Vacations should bring relaxation and joy, but sometimes the places we stay turn into nightmares. From creepy encounters to shocking surprises, here are 13 stories of hotel and rental stays that became unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.

One woman learned the hard way that her “romantic” boyfriend was using her to cover bills, starting with a declined card at a luxury hotel. Another guest found a man hiding in his room after a robbery. Some endured sleepless nights from faulty fire alarms, filthy motels with broken equipment, or hotels under secret renovations into senior living facilities.

Others faced terrifying moments: a desk clerk handing out rooms at random, guests chased down dark hallways, swarms of ants in fridges and hostels, spiders flooding walls, or being locked inside bathrooms. Even expensive resorts weren’t safe—rude staff, overheated rooms, and hidden cameras left travelers shaken.

What was meant to be restful turned into chaos, discomfort, and horror. These travelers will never forget their “vacations from hell.”