Boys and ghouls come out to play, October is here again and here at the Amsterdam Hotel in Earls Court, we’re looking forward to our most spooktacular Halloween yet.

Right across the capital, some of the world’s most famous attractions are lining up a feast of fiendish surprises to keep you scared and entertained in equal measure, but how will you spend your All Hallow’s Eve?

Whether it’s haunted historical landmarks you’re after or something that’s a little less trick and a lot more treat this year, there’s truly something for everyone.

To help you make the most of your visit to the capital this October 31st, the team at our London hotel have put together this guide to our favourite spooky spots, each one delivering its own unique frights and delights.

Tower of London

Tower Hill, EC3N 4AB

Open to visitors 9AM – 5.30PM (Tues – Sat) | 10AM – 5.30PM (Sun – Mon)

Where else could you start a tour of London’s most haunted hotspots than right at the heart of the capital’s most gruesome goings-on?

Thomas Becket, the 10th century Archbishop of Canterbury is said to be one of the first ghosts to roam the Tower of London’s haunted halls, though he is far from the only one.

Everyone from Henry VIII’s wife, Queen Anne Boleyn to a mysterious White Lady are known to make their presence felt, whilst some of the stories told by the Yeoman Warders about their own encounters with the Tower of London ghosts are absolutely spine-chilling.

On your visit, you’ll have the opportunity to hear a number of these stories, as well as getting up close (though not too close!) to the tower’s famous torture devices over in the Wakefield Tower.

To get there, take the tube from our hotel near Earls Court Station and disembark at Tower hill.

Hampstead Heath

London, NW5 1QR

By day, Hampstead Heath is a rather splendid and beautiful little place that was once a source of inspiration to poets Percy Shelley and John Keats.

When the dark, chilly October nights draw in, however, the area takes on an altogether creepy air of desolation and fear.

Visit before it gets too dark then, for a chance to see a sight long rumoured to have more than its fair share of hauntings.

The nearby The King William IV pub on High Street is believed to be home to the spirit of a murdered woman who slams doors and rattles windows late in the evening, whilst stories of ghost sightings among High Street itself are numerous.

Nearby, you’ll find the churchyard which was said to have been a source of inspiration for Bram Stoker’s classic vampire tale, Dracula, and also the Spaniard Inn, a favourite of famous highwayman, Dick Turpin.

City of London Cemetery

Aldersbrook Road, Manor Park, E12 5D

A little over fifteen miles from our London hotel on Earls Court Road sits a cemetery which boasts one of the capital’s most puzzling unsolved mysteries.

Ever since the 1970s, local residents have reported an ominous, orange light radiating upwards from one of the cemeteries tombstones.

Despite numerous investigations, nobody has yet been able to find a logical explanation.

Spooky indeed.

Hampton Court Palace

East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU (Open to visitors 10AM – 6PM)

Often considered to have more ghosts than any other haunted building in London, the former home of King Henry VIII’s is said to be frequented by the spirit of the Tudor monarch’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard.

In the centuries which followed Howard’s untimely demise, so many stories of her figure appearing in a certain part of the palace that it would go on to be known as ‘The Haunted Gallery.’

Such stories abound even unto this day, as do those of another of Henry VII’s late wives, Jane Seymour.

Henry’s third wife, the former Queen of England died due to complications following the birth of her son, latterly King Edward VI. She is reported to have been seen on numerous occasions wandering through the palace courtyards.

The scariest part? Those are just two of many spirits said to make their home at Hampton Court Palace.

Based a little over 12 miles from The Amsterdam Hotel, Hampton Court Palace is a truly magnificent venue with its own fair share of terrifying tales to tell.

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Catherine St, London WC2B 5JF

Last but by no means least, we come to Drury Lane, often considered to be one of the most haunted theatres anywhere in the world.

A short, 20-minute tube ride into Soho from our hotel near Earls Court Station, the present theatre has stood since the 19th century, with reports of a theatre being based on the site all the way back to the 1600s.

Since then, the theatre has become home to at least five ghosts, the most famous of which being ‘The Man in Grey.’

According to one report, at least 70 people attending a performance once all the saw the ghost traverse the stage at the same time.

The spirit of Charles Macklin, who reportedly murdered a colleague in the theatre back in 1735, has been known to appear on the very spot where he committed this heinous crime, whilst the ghost of a clown is also known to appear on stage to comfort nervous actors.

Scared out of your wits yet? We certainly are. Thankfully, if there’s one place in London that certainly isn’t haunted, it’s the Amsterdam Hotel, Earls Court.

Enjoy a frightfully delightful stay with us this Halloween by booking your stay online now, or by calling our team on 020 7370 5084.