How to Get the Most from Your Haunted Experience

Ghosts, light humour and serious beliefs, item 45

Do you enjoy the thrill of staying in a haunted house or hotel, do you go somewhere because of the stories rather than despite of them, or do you regard them as nonsense but sort of hope that they are true?

If any of the above applies to you then here are some tips for improving the odds of an encounter.

But before you act on these tips, be sure that this is what you want!

1. Specifically ask to stay in the most haunted room - some places may have one particular room which is the most active. Sometimes this room will be extremely popular and you will need to book well in advance, sometimes it may be the most available and cheapest.

2. Choose a room near a staircase or lift - these are the rooms most commonly haunted as this usually where the tragic and heroic attempt to escape fire, the madman or worse, the man who was not mad, ended. Where is the drama in a nice quiet departure from life because of old age whilst asleep?

3. Turn off the television, radio and all other sources of noise, ghosts are more likely to enter your room if they think that you are asleep. Imagine the humiliation in turning up only to be ignored because Radio 4’s “Book At Bedtime” was more creepy or the late night repeat of Eastenders more exciting!

4. Turn out all the lights – this is a physics thing, we don’t emit much light when we are alive, you can’t see people in the dark, why should this change just because someone is dead? Actually it does change but only by a small amount, the room really does need to be as dark as possible.

5. Set your alarm for 4am - many ghosts make themselves known in the wee hours of the morning, at that time of day everything is sadder. However, it's also a good idea to check with the management for local schedules, a tragic ending at mid-day may be repeated at that time daily, annually or infrequently.

6. Knock before entering your room - you never know if a ghost is going to be friendly or not. If the ghost is friendly he will appreciate the courtesy and may be more comfortable returning. If the ghost is hostile, you have shown weakness and he will be keen to exploit it.

7. Remember that if you go looking for something dangerous, you are waiving “Duty Of Care” obligations and that your booking does not guarantee an appearance. Ghosts are like the spoons on the Tea & Coffee tray, they were there once and they will appear again and if they do will they be…..

8. Casper or “With its green skin, Qing Dynasty robes and bizarre ability to “hop” with its arms outstretched, the Jiang Shi must spend the daylight hours in hiding from humans in either a coffin or cave. However, at night, the Jiang Shi leaves its nest to prey upon the unsuspecting.”

How to Get the Most from Your Haunted Experience

Ghosts, light humour and serious beliefs, item 45

Ghost, Spiritual Or Historic Stories For Pubs And Restaurants