Abandoned hotels stand as eerie reminders of once-thriving destinations with guests bustling in and out of the doors. These decaying structures tell a storied past. Their emptied halls and leaning pillars invokes curiosity, nostalgia, and a creepy, haunting shutter. Falling victim to economic downturns, shifting tourism trends, and history in the making, these hotels were forced to close their doors.
The Baker Hotel (Texas, USA)
From Bonnie and Clyde to Judy Garland to Lyndon B. Johnson, all have once stayed at the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, Texas. In its prime, visitors came far and wide seeking the healing benefits of the town’s mineral-rich waters. With its Spanish Colonial Revival style, the hotel offered top-notch amenities such as a lavish ballroom, a spa, and a rooftop terrace. The hotel has a colorful 43-year run, closing its doors in 1972 and becoming an eerie relic of the past. However, fans of the hotel can rejoice, as a renovation plan is commencing, and plans to reopen the hotel’s door once more are on its way come Spring 2026.
Lee Plaza Hotel (Detroit, USA)
The Lee Plaza Hotel in Detroit, USA, is a historic Art Deco skyscraper that once stood as a symbol of luxury and elegance. Built in 1929, the 15-story tower was originally designed as a high-end residential hotel, featuring ornate architecture, lavish interiors, and modern amenities for its time. Though abandoned, Lee Plaza Hotel is one of Detroit’s most well-known architectural relics, admired for its stunning designs and deep history.
Hotel Angst (Italy)
Hotel Angst dates all the way back to 1887 when Swiss entrepreneur Adolf Angst began construction on his ultra-luxurious hotel in Bordighera, a prime location on the Italian Rivera to host the elites. Construction was quick, and by then news spread far of the hotel to historical figures like Queen Victoria, who reportedly was enticed to visit. Years after, the First World War started and the hotel turned into a military hospital treating the injured. Due to the low tourism following the two World Wars, the hotel was forced to close. However, in 2022 the hotel reached a new chapter. After a complete renovation and careful restoration, Hotel Angst transformed into Angst Bordighera, a collection of private residences off the Italian Rivera.
Hotel Del Salto (Colombia)
Originally named the Mansion of Tequendama Falls in 1923, the property reflected the colorful roaring twenties with high windows and French architecture. The mansion hosted lavish parties even the Great Gatsby would itch for an invite. By 1928, the mansion had fully converted into a hotel welcoming guests in and out, but by the time of the Great Depression, business suffered and had permanently closed its doors. Nearly 100 years later, myths, mishaps, and a sneaking suspicion of the supernatural haunting visitors and tourists to tour the former mansion turned the hotel into a cultural hub.
Burj Al Babas (Turkey)
An abandoned town of cookie-cutter castles seems like an eerie setting, perfect for the next horror movie. Located by the Black Sea, the development was meant to be a luxurious development for the ultra-rich in Eastern Europe, mimicking the chateau life one might spot in the French Rivera. The Sarot Group started the project back in 2014 and was meant to be completed by 2018, the pandemic and a series of lawsuits ultimately left this project abandoned.
Hotel Belvédère (Switzerland)
Located on a hairpin on the Furka Pass, Hotel Belvédère was iconic in its days. The Furka Pass is a road-trippers paradise in the high Swiss Alps. It’s so scenic that it was featured in the James Bond film Goldfinger with Hotel Belvédère in multiple scenes. While the hotel was bought and restored, the hotel closed its doors once more in 2015
