Fodor's Expert Review Cabra Castle

With its collection of mock-Gothic towers, turrets, and crenellations, along with rumors of paranormal activity, Cabra Castle has been deemed one of the world's scariest hotels; the Irish Ghosthunters Association has confirmed that it was indeed a place visited by spirits. Some reports speak of guests meeting a man in full early-20th-century military uniform striding down the corridor while others claim to have heard a horse and carriage pull into the courtyard in the middle of the night. Standing amid parkland with mature trees and pristine lawn, Cabra boasts rooms of all shapes and sizes, from attics to ones that can accommodate three double beds. Rooms in the castle are recommended (although some are small), but many of the larger bedrooms are in the adjoining courtyard area, in a carefully restored stone outbuilding overlooking Mitzies garden, named after the owner. Some come with roll-top baths and four-poster beds. The Victorian Gothic theme of the main castle is carried through in the bar and the restaurant (reservations are a must for lunch or dinner) with varying degrees of success. Framed portraits and deer heads adorn the walls. Don't miss the castle gallery, which has hand-painted ceilings and leaded-glass windows.