Thursday 14 August 2025
Wednesday effect: Gothic getaways surge after Netflix smash
Bookings to Barcelona have surged 76% year-on-year, with travellers choosing stays in the city’s atmospheric Gothic Quarter
Bookings to Dublin, the filming location for Wednesday Season 2, have almost tripled year-on-year
Wednesday Season 2 debuts with 50 million views in just five days
Bookings for “spooky” hotels have surged following the release of Season 2 of Netflix’s smash hit Wednesday, which debuted to 50 million views in just five days, according to Variety.
Fresh data from online travel agency Thomas Cook shows a sharp rise in demand for gothic-style stays, with bookings to Barcelona up 76% year-on-year. Many travellers are opting for properties in the city’s atmospheric Gothic Quarter, drawn no doubt by the show’s dark themes and eerie allure, seeking destinations that capture the same mysterious charm.
Rising demand for gothic hotels in Dublin
Latest travel trends 2025: Thomas Cook has seen bookings to Dublin almost triple year-on-year, the filming location for season two of the show.
From its cobbled lanes and weathered Georgian townhouses to its shadowy alleyways and ivy clad facades, the city’s character shifts effortlessly from literary to mysterious.
The 4 star Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin is a favourite among the online travel agency’s customers, standing as a dramatic jewel on Dublin’s famed O’Connell Street, its Portland stone façade adorned with sculpted sphinxes, urns, and classical shields drawing in fans of the Netflix series.
"It’s fascinating to see how what we watch can inspire where we travel. The release of Wednesday Season 2 has clearly sparked the imaginations of tourists keen to explore destinations they might never have considered. We love helping customers turn those cultural inspirations into real-life adventures - and this is a wonderfully unique way to see the world", comments Nicholas Smith, Holidays Digital Director at Thomas Cook.
UK travel trends┃Last minute haunted holiday destinations
For more information or to book, visit Thomas Cook and download the Thomas Cook holiday app. A selection of last-minute deals are still available, perfect for city slickers seeking spooky thrills this summer:
Top hotels in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter
- ● Take three nights with Thomas Cook at the 3 star H10 Raco del Pi in Barcelona on a Room Only basis from £260 per person including flights from London Gatwick on 15 November 2025
- ● Take three nights with Thomas Cook at the 5 star Hotel Bagues in Barcelona on a Room Only basis for £465 per person including flights from Edinburgh on 7 November 2025
Historic hotels in Dublin
- ● Take three nights with Thomas Cook at the 4 star Riu Plaza The Gresham in Dublin on a Room Only basis from £260 per person including flights from Birmingham International on 25 November 2025
-ENDS-
Notes to editors
For media enquiries please contact the Thomas Cook press office on +447457413467 or email pressoffice@thomascook.com.
About Thomas Cook UK
In September 2020, Thomas Cook, one of the most recognisable names in travel, returned as an online-only travel business. It is now part of the Polish-based travel company eSky Group, which owns and operates brands like eSky and eDestinos in 50 markets across the globe.
With ATOL-protected holidays and city breaks, the new Thomas Cook allows customers to design their own trip according to their budget, needs, and specifications. Customers can fly from all major UK airports with direct flights from all major carriers, thousands of hotels to choose from, and add-ons including car hire, insurance, and attractions.