Bed and breakfast…or dead and breakfast?

Omni Parker House (Boston)

It was founded in 1855 by Harvey Parker, who still likes to check in on the guests and make sure that they’re enjoying themselves, even though he died in 1884. And the ghost that inhabits room 303 served as the inspiration for 1408, a Stephen King short story that was later turned into a horror movie starring John Cusack. After guests complained about freaky shadows moving across the walls, the bathroom sink turning itself on and off, and strange laughter, the hotel stopped renting out the room and turned it into a storage closet. The mischievous ghost, apparently unhappy with this decision, skedaddled soon after. Another spirit has been blamed for strange incidents involving the elevator. It often stops for no reason on the third floor.

The White Eagle (Portland)

At the turn of the century, it was the favored haunt for burly guys who worked at the mills and docks along the nearby Willamette River. Brawls were so commonplace at the White Eagle that it was nicknamed “Bucket of Blood.” Its basement also served as a brothel for many years. Nowadays, it’s owned by a company called McMenamins that operates a series of taverns and hotels around the Pacific Northwest. Patrons can grab a microbrew at the White Eagle’s bar or spend the night in one of the whimsically named rooms upstairs. You might wind up with an unwanted guest if you stay in “The Rolling Cowboy Room” though. It’s reportedly haunted by the spirit of a prostitute named Rose. Another ghost also hangs out on the main floor and has been known to toss around random objects and unspool rolls of toilet paper in the women’s bathroom.

The Catacombs of Paris

Who would want to sleep alongside the earthly remains of six million departed souls? Lots of people. Earlier this autumn, Airbnb, the popular lodging website, hosted a contest offering a free night’s stay in Catacombs on Halloween. The organizers set up an ornate bed among the bones along with lots of white candles and other appropriately gothic decor. Entrants had to write an essay about why they were brave enough to stay down there. Airbnb paid about $385,000 dollars to rent the Catacombs for the night from the city of Paris.