Dead & Breakfast
A Week of Haunted Hospitality (Haunted 100)
Pull up a creaky chair and pour yourself a cup of something ghostly—it’s Dead & Breakfast Week at Fest Holiday Shop, where we’re celebrating the spooky charm of haunted house hospitality. Inspired by eerie inns, Victorian hauntings, and the cozy-but-cursed vibe of paranormal bed & breakfasts, this week is packed with frightful fun, chilling crafts, and devilishly stylish decor.
Whether you’re obsessed with old-school ghost stories or just looking to turn your home into a haunted hideaway, we’ve got everything you need to check in (but not necessarily check out).
Haunted History: America's Most Famous Haunted Hotels
There’s nothing quite like the luxurious unease of a haunted hotel. Across the U.S., historic inns and creaky old lodges are famous not just for their age and elegance—but for their supernatural residents.
The Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, CO): The muse for Stephen King's The Shining, this grand mountain retreat boasts ghost sightings, phantom piano music, and room 217... if you dare.
The Red Lion Inn (Stockbridge, MA): Operating since 1773, this charming colonial inn serves up spirits with your turn-down service. Guests have reported mysterious footsteps, flickering lights, and even a ghostly little girl wandering the halls.
The Myrtles Plantation (St. Francisville, LA): With tales of murder, betrayal, and a famous spirit named Chloe, this Southern gem is consistently ranked one of the most haunted homes in America.
The Roosevelt (Los Angeles, CA): L.A.’s iconic tower is a haven for Hollywood’s most glamorous ghouls. That faint bugle echo drifting from room 929? It’s none other than Montgomery Clift, still rehearsing for his star role in From Here to Eternity.
RMS Queen Mary (Long Beach, CA): Once the crown jewel of the seas, the RMS Queen Mary now rests eternally in Long Beach—part luxury liner, part ghost ship. From phantom whispers in the engine room to shadowy figures in room B340, her haunted halls still echo with secrets from beyond.
Inspired yet? These eerie escapes are proof that haunted doesn’t mean horrid—it can also be historically fabulous.
Decor Spotlight: Set the Scene with Haunted Hotel Charm
No haunted hotel is complete without dramatic, dimly-lit ambiance. Our Dead & Breakfast decor blends the ghostly and the glamorous—think Victorian mourning meets B&B charm.
Must-Have: The Lumbar Candleholder (on sale now!)
At the heart of your haunted parlor should be our Lumbar Candleholder, a bone-chilling centerpiece that’s as elegant as it is eerie. Style it on a mantle, use it as the base for your tea table, or let it greet guests at your entryway altar. Add black taper candles for full séance vibes, or blood-red if you’re going for just murdered and mildly inconvenienced.
Other Decor Tips:
Drape furniture in black lace or spiderweb netting
Frame eerie vintage portraits and layer them gallery-style
Use antique teacups and tarnished silver trays as spooky accents
A Ghostly Gathering: Tea with the Recently Deceased
Nothing says haunted hospitality like a Victorian Afternoon Tea—especially when it’s for the recently departed.
Host your own spectral tea party with:
Finger sandwiches shaped like planchettes - recipe found here.
Black scones with raspberry “blood” jam
Skull-shaped sugar cubes and bone-china cups
Invite guests to dress in mourning attire, veils optional but encouraged
Add a spirit board centerpiece or hold a mini séance to really raise the dead… or at least the vibe.
Get Crafty: Spooky Spider Sconces
This week’s craft project was created by The Savvy Home. These spine-tinglingly Spooky Spider Sconces—are eerie, easy to make, and affordable. Head over to your local Dollar Tree and turn these basic items into a wall‑mounted masterpiece. Here’s what you need:
Gold frames (thrifted) or Canvas painted black
Plastic spider dishes (from Dollar Tree)
Plastic crystal balls (from Dollar Tree)
Package of spider webbing
Black tea lights
E6000 craft glue
Hot glue gun
Optional spooky accents: moss, faux cobwebs, glitter
Think Addams Family home decor on a Dollar Tree budget—moody, macabre, and museum-worthy in that deliciously dusty, haunted-parlor sort of way. Check out this video from @allthingssavvy_ and learn more.
How to Celebrate Dead & Breakfast Week
Looking for ways to bring this eerie elegance into your everyday? Here are some killer ideas:
Movie Marathon: Watch haunted hotel classics (The Shining, 1408, The Innkeepers)
DIY Guest Book of the Dead: Create a creepy guest book filled with fake entries from ghosts past
Breakfast for Dinner… But Make It Haunted: Think blood orange mimosas, black waffles, and candied bacon with ghost pepper drizzle
Victorian Ghost Story Night: Gather some friends by candlelight and read old ghost stories aloud—or make up your own!
Dead & Breakfast week is your chance to lean into that vintage horror aesthetic while still keeping things cozy. Whether you’re setting the table for ghostly guests or turning your entryway into a welcoming (and mildly cursed) inn, this theme is all about charm with a dash of chills.
Check out our Dead & Breakfast Board for more haunted how-tos, festive finds, and DIYs that’ll have your home looking to die for.
