Movies
Hotels in Horror RATED: Which Horror Hotel is Best
We rate the best (and worst) hotels in horror. While most of the action takes place on the asphalt as psychotic hillbillies chase their prey down in trucks and slashers hide in the backseat of their target’s cars, both killers and victims alike need somewhere to stay on long nights. You need a place to lay your head down. You need a hotel. And because Horror Press always has the concerned traveler in mind, we’ve reviewed some classic horror movie hotels and motels and rated how nice they’d actually be to stay in.
As August’s theme is Road Trip Month here at Horror Press, there is one aspect of horror out on the open road you might have forgotten about. While most of the action takes place on the asphalt as psychotic hillbillies chase their prey down in trucks and slashers hide in the backseat of their target’s cars, both killers and victims alike need somewhere to stay on long nights. You need a place to lay your head down. You need a hotel. And because Horror Press always has the concerned traveler in mind, we’ve reviewed some classic hotels in horror and rated how nice they’d actually be to stay in.
We’re factoring in four key qualities and rating them on a scale of 1 to 10:
- The quality of the staff and management
- The cleanliness and comfort of the rooms
- The amenities available to guests
Oh, and most importantly, how cool I am with dying here (abbreviated as H.C.A.I.W.D.H?).
Because…it’s a horror movie hotel, you’re probably going to die there.
We’ll be beginning with the most unpleasant and working our way up to the best. Unsurprisingly, we start with…
RATING HOTELS IN HORROR
THE KAHIKI PALMS MOTEL (THE DEVILS REJECTS)
Even before the brutal torture and murders that took place here, the Kahiki Palms Motel wasn’t a sight for sore eyes when pulling off the highway. It’s got many of the same problems the Bates Motel has (more on that later), and the place is completely filthy even before the Firefly’s step foot in it.
Beyond that, you’re in the middle of Texas cooking in the heat, with no AC and an ice machine that has definitely got sand in it. No bueno. The exterior looks cool at least, just stop and take some photos out there without actually checking in.
STAFF & MANAGEMENT: 1/10
ROOMS: 1/10
AMENITIES: 1/10
H.C.A.I.W.D.H?: NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT/10
HOTELS IN HORROR OVERALL RATING: 1/10
SEVEN DOORS HOTEL (THE BEYOND)
The Seven Doors Hotel is smack dab in the southern United States, in a woody and almost swampy part of Louisiana, near New Orleans but sitting directly over one of the seven gates to hell. It’s in disrepair, like many of the others on the list, but that’s nothing a little tender care and love from the new management can’t fix!
Just kidding, this place is unfixable.
You should never stay at a hotel being run out of desperation. The owner, Liza, is hard up on cash and willing to put up with some supernatural nonsense to try and turn a profit, but she’s in way over her head. Some people just don’t have the heart or brains for hospitality, let alone hospitality when there’s some Lovecraftian black magic going on. An abundance of zombies and a possessed dog put this pretty low on the list of voluntary stays, especially when there aren’t any good views of nature to make up for it.
Steer clear of this weird antebellum health hazard if you can, although a one-night excursion might be your only choice if the state of Airbnb in New Orleans is as terrible as it is everywhere else.
STAFF & MANAGEMENT: 3/10
ROOMS: 5/10
AMENITIES: 3/10
H.C.A.I.W.D.H?: 3/10
HOTELS IN HORROR OVERALL RATING: 3/10
BATES MOTEL (PSYCHO FRANCHISE)
Let’s get all the iterations of this place out of the way, since they’re pretty much the same: they’re kind of sleepy, fairly dusty, and completely underserviced given they don’t get much business. The biggest highlight of staying here is that beautiful house out back, and you don’t even really get to enjoy that outside of seeing Norman pace in the window. Sorry, seeing Mother pace in the window. There’s a difference.
Assuming you are not a woman Bates falls in love with or someone investigating him, you’re pretty safe; after all, it’s just him. But it’s also just him running the motel. He is fairly nice when he isn’t consumed by a homicidal persona but remember: all it takes is one of his mental breakdowns happening during the night for him to be in a mumu walking around with a kitchen knife while the front desk phone is left ringing. Next thing you know, you’re waiting for room service while he’s cleaning up the remains of some private detective off the floor. You’re alive, but you’re also waiting for a cold, probably poorly cooked burger.
Staff and management get two points since it’s technically one guy with two personalities, but that’s being generous.
STAFF & MANAGEMENT: 2/10
ROOMS: 4/10
AMENITIES: 3/10
H.C.A.I.W.D.H.?: 6/10
HOTELS IN HORROR OVERALL RATING: 4/10
THE HOTEL CORTEZ (AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL)
I’m not staying here, there’s like eight different ways you could die and none of them are good! Why would I ever—wait was that Lady Gaga?
STAFF AND MANAGEMENT: 10/10
ROOMS: 6/10
AMENITIES: 6/10
H.C.A.I.W.D.H?: 1/10
HOTELS IN HORROR OVERALL RATING: 6/10
THE YANKEE PEDDLER INN (The Innkeepers)
I like Ti West’s directing, but I’m not going to Connecticut to sleep in a tough queen bed with a scratchy quilt. It could be worse, as we’ve seen with previous entries on this list, but it could also be better. Claire and Luke seem like pretty reliable employees, and as long as you don’t go around swinging crystal pendulums and disturbing the traumatized ghosts, you should be fine. 6’s across the board, I guess?
STAFF & MANAGEMENT: 6/10
ROOMS: 6/10
AMENITIES: 6/10
H.C.A.I.W.D.H?: 6/10
HOTELS IN HORROR OVERALL RATING: 6/10
THE DOLPHIN HOTEL (1408)
There is only one room in the hotel that is technically haunted, but we have to assume you’re getting that one because it’s kind of the whole premise of the movie. In which case, you have a 99% chance of dying in a horrible way, and you don’t get any rest or relaxation as the spirits haunting Room 1408 pump your brain full of harrowing illusions.
It’s not a very safe space for people wrestling with trauma or suffering from pre-existing mental health issues, but I guess what a haunted house is? Our protagonist, Mike, does manage to escape in the end (at least, one of the four endings this film has, I haven’t seen the others), but unless you have a bottle of 151-proof in your luggage to torch the place, you’re ironically kind of cooked.
Staff seemed nice when they aren’t letting you walk to your death, it’s got a good view, and you’ll at least have something interesting to write about if you make it out of there.
Editor, don’t even think about it.
STAFF & MANAGEMENT: 7/10
ROOMS: 7/10
AMENITIES: 7/10
H.C.A.I.W.D.H?: 1/10
HOTELS IN HORROR OVERALL RATING: 6/10
THE OVERLOOK HOTEL (THE SHINING, DOCTOR SLEEP)
A scary giant hedge maze, snow-blanketed exteriors, and a high-quality turn-of-the-century architectural experience. Good lord, it even has high vaulted ceilings and clean-cut interior design. There are even opportunities to go skiing nearby. The Overlook gets a bad rap for being the site of a bunch of gruesome killings, but in their defense, your honor, the hotel was just evil. All that other stuff happened because the vibes were off.
Is it possible to rehabilitate the place like the Torrance family tried? Not at all. Will you die if you stay there? Absolutely. Is it kind of worth it, cause the place is just so gorgeous? I’m not here to make that judgement for you, but you know you only get to travel so many times in your life, you might as well make the last one a bang.
You can always count on the management and other guests to be particularly friendly, helping you out of pickles like getting locked in a pantry. They enable your bad habits too, of course, but at least you’ll have company once you’ve frozen to death out there. Who knows, they might even put you in one of their cool time paradox photos!
STAFF & MANAGEMENT: 8/10
ROOMS: 8/10
AMENITIES: 6/10
H.C.A.I.W.D.H?: 6/10
HOTELS IN HORROR OVERALL RATING: 7/10
THE GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL (TWIN PEAKS)
This is objectively the right answer, no? The entire Great Northern Hotel is gorgeous with its rich, dark, wood interiors, lit warmly and designed with comfort in mind. It’s serene, has a beautiful look to it, and if you’re not Dale Cooper, your chances of getting shot in the stomach are zero to none!
And sure, the Horne Family that runs it is, on occasion, embroiled in scandal. And MAYBE Benjamin Horne is an irredeemable piece of garbage who wants to tear down the Ghostwood forest. And MAYBE he also owns a combination casino and brothel that he frequents. And MAYBE he’s partially responsible for the murder of a young woman who may or may not have been tortured to death by a demon/spirit/tulpa/doppleganger/Lynchian nightmare but…I mean, look at it! Tell me you wouldn’t want to stay there! Stop trying to take this away from me!
At least the Great Northern doesn’t have fish in its percolator.
STAFF & MANAGEMENT: 2/10
ROOMS: 10/10
AMENITIES: 10/10
H.C.A.I.W.D.H?: 10/10
HOTELS IN HORROR OVERALL RATING: 8/10
My New Year’s resolution is to spend more time watching my favorite app. Luckily, Shudder is not taking it easy on us this holiday season, so I may meet my quota this January. The streamer is bringing in the new year with quite a few bangers. We have classics from icons, a new title from the first family of indie horror, and a couple of lesser-known films that have finally found a home. So, I am obviously living for this month’s programming and think most of you will too. I have picked the five films that I believe deserve our collective attention the most. Get into each of them and start your 2026 off on the right foot.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Carrie (1976)
A sheltered teen finally unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated for the last time. Carrie is the reason I thought proms might be cool when I was a kid. This Brian De Palma adaptation is one of my favorite Stephen King adaptations. It is also an important title in the good-for-her subgenre. I cannot help rooting for Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) when I watch her snap at this prom and then head home to accidentally deal with her mom. The only tragedy of this evening is that Carrie had to die, too. I said what I said, and I will be hitting play again while it is on Shudder. This recommendation goes out to the other recovering sheltered girls who would be the problem if they had powers. I see you because I am you.
You can watch Carrie on January 1st.
Marshmallow (2025)
A shy 12-year-old gets sent to summer camp and finds himself in a living nightmare. While Marshmallow did not land for me, I know plenty of people who love it. Which makes this the perfect addition to the Shudder catalogue. I am actually excited to see more folks fall in love with this movie when it hits the streamer. If nothing else, it will help a few folks cross off another 2025 title if they are still playing catch-up with last year’s movies. It also gets cool points from me for not taking the easy route with the mystery it built. I hope you all dig it more than I did, and tell your friends about it. Perhaps you could even encourage them to sign up for the app.
You can watch Marshmallow on January 1st.
Chain Reactions (2024)
Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre cemented his horror legacy over fifty years ago. So, it is long overdue for a documentary where horror royalty can discuss its impact on them and their careers. I have been waiting for a couple of years to hear Karyn Kusama and Takashi Miike talk about Hooper’s work and how he inspired them. So, I am super geeked that Shudder is finally giving me the chance to see this film. The streamer is also helping the nerds out by adding The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2 (1986) this month. If you are also an overachieving couch potato, I will see you at the finish line next week.
You can watch Chain Reactions on January 9th.
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
An insurance investigator discovers the impact a horror writer’s books have on people. I love chaos, and John Carpenter chaos happens to be one of my favorite kinds of chaos. While we talk about The Thing and Halloween all the time, this maestro has given us plenty of horror to celebrate. In the Mouth of Madness is very much one of those titles vying for a top spot among the best of his filmography. To sweeten the batshit pot, this movie features Sam Neill. You know that he only shows up in our genre if the movie is going to be legendary. You cannot tell me this is not a Shudder priority this month.
You can watch In the Mouth of Madness on January 10th.
Mother of Flies (2025)
A terminally ill young woman and her dad head to the woods to seek out a recluse who claims she can cure her cancer. The Adams Family has been holding court on Shudder for years, so it feels right that Mother of Flies is a Shudder Original. More importantly, this fest favorite has one of the best performances of 2025. Which makes it a great time for people to finally get to see it and get in line to give Toby Poser her flowers. Whatever you think your favorite Poser role is, it is about to change when you see her as Solveig. I am being serious when I say that this movie might be the first family of indie horror at their best.
You can watch Mother of Flies on January 23rd.
New year, but same Shudder. I would not want to go into 2026 any other way, personally. I hope these horrific recommendations bring you the good kind of anxiety. Or at least distract you from the state of the world for a bit.
I’m happy Netflix knew I would be back on my bull shit. Now that we’re in January, and the end-of-year lists are done, I’m trying to cram as many 2025 titles into my eyeballs as I possibly can. I know it sounds backwards, but it’s sadly a yearly tradition now. No matter how many titles you cram into a year, there are always a ton more you missed. Because I am broken, I need to know if I missed anything that should have been on my lists ASAP. Then I can drag myself for not getting my eyeballs on things sooner. Or worse, seeing titles that came out after my deadline and would have definitely been on there. I need to feel resentment for their schedules not letting me be great.
Luckily for me, the streamer has dropped quite a bit of new stuff recently. This includes movies and shows that I put off, or that legitimately premiered a couple of weeks ago. So, now I can spiral in the comfort of my own home as I binge all of these titles like a maniac. If you are also trying to walk into the new year stressed out, then maybe this streaming guide is for you, too.
City of Shadows (2025)
When a burned body is put on display on the facade of an iconic building, two inspectors must work together to solve the crime. I don’t know much about this Spanish thriller, but I know winter is the time for an unsettling mystery. The show is based on the first book of the Milo Malart tetralogy written by Aro Sáinz de la Maza. So, if it’s as good as I hope it is, there is a whole world with this inspector awaiting us in print. I’m ready to take all six of these episodes in one setting if the streaming Gods allow.
Frankenstein (2025)
Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Christoph Waltz are among the names in this newest adaptation of the beloved Gothic horror classic. Guillermo del Toro’s take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is clearly one of the top priorities this month. While I skipped it in festivals because of the runtime, I knew I would have a date with it on Netflix this winter. While it has been on the streamer for a minute, I wasn’t able to dedicate two and a half hours to it. I also had watched my friends’ mixed reviews come in, and couldn’t take another disappointment last year. So, I saved this treat for the holiday. Fingers crossed, it is better than people are saying it is.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)
A new group of friends is tormented by a new stalker in this sequel to Kevin Williamson’s other ’90s slasher. I’m indifferent to the I Know What You Did Last Summer movies. Some are less awful than others, and I think this one was fine, but I know the original source material. Which means I know just how far they stray from what the original author, Lois Duncan, was about. So, I look at these movies and the flimsy premise they repeat differently than a lot of my friends. I think it’s an interesting look at how IP gets handled in Hollywood, but I don’t usually get much out of these. Which is another reason I’m kinder to this Jennifer Kaytin Robinson film than some people. While I won’t be rewatching it this January, I think a lot of people who missed it in theaters are going to have fun with some of these kills now that it’s on Netflix.
Stranger Things: Season 5 (2025)
The long-awaited conclusion to Stranger Things is finally upon us! Will Vecna take out some of this ridiculously large cast on the way out? I hope so. Will we pretend to be surprised when Eddie Munson gets a few seconds of screentime? I refuse to play this game. However, are we all going to tune in to see how this epic ride ends? You betcha! I hate that they’re breaking this final season up into three chunks, but I will be sitting for all of them.
The first four episodes hit in November. The next three landed on Netflix on December 25, and the finale premiered on December 31. I don’t know what to expect, but I know I am so ready to close this chapter of my relationship with Netflix and the Duffer Brothers. If it is even half as good as season four, then I will be a very happy nerd.
Troll 2 (2025)
A new troll awakens, causing Nora, Andreas, and Captain Kris to find new allies to take it down. This Norwegian monster flick almost got by me, so I’m happy Netflix dropped the trailer for this one. I’m using this as an excuse to finally watch the first one. I’m thinking a double feature is in order, so I can spend a whole day with these trolls. This is not my usual type of party, but after Troll Hunter won me over, I figure anything can happen. So, I will not judge you if you’re not feeling this out of left field pick. Just know that I’m running at it with an open mind and hoping to see some carnage as a reward.
These are just the Netflix titles I’m prioritizing. This is in no way a complete overview of all of the new shows and movies they’ve added this winter. We also know that they usually have a ton of international bangers that they refuse to advertise. So, I end up stumbling over Korean titles every January and then trying to tell people we missed some really excellent stuff. So, pick up your remote and turn your phone off. It’s time to Netflix and Chill in the less sexy and more nerdy way.
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