TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - Oct 20, 2016) - Ghostly apparitions, spooky peals of laughter, things that go bump in the night: many hotel stays come with an extra thrill (or should that be chill?). Take one of the most notorious: the Stanley Hotel immortalized in Stephen King's "The Shining." According to many guests, a night here might include the sound of disembodied footsteps, doors mysteriously opening and closing, and lights turning on and off by themselves. Some of these haunted hotels were formerly hospitals, jails -- even an ocean liner -- with deaths occurring in the very rooms people stay in today. No surprise then that strange sightings and eerie interactions with ghostly former guests take place on a regular basis.

For those looking to experience a spirited night at a ghost hunters-worthy hotel, the experts at Cheapflights.ca, the champions of simple travel search, have collected some of their favourites in their 10 haunted hotels where you can actually spend the night.

Here are five hotels from around the world where you might very well spend a restless night:

• The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado, United States - The Stanley Hotel is over 100 years old and boasts a stunning location and beautiful architecture, but that's not all it's known for. Anyone who has read or seen the movie version of Stephen King's "The Shining" knows just how scary that story is. If you're curious as to what could have inspired such a spine-tingling tale, you might want to pay a visit to the Stanley Hotel. Rumour has it that King stayed in room 217 back in 1974 on a night when the hotel was nearly deserted as the property was just about to close for the winter. Though the entire hotel is known for paranormal occurrences, room 217 seems to see the most ghostly action. According to the hotel's history, countless guests have seen and heard strange things like lights turning on and off, doors opening and closing, strange laughter and footsteps, drafts and unexplained chills.
  
  
• The Marshall House, Savannah, Georgia, United States - One of Savannah's oldest hotels is also one of its best reviewed by travellers, lauded in part for its wine and cheese happy hour that often includes a lesson in the history of the town and the hotel. Tied to the hotel's long and storied past are the rumours about its haunted present, though the hotel's website assures potential guests that their ghosts are of the friendly variety. Wondering where these paranormal presences might have come from? Since opening in 1851, the hotel has been used as a hospital three times, which could have contributed to any ghostly inhabitants. Guests have reported seeing ghosts in the hallways, as well as things like taps turning on by themselves and the sound of children running in the halls.
  
  
• Russell Hotel, Sydney, Australia - Russell Hotel is located in The Rocks, the oldest area of Sydney and one of the most convenient for checking out many of the city's best-known attractions. The boutique property also has a reputation for being haunted, thanks to the area's storied and somewhat seedy past. Now a favourite location among visitors to Sydney, The Rocks was once known as a crime-filled area that attracted some shady characters, as well as sailors looking for adventure in port (with many getting more than they bargained for once they found themselves in the neighbourhood's dark alleys). One such seafarer is said to haunt the halls of the Russell Hotel, taking particular interest in room 8. Some guests have reported waking to find him staring at them from the foot of the bed.
  
  
• Chillingham Castle, Chillingham, England - If you've ever wanted to stay in a haunted medieval castle, you can get your chance in Chillingham, England. Given that Chillingham Castle dates back to 1344, when it was fully fortified, it's no surprise that ghosts are part of its history. There are ghost tours available for anyone interested in getting to know more about the castle's past and just what kind of presences might be waiting in the shadows. Some spooky sightings or happenings include a ghost in the pantry, voices in the chapel, ghosts in the courtyard and a ghostly presence in the torture chamber (go figure). For an especially chilling experience, stay in the Pink Room, said to be favoured by a ghost known as the "blue boy". Guests of the room have reported flashes of blue light and loud, wailing noises.
  
  
• Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - Winnipeg's Fort Garry Hotel is over 100 years old and, as such, you wouldn't be wrong for assuming there might be some haunting going on in the storied hotel's hallways. Guests have reported seeing and hearing a number of strange things, including the sighting of apparitions at the ends of beds, unexplained talking and crying and, in room 202, the ghost of a woman who is said to have hung herself in the closet after getting word that her husband had died.

Thrill seekers travelling to Canada's capital can sleep in a former jail cell at the aptly named HI Ottawa Jail Hostel, said to be the most haunted building in the country. Ghosts come in groups at the Battery Carriage House Inn in Charleston, South Carolina, where sightings have also included a headless body. Guests at Ross Castle in County Meath, Ireland, might meet the young lady ghost who wanders the halls, her heart permanently broken. For extraordinary paranormal activity on a ship, check in to the dry-docked Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach, California, where multiple ghosts are seen walking its decks, including the mysterious Lady in White. Finally, for less frightening fare, guests at the Nottingham Road hotel in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, might spot a lady ghost who prefers tidying up rooms to scaring people. For the entire list of spooky lodgings, visit Cheapflights.ca's 10 haunted hotel rooms where you can actually spend the night at www.cheapflights.ca/news/10-haunted-hotels-can-actually-spend-night.

About Cheapflights.ca, part of the Momondo Group
Founded in 1996, Cheapflights is a leading global flight comparison and deals publishing platform dedicated to taking the complexity out of finding the best value flights through the application of innovative, intuitive technologies: Smart search. Made simple. It is now a market leader in the UK, US, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand generating more than C$4 billion in global downstream revenue for its partners as it expands into numerous other territories. More than 120 million users visit its websites and apps each year, receiving more than two billion search results a month from across 900,000 routes. The 10 million strong opt-in subscribers to the Cheapflights newsletter receive the best deals from more than 120 travel businesses -- for whom it has driven more than C$80 million in revenue this year. Together, the Cheapflights platforms generate enough bookings for its partners to fill a Boeing 747 every five minutes.

In 2011, Cheapflights became part of the privately owned online travel search and inspiration network, Momondo Group.

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