Need a place to stay? Forgo weak motel coffee and mysteriously stained bath towels for the spooky room service your dark heart desires. Russia may have its haunted chateaus and England its chambers of doom, but the United States has historic homes with their own eternal guests. Here are eight haunted places on Airbnb you can rent right now. Don’t say you weren’t warned …
An 18th-century cottage outfitted with exposed pine and breezy linens, Laura’s cottage is located in Savannah’s Historic District. Not only is it a stop on local ghost tours, it’s also the setting for Robert Redford’s film The Conspirator. Oh, and “Laura” is not the Airbnb host–she’s the woman who lived there for 50 years and now makes frequent visits … from beyond the grave. Here’s more about her.
Now, the hosts have yet to fess up to the spotting of any ghosts, but the dwelling’s description as “the most mysterious house in Saint Paul” begs to differ. It’s been rented out for rituals, and boasts décor and furniture right out of a classic haunted-house horror movie. There is also a resident Doberman, named Scorch. Even non-dog lovers may find him a useful watchdog when it comes to fending off lingering spirits from the aforementioned rituals.
Located in the Garden District, this sprawling three-tier stunner with deep porches sounds inviting. Except for one thing: this home boasts a “haunted bedroom,” aptly named because of the little girl in the yellow dress who has made the room her home from beyond the grave.
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Fans of Casper may want to consider the for-rent bedroom in this farmhouse as a place to rest their laurels. Used as a field hospital after the bloodiest battle of the bloodiest war, the David Stewart Farm is actually already occupied by the host and her two dogs and six cats. But that doesn’t even begin to cover the many “others” who reside there. This from the host: “Yes, the house is haunted, but they are all friendly!”
5. Haunted Castle House, Brumley, MO
Live like kings and queens in this paranormally-active, pre-Civil War abode, set back in the Ozark Hills. Though it’s on the smaller side of what “castle” usually implies, the home accommodates eight. According to the hosts, the house is a great place to get a good night’s sleep—despite the fact that it’s apparently rife with ghosts. Good luck with that shut-eye. UPDATE: Brumley's Castle House no longer links to Airbnb. The hosts now rent their rooms directly via Haunted Castle House
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This neo-Gothic witchy wonder comes equipped with everything you’d need to summon the dead: think tarot cards, crystals, candles, and skulls. It sleeps eight, though we’re not sure anyone will be catching zzz’s in between sightings of the previous owner who died in the house.
Why stay with one ghost when you can stay in a whole town of ‘em? This casita, built by a miner more than 100 years ago, has remained loyal to its creator’s rustic design–though there is Wi-Fi, should you need to google how to expel spirit. Dubbed “Boystown” in the ‘80s, the stacked limestone cabin is just a stone’s throw from an old jail and a graveyard with enough paranormal activity to keep you up all night long.
Now refurbished into a wood-accented cabin, this one-time jailhouse still has its bars: seriously, the bedroom is enclosed in the clink. It also features its own saloon-looking bar. Getting sauced may be in order, as it’s located in an actual ghost town and offers a spooky atmosphere come nightfall–though the a.m. promises a killer breakfast. And just in case the sounds of silence get to be too much, the EXITS are clearly marked.
Featured photo: Airbnb