“You didn’t hear the schoolchildren? They play in the halls at night.”
Nick is grinning at me and I can’t tell if he is serious or not. I’m standing in an abandoned mine in rural Kentucky and my guide Nick has already told me about the ghosts of miners who will sometimes sneak up and pull the hair of women (apparently they’re not too fond of a female presence in this male territory). Now he’s informing me that the old schoolhouse I stayed at the previous night is haunted by miners’ children who were taught there in the 1930s. To be honest, I’m not surprised – while beautifully kept and very friendly, Benham Schoolhouse Inn certainly seems like the place a few ghosts would hang around, with its echoing corridors lined by lockers and classrooms still with the original desks.
I often travel alone and I’m pretty level-headed when it comes to assessing the risks of a foreign country, city or region – yet all rationality goes out the window when it comes to ghostly goings-on. It’s probably not an exaggeration to say I’m terrified. When checking in during daylight hours, potential hauntings don’t bother me. But there’s something about waking up at 3am and hearing a banging door or creaking floorboard that can leave me thoroughly spooked.
Yet somehow it seems that I’m drawn to the homes of ghosts. Last winter, I checked into the beautiful gothic Hotel Valtionhotelli in the eastern Finnish town of Imatra, which sits right on the border with Russia. In the depths of winter, covered in a thick layer of snow and with the half-frozen Imatrankoski rapids rushing by, it looked both magical and ghostly when I arrived. This sense was heightened by the fact that Imatra was once bustling with Russian tourists, but since the border was closed in late 2023 it can feel eerily quiet on a winter night. While Valtionhotelli would once have been fully booked, there were only a handful of visitors when I walked down the echoing halls to my room. I determinedly refused to check for potential hauntings before I slept there for three nights, but I enquired as I left town and, sure enough, it turns out I had shared my accommodation with a few spirits. Among other eerie goings-on, the heartbroken spirit Lady Grey is known to roam the corridors of the hotel. The story goes that a young Russian woman discovered her husband's infidelity while on honeymoon at the hotel. Completely distraught, she took her own life by throwing herself in the rapids. It’s enough to give you the chills, whether you believe in ghosts or not.
But I know I’ll keep visiting places like Valtionhotelli, because “haunted” hotels tend to be the ones with the history, the character and the charm that I seek in my accommodation. Valtionhotelli has been visited by aristocracy from St Petersburg since the early 20th century and also served as a military hospital, while Benham Schoolhouse Inn was not only an important educational facility in the town’s mining heyday, but in its new lease of life as a hotel it is helping rejuvenate a town that has suffered terribly by the loss of the coal mining industry. These places have experienced history and have stories to tell; their ghosts, both happy and sad, come with that.
Read my article on driving through rural Kentucky
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Hotel Valtionhotelli in the eastern Finnish town of Imatra
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World cruise leaves passengers stranded in Cambodia
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28 under-the-radar cities have been named ‘ones to watch’
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Why this luxury hotel has cracked down on influencers
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As some of the hotspots become too crowded and expensive, our travel experts turn to some underrated gems
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Rory Buccheri takes a pilgrimage to see the landscapes that inspired Canada’s most famous paintings
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Emilee Tombs checks into Ishq Colombo in Sri Lanka’s second-largest city
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Would you stay in a haunted hotel?
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As we creep toward Halloween, I want to know: would you book a stay at a haunted hotel? Are spooky stays your kind of spirited? Or is the thought just too grave?
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In last week's newsletter, I asked whether headphone-dodging commuters should be fined. A huge 97 per cent of you agreed with the idea, with just three per cent thinking it was a step too far.
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As the cold creeps in, it’s hard not to dream of distant shores and warmer climes. Whether you’re planning a last-minute winter escape or already looking ahead to a bigger adventure in 2027, now’s the time to start thinking about your next trip – and the essentials that will make the journey more comfortable.
If you’re looking to refresh your travel wardrobe, the ETQ sale is worth a browse for stylish everyday menswear. For comfortable airport outfits and long-haul journeys, the M&S loungewear collection offers plenty of options for travelling in style without compromising on comfort.
A little self-care can make all the difference on the move, too. Our beauty expert recommends these under-eye gel patches, with six in a pack for less than £10 – ideal for a little in-flight pampering. And if you’d rather not rely on your accommodation having a hairdryer, the Babyliss folding travel hairdryer is a compact, suitcase-friendly solution.
Facing a long flight? These tried-and-tested Loop quiet 2 earplugs, priced at under £20, can help take the edge off engine noise and cabin chatter. Prefer to listen to music, catch up on podcasts or watch a film? These Sony wireless headphones, priced at just £25, offer long battery life for entertainment on the go.
For shorter journeys with budget airlines, a £10 phone holder that clips onto your tray table makes it easy to watch your favourite shows hands-free. And to help avoid unexpected baggage fees, consider a Ryanair-friendly cabin bag. Available in a choice of colours and reduced to £35, it’s a practical, budget-friendly pick for your next short-haul escape.
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Shop thermal base layer tops and leggings for extra warmth on cold-weather adventures and ski holidays this winter.
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If you thought holidays to Tunisia were simply about lazing on a sunlounger at your all-inclusive hotel, I’d urge you to read travel writer Phil Thomas’s article in this week’s Independent Travel. Not that I have anything against a lazy winter sun break when you can thoroughly focus on relaxing (and Tunisia certainly does offer that in spades), but there is so much more to this fascinating North African country – which can be experienced either on day trips and excursions, or by completely immersing yourself in the local culture.
Phil chose the latter. His journey started in Djerba, an island off Tunisia’s southeastern coast, which he says has absorbed influences from across the Mediterranean for millennia. Phil writes: “Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities have left their mark on everything from architecture to festivals, alongside a shared tradition of making room for strangers around their tables.” This tradition of welcoming strangers is seen in the hills of Dahar, Unesco’s newest Global Geopark, where Phil visited one of the troglodyte homes belonging to Indigenous Amazigh communities, cut into the desert rock. Phil describes how “a table materialises, laden with freshly made tabouna bread, olive oil, honey and fiery homemade harissa, all produced within a short walk of the house”.
From Phil’s account, I was rather surprised to learn that Amazigh culture can be glimpsed in the Star Wars films. Hotel Sidi Driss in Matmata served as Luke Skywalker’s childhood home in two of the movies, and the town of Tataouine, a short drive away was George Lucas’s inspiration for the Star Wars planet Tatooine. To fully experience these parts of Tunisia it’s best to get yourself a local guide, and most hotels will be only too happy to connect you with the right person. Or you can book a tour that includes overnight stays in places like Matmata, Tatouine and Chenini.
Read Phil's full article about travelling in Tunisia
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Enjoy winter sunshine for less with this great-value Loveholidays deal to Lanzarote. Stay at the highly rated Bluesea Alyssa Suite Hotel in Playa Blanca, with daily breakfast and dinner included. Soak up the sun, explore nearby bars and restaurants, or stroll to sandy Flamingo Beach.
Lead price is based on a 1 December departure from Manchester. Find out more.
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Fancy an autumn getaway? Discover hundreds of Travelodge locations across the country, with stays available for £35 or less!
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Discover China with Wendy Wu Tours, featuring a relaxing Yangtze River cruise, iconic cities, Chengdu’s giant pandas, meals, accommodation and sightseeing.
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Enjoy a relaxing stay with delicious food at the award-winning Royal Oak in Gillamoor, nestled in the beautiful North York Moors.
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