The 8 most haunted Airbnb in the UK for a spookily memorable staycation

This lighthouse cottage might look nice enough (if a little isolated…) but it’s surrounded by some seriously spooky history. St Catherines Lighthouse is situated just outside of the hamlet of Niton, the southernmost point of the Isle of Wight. The lighthouse was the scene of a tragedy during WW2 where its three keepers were killed by a bomb, and they were buried at the nearby church. It is said their ghosts still walk the grounds, so you might want to sleep with one eye open. 

Rooms? Three. Sleeps five guests.
Mood? Lighthouse thrills.
Spook factor? 👻
Budget range? Spenny AF.

Come for the spooky exterior, stay for the spectacular design within. Dollarbeg Castle is mistakenly haunted looking from the outside, but it’s actually a super cosy stay for four. The castle was built in 1890 after it was acquired by William Henry Dobie, but it went on to house the RAF during World War 2. With two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, three bathrooms, a dining room and a huge back garden, this is the perfect place for an absolutely mega Halloween-themed game of hide and seek. 

Rooms? Two. Sleeps four guests.
Mood? Creepy castle vibes.
Spook factor? 👻👻
Budget range? Spookily well-priced.

Reviews say you have to see this place in person in order to believe it, and we don’t doubt it. Decorated in Scottish Art Nouveau style, this Airbnb will feel like you’ve stepped into an old spooky novel. In fact, the room is decorated like the bed chamber of a seven-year-old Edwardian child, no less, complete with books and toys. Plus, you get access to the entire haunted house too while you’re there. This is a real immersive experience. You can book in for two or bring all your pals. If you’re looking for something spooky, this is the place. 

Rooms? One. Sleeps two guests.
Mood? It's giving Bellatrix Lestrange's bedroom.
Spook factor? 👻👻👻
Budget range? You can't put a price on thrill.

Okay, so this place is pretty nice now that it’s been refurbished. But what could be creepier than staying in an old Fever Hospital from 1910? And that’s not all its history as a building – prior to being a hospital, it was also a rope mill (and the original wheel is still in place) and a dairy. The hosts make no mention of passing ghosts, but we wouldn’t be surprised if there was something supernatural still lurking around. 

Rooms? Five. Sleeps 12 guests.
Mood? Stunning but spooky.
Spook factor? 👻
Budget range? Very well-priced.

This Airbnb is known as ‘the madness chamber’, and it frequently makes it onto lists of the most haunted stays in the whole world. It’s 600 years old and known to be eerily silent. You rent the entire home with fantastic rustic interiors, and there are two bedrooms – one of which you share with the phantom of a headless woman, according to some reviews. Of course, York is the most haunted city in Europe, so you’ll most definitely want to brace yourself for a visit from a ghost or two…

Rooms? One. Sleeps four guests.
Mood? For things that go bump in the night.
Spook factor? 👻👻
Budget range? Super affordable. 

Up in the forest above the River Tweed, you’ll find Neidpath Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots used to lay her head. But it’s not her ghost you’ll be shacking up with. The castle was owned by Sir William Douglas in the late seventeenth century, who banned his daughter Jean from marrying the man she loved. She lay sick and staring out the window, praying for her lovers’ return – but when he did, he didn’t recognise her, and rode on past. Jean died from the anguish, but her ghost remains at the castle, sporting a long brown dress with a white collar. Make sure you say helloo-oo!

Rooms? One. Sleeps two guests.
Mood? Boo-tifully enchanting.
Spook factor? 👻👻
Budget range? Pricey as expected. 

Got a few more mates with you? How about Caverswall Castle in Caverswall village, Staffordshire, that sleeps a whopping 26 thrillseekers in its turrets and throughout? The Grade 1 listed historic castle is one of only 13 moated medieval castles in England, and you can stay in the turrets, all of which are two levels up and accessed only by a spindling spiral staircase. To enter, you have to cross the stone bridge over the moat. But beware: hiding at the bottom of the castle is its secret dungeon, so make sure you don’t get on anyone’s bad side…

Rooms? Seven. Sleeps 16+ guests.
Mood? Straight out of a mysterious fairytale. 
Spook factor? 👻👻
Budget range? A great price for an even greater stay.

This attic in Whitby was formerly the servants’ quarters in the Old Manor House, built in 1740 by Sir Adam Boulby – but that’s not the only reason horror fans love it. Here, you’re just ten-minutes walk to Whitby Abbey – which is the very place Bram Stoker was inspired to write ‘Dracula’. Plenty of ghosts are thought to frequent the Abbey’s halls, but perhaps the most famous is the ghost of St. Hilda, who is known to poke her head out of windows to spook visitors. If the name is familiar, it’ll be because she made an appearance in the ‘Dracula’ novels, too. 

Rooms? Two. Sleeps three guests.
Mood? A ghost's haven.
Spook factor? 👻👻👻
Budget range? Boooo-k now – it's so cheap.