The best vampire lairs, from 'Renfield' to 'What We Do in the Shadows'

Tara Bennett

April 20, 2023 at 3:25 PM·4 min read

The best vampire lairs, from 'Renfield' to 'What We Do in the Shadows'

Technically, a vampire's best lair is inside a coffin. The body-sized box ends up having the best protection against light and pesky enemies who aren't fond of vampire eating habits. And they travel very well. Where Dracula, or his vampire kind, can get creative with their home base is the outside lair that serves as the home of said coffin.

Lairs often end up being the space where non-sleeping vampires spend a lot of their free time, perhaps entertaining or just brooding in style. In film and television, vampire lairs are often production design tour de forces, ranging anywhere from "rustic" to opulent and over-the-top. Getting a peek at a vampire's lair is the ultimate Pandora's Box temptation. Who doesn't want to see what lies beneath?But knowing is akin to assuring your ultimate ruin.

With the recent release of Renfield, audiences get to see where Nic Cage's Dracula spends his time, in a lair that literally fuses blood and great design together. Inspired by those memorable visuals, SYFY WIRE was inspired to dig into some of the more interesting examples of lair chic in vampire film and television, which we've curated down to some of our design favorites.

Renfield

(from left) Dracula (Nicolas Cage) and Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) in Renfield (2023), directed by Chris McKay. Photo: Michele K. Short / Universal Pictures

Cage's Dracula uses his lair as a space to convalesce after particularly gnarly run-ins with humans or vampire hunters in the outside world. In Renfield, Drac's latest crib is an abandoned New Orleans hospital which means the design aesthetic is essentially medical supply nouveau. Drac and his familiar create a blood bag throne for him to sit upon as he drinks to better health. And there are plenty of old gurney's, body bags, and medical supplies laying around to aid in Drac's nightly feed too. Add some moody green and red lighting, and voila! You've got yourself one stylish vampire lair that matches the style of Cage's mighty vamp.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Master's Lair

In the first season finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Chosen One — Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) — grabbed her leather jacket and crossbow to finally face down the season's Big Bad, the ancient vampire known as The Master. His creepy underground lair went for the traditional vamp look, replete with plenty of cobwebs, moody candles, and lots of dramatic lighting. It gave off an aura of "old" mixed with timeless power, which put Buffy on edge. And it sure made for a great backdrop to have the two titans of the supernatural world face off.

What We Do in the Shadows

Of course the vampires of FX's What We Do in the Shadows would choose a rundown Victorian in Staten Island as their lair. The less than hospitable home holds the coffins of Laszlo, Nadja, and Nador the vampires. It's got three stories plus an attic and even holds the coffins of long-time vampire friends when they visit. Full of fussy gothic furniture, heavy tapestries, and knickknacks from their centuries of existence, their lair is well-suited to these misfits. Just mind the holes in the floor.

The Lost Boys

It's not the prettiest of lairs, but the vampires of Santa Carla in The Lost Boys really have their fun top side, where by night, they terrorize the local humans looking like a scary bike gang. But during the day, they hang upside down in a hole that is eventually found by Sam (Corey Haim) and the Frog Brothers. Let's say this lair is the most utilitarian but it's also an effectively scary backdrop for a major confrontation in the film.

Love at First Bite

When you have George Hamilton playing a vampire in 1979, you better believe his lair is going to be groovy and hip for the times. As a playboy vampire more interested in wooing the love of his life, Hamilton's Dracula gets to be suave and have a pad fit for the seducer he's made out to be in the film. Is his lair dated by today's standards? Sure is! But you gotta see this place to believe it.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Looking for the ultimate decaying castle lair, look no further than Francis Ford Coppola's take on Dracula (Gary Oldman). Another traditional take on where the ultimate vampire resides, the film gives us huge ornaments, impressive castle walls, and plenty of nooks and crannies to hold writhing succubus and Drac's ancient coffin. As goth as you can get, this version of Dracula's lair is memorable for its scale and detail.

We prefer our vampires and familiars to remain fictional. Fortunately, Renfield is in theaters now. Get tickets here!

Hungry for a bite? Download SYFY's free app to watch full episodes and tons of extras.

Watch Reginald the Vampire

Associated Press
For thousands of Jews, Israel still doesn't feel safe after the Oct. 7 attacks. So they're leaving
Leaving Israel is easier, Shira Z. Carmel thinks, by saying it's just for now. For the Israeli-born singer and an increasing number of relatively well-off Israelis, the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack shattered any sense of safety and along with it, Israel's founding promise: to be the world's safe haven for Jews. This time, during what became known as Israel's 9/11, the army didn't come for hours.
Reuters
South Korea police questioned acting president Han over martial law decree
South Korean police have questioned Prime Minister and Acting President Han Duck-soo as part of an investigation into the short-lived decision this month to impose martial law, an official at his office said on Friday. The acting president was among 12 people present at a cabinet meeting on Dec. 3 shortly before President Yoon Suk Yeol's shock late-night announcement on martial law. Nine of those people have been questioned by a special police unit investigating the case, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Associated Press
Gisele Pelicot's Australian supporters are moved that their French heroine wore an Aboriginal scarf
A group of Gisele Pelicot’s Australian admirers said Friday they're moved that the victim in France’s notorious drugging-and-rape case has acknowledged her distant supporters Down Under by wearing a scarf adorned with Aboriginal art. The 71-year-old who refused to remain an anonymous victim wore the silk scarf several times during the court process in Avignon, including when 51 men were convicted and sentenced to prison for molesting her after she had been drugged by her former husband, Dominique Pelicot. The scarf was a 220 Australian dollar ($137) gift from a Sydney-based rights advocacy group, Older Women’s Network, its chief executive Yumi Lee said.
NBC News
How Trump and Elon Musk caused Congress' nightmare before Christmas
Donald Trump and his billionaire backer, Elon Musk, threw Congress' plans to get home for the holidays into chaos over a government funding bill.
Associated Press
What to know about Vanuatu, the Pacific island nation struggling to recover from a massive quake
A search expanded on Thursday for those killed or trapped alive by an earthquake in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, as rescue workers arriving from abroad fanned out through the capital, Port Vila, encountering flattened buildings that had not yet been searched. Three days after the violent magnitude 7.3 quake struck just offshore from Vanuatu's most populous island, uncertainty persisted about the number of people dead and wounded. Damage was concentrated in Port Vila’s downtown area and the official figure of 10 confirmed deaths and more than 200 people injured was a day old and likely to rise, officials said.
USA TODAY
Former top aide to New York City mayor indicted on bribery charges
Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a former top aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, resigned from her post last weekend.
Reuters
US House Speaker Mike Johnson's future hangs in balance as he scrambles for funding deal
Mike Johnson’s hold on the speakership of the U.S. House of Representatives has been tenuous almost since the day he was elected. The Louisiana Republican only ended up with the job in October 2023 after the unruly members of his House caucus deposed then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy and cast about for someone who could amass enough votes to replace him. The soft-spoken Johnson, 52, had never served in the higher levels of House leadership before.
Reuters
Ukraine collects vast war data trove to train AI models
As the future of warfare pivots towards artificial intelligence, Ukraine is sitting on a valuable resource: millions of hours of footage from drones which can be used to train AI models to make decisions on the battlefield. AI has been deployed by both sides on the battlefield during Russia's invasion of Ukraine to identify targets, scanning images far quicker than a human can. Oleksandr Dmitriev, founder of OCHI, a non-profit Ukrainian digital system which centralises and analyses video feeds from over 15,000 drone crews working on the frontlines, told Reuters his system had collected 2 million hours, or 228 years, of battlefield video from drones since 2022.
Associated Press
China's Xi swears in new leader of casino hub Macao, telling the city to diversify economy
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the casino hub of Macao to diversify its economy as he swore in the former Portuguese colony's new government on Friday at an event marking the 25th anniversary of its handover to China. New Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai — Macao’s first leader born in mainland China — vowed to address the territory's unbalanced and uncoordinated economic development. Since its 1999 handover, the city of 687,000 has transformed from a monopoly-driven gambling enclave into the world’s largest gaming hub, drawing hordes of tourists from mainland China.
TODAY
Oysters sold in 15 states recalled over norovirus risk
The Food and Drug Administration announced a recall for oysters that may be contaminated with norovirus. The oysters were distributed in at least 15 states.
TODAY
'90 Day Fiancé' star David Murphey dies at 66, family remembers his time on the show
David Murphey, who appeared on “90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days,” has died at 66, according to a statement from his family shared on Instagram.
Reuters
Top US officials in Damascus to meet new Syrian rulers, State Department says
Top diplomats from the Biden administration are in Damascus on Friday to meet new Syrian authorities led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a State Department spokesperson said, the first in-person and official meeting between Washington and Syria's de-facto new rulers. The State Department's top Middle East diplomat Barbara Leaf, Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens and newly appointed Senior Advisor Daniel Rubinstein, who is now tasked with leading the Department's Syria engagement, are the first U.S. diplomats to travel to Damascus since Syria's opposition militias overthrew oppressive President Bashar al-Assad.
AFP
US diplomats visit Syria to meet new rulers
US diplomats have arrived in Syria to speak directly to the new Islamist-led rulers, hoping to encourage a moderate, inclusive path and to find clues on missing Americans, the State Department said Friday.Also present is Roger Carstens, the US point man on hostages, who has been seeking clues on missing Americans including Austin Tice, a journalist who was kidnapped in August 2012.
Associated Press
US diplomats and hostage envoy in Syria on first visit since Assad ouster
The first U.S. diplomats to visit Syria since President Bashar Assad’s ouster earlier this month are now in Damascus to hold talks with the country’s new leaders and seek information on the whereabouts of missing American journalist Austin Tice. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, former special envoy for Syria Daniel Rubinstein and the Biden administration’s chief envoy for hostage negotiations, Roger Carstens, made the trip for talks with Syria’s interim leaders, the State Department said early Friday.
CNN
US concedes it has double the number of troops in Syria as Biden sends officials to Damascus
The Pentagon announced the US currently has “approximately 2,000” troops in Syria, more than double the previously disclosed number of 900, a Defense Department spokesperson said at a press briefing on Thursday.
AFP
Sweden sees red over Germany's energy policy
As one of Europe's biggest suppliers of electricity, Sweden is seeing red over Germany's energy policy, which it says ends up punishing Swedish consumers.That includes imports from Sweden, which was Europe's second biggest net exporter of electricity last year -- behind France -- according to energy market website Montel.
AFP
'You always feel vulnerable': Britons impacted by no-fault evictions
Sitting by the fireplace in her house in the south of England, Jackie Bennett recalls the shock she felt when she received out-of-the-blue an eviction notice giving her just two months to move out.The bill would give tenants a longer notice period in the event of an eviction, giving them more time to plan their next housing arrangement.
Associated Press
A lynching in the family inspired Michigan's first Black woman elected justice to pursue the law
During Michigan Supreme Court Justice Kyra Harris Bolden's first campaign, a critic told her she wasn't Michelle Obama or Kamala Harris, “but you feel emboldened to run for this office.” Bolden, now 36, won that race, for the statehouse in 2018, and in 2022 she was appointed as the youngest-ever justice, and first Black woman, on Michigan's top court. Voters affirmed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's choice by electing Bolden to her seat in November.
AFP
Australia agrees deal to strengthen Solomons police
Australia said Friday it had agreed to boost Solomon Islands' police force with a multi-year funding, training and infrastructure package for the Pacific nation, which has fostered close ties with China.Despite Australia's overtures, Solomon Islands ties with China remain tight.
CBS News
Luigi Mangione faces federal murder, stalking charges in CEO killing
Luigi Mangione faces four new federal charges, including murder, which could make him eligible for the death penalty. He is also facing multiple state charges.