night in a is a sure fire-way.
Hotels across the UK boast ghostly experiences and paranormal activities, and many of them are open for business during October, reports the Manchester Evening News .
With tales of gruesome murders and tragic deaths, it’s no surprise that these places are considered to be home to lost souls.
We’ve taken a look at some of the most haunted hotels open for business, and one is even in Liverpool.
If you’re looking for a scary way to spend your Halloween, these offer the perfect chance.
Black Swan Hotel, York
Nestled away in the picturesque town of Helmsley, this 15th century inn turned 4 star hotel has a rich history dating back more than five centuries.
The hotel is made up of three houses and is well known for its abundance of paranormal activity.
Staff and guests alike have reported a number of apparitions that frequent the hotel, who are thought to be patrons of the Black Swan over its many years of service.
One is the ghostly figure of a man wearing a bowler hat, who appears to be waiting for someone at the bar before slowly disappearing.
Another is of a highwayman wandering the kitchen of the hotel dressed in riding boots and a long black cloak.
Staff also say a small boy, known as Matthew, regularly appears in the par dressed in traditional Victorian clothing. He is thought to have been a pickpocket and is responsible for the unexplained disappearance of a number of items from behind the bar.
Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool
Well known in Liverpool, a hotel has sat on the grounds of the Adelphi since the early 1800s and so much paranormal activity has been recorded there that it was named the most haunted hotel in England in 2015.
Staff members and guests have reported strange goings-on and ghostly figures over the years.
Many tell the story of the apparition of a teenage bell boy in uniform picking up luggage before vanishing completely. This is thought to be 15 year-old Raymond Brown, who died in 1961 after getting trapped in a baggage lift.
Another ghostly tale tells of a tragic man known as George, a man in his 30s with a pencil moustache, who took his own life while at the hotel in the 1930s.
Apparitions are also known to haunt the lift, with an unseen spirit that whistles and breathes down the next of those using it - and even tapping people on their shoulder.
The third floor of the Adelphi is said to be the most haunted, with reports of a demon residing in the halls there after complained about a growling sound and the disembodied ranting of an angry man echoing across the hall.
Old Hall Hotel, Sandbach
Old Hall Hotel sits in the centre of the town and dates back as far as 1656, occupying the site of an ancient mansion once inhabited by the Sandbachs.
Dubbed one of the most haunted places in Cheshire, there are a total of 14 separate ghosts thought to reside in the building.
Room 11 is said to be the most haunted of them all, rumoured to be visited by many ghosts including an elderly lady sitting in a chair by the bed.
Most commonly experienced at the hotel is the spirit of the original owner of the hall, Sir John Radcliffe, a tall man in traditional 17th century clothes who appears directly in front of staff, rattles door latches and makes the glasses hanging in the bar swing on their hooks.
Another ghost thought to reside in the hotel is that of a grey lady who wanders around the halls as if searching for something. This is thought to be the spirit of a woman frantically hunting for her missing baby - a spirit that occupied the building after some of the panelling used to build it was recycled from the nearby Haslington Hall.
When the panelling was removed, ready to be taken to Sandbach, the skeleton of a baby was found in the wall - thought to be the tragic child of the woman.
Numerous guests have reported the sensation of being pushed under the water while having a bath, and several have said they have woken in the early hours of the morning convinced that their bed is on fire and the urge to get out of the room.
It is though this is down to a fire that ripped through the original mansion with the spirit of a soul who perished while desperately trying to escape.
Hartford Hall Hotel, Northwich
An old manor house with a history going back to the 17th century, Hartford Hall Hotel is said to be haunted by the ghost of a nun,
This apparition has been seen on many occasions in the past by both staff and guests, and at first, people were puzzled as to why a nun should be haunting the hotel.
However after investigation by a local historian, it was discovered that the hotel was a nunnery before being converted into a manor house.
Although the identity of the sister remains unknown, it is believed that the ghost haunting the hotel is of a nun who met a grisly end after being bricked up alive in the cellar of a nearby abbey.
She now wanders the halls of the hotel, appearing randomly to guests and is thought to be responsible for unexplained happenings in the building.
Phantom hymn-singers have also been heard in the early hours of the morning near the hotel.
Hazlewood Castle, Tadcaster
First mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 as the home of Sir Mauger Vavasour, the castle turned boutique hotel is reputed to be one of the most haunted around.
For centuries, rumours of paranormal activity at the castle were rife, but it wasn't until it was transformed into a hotel in 1997 that these supposed ghostly figures were confirmed.
The Tansy room is reportedly haunted by the apparition of a black-robed monk. Seen coming from the exit from the nearby St Margaret's church courtyard, the dark figure roams across the walkway only to disappear into the yew tree.
This same figure crosses from the church to the laundry store area - a route that was once used by the ancient priests to go down into the cloisters. The fireplace in the library now sits where the cloister once stood.
The library also houses another phantom clergyman, who has been seen searching the shelves for a book. This anxious spirit is thought to be one of the Carmelites who died unexpectedly and his soul is forever tied to his quest for knowledge.
More recently, a housekeeper tending to the Lavender bedroom was working when she became aware that there was someone in the bathroom. Believing a fellow member of staff was in the room cleaning, she began friendly conversation - but got no response. When she went to take a closer look, she discovered the bathroom empty and no trace of anyone there.
Ruthin Castle, North Wales
Ruthin Castle Hotel is found in the historical grounds of the 13th century castellated fort - and said to be one of the most haunted in Wales. It changed hands several times over the years before eventually falling into disrepair.
However, in 1826, the castle was bought and replaced with the structure which stands today. It was used as a hospital for those suffering from rare diseases until 1960, when it was bought and transformed into a luxury spa hotel.
It was around this time that the hauntings first began. It has a grim history and is well-known in paranormal circles for apparitions that wander the grounds and it's the scene of numerous ghost stories.
Lady Grey of Ruthin Castle is probably the most well-known and active spirit that haunts the castle. According to records, Lady Grey discovered that her husband had been having an affair with a local peasant girl. Upon catching the pair in a tryst, she took an axe to her husband's mistress in a jealous rage, hacking her to death.
Lady Grey was quickly apprehended, and was said to be in a state of madness. She was tried for murder and sentenced to death. No local clergymen would allow her to be buried on consecrated ground, so it was decided that she be buried just outside the castle walls.
It is said that she has since been confined to the castle, the execution failing to free her from her madness. She has been spotted by numerous guests and staff wandering the corridors of the hotel.
Some also claim to have been hassled by the ghost of a mischievous little girl who spends the nights running up and down the halls and knocking on all the doors. However, guests never quite catch the face of the child, usually only seeing her as she speeds around a corner out of sight while giggling.
The Golden Fleece, York
The Golden Fleece ale house is reportedly the most haunted building in York - and probably one of the most haunted in England. The pub was mentioned in the York City Archives as far back as 1503 and has a rich yet grisly history.
There are thought to be around 15 resident ghosts at the pub - most notably Lady Alice Peckett, former mayor of York and owner of the Golden Fleece in the 1700s. Many guests have reported seeing Alice wandering the corridors of the hotel, moving furniture around and walking up and down staircases in the darkness of the night.
The basement in the pub was used as a morgue during the Second World War, and in 1945, Canadian airman Geoff Monroe, who was staying in room four, fell from the window to his untimely death. It is unclear whether the soldier fell or jumped, but there have been numerous reports of Monroe, dressed in full uniform, waking guests.
More recently, the figure of a man has been reported - believed to be the spirit of a former landlord who took his own life behind the bar. The ceiling behind the bar is false, with a hidden hook where the man supposedly hung himself. The ghost landlord is well known to those local to the pub - although no-one knows exactly who he is.
Staff at The Golden Fleece in York have reported in the past that they felt tightness around their necks, glasses being mysteriously broken and several of them described how their hair was pulled as if by invisible hands.
Mosborough Hall, Sheffield
Mosborough Hall dates back to the 16th century and, if you dig into the building’s past, you'll discover some horrifying and gruesome secrets that have earned it the title of Sheffield's most haunted hotel.
Its most famous spirit is known as the White Lady, who has stalked the room and halls of Mosborough since she was murdered in the 1600s by a married squire who she was having an affair with. After falling pregnant, she threatened to tell his wife, and in a moment of desperation he slit her throat.
The wailing and angry voices which are said to echo through the halls are thought to be their last argument.
The room where the killing took place is now known as the John Lord Darcy Suite, and is the oldest room in the hotel.
Another more recent story tells of a visit by a local medic, Dr. Pilcher, who had heard the tales of ghostly happenings in the hall, but remained cynical. To prove he was correct in dismissing the tales, he stayed overnight in the hall, in the room where the White Lady was murdered, with no incidents of note to report.
In the morning, he was woken by a staff member who came in with a cup of tea, only to freeze in his tracks. The pair looked down to see the sheets and pillowcases dripping with blood and large pool on the bedding flowing onto the polished floor.
The doctor was reduced to a quivering wreck and he was driven home by a member of staff. He immediately resigned as a doctor and never returned.
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