The urban explorer may discover these architectural monuments of history on a trek in nearly any part of the world. From hotels that were only half-built and then abandoned mid-project to hotels who fell from their glory into a state of decay, here are eight more of the most interesting abandoned hotels in the world.
King Edward Hotel, Calgary
King Edward Hotel: The King Eddy, as it is affectionately called by those who want to revive it, was a hotel created in the 20th Century under the reign of King Edward VII. It was Calgary’s oldest continuously-operating hotel until 2004 when the site was condemned due to an infestation of cockroaches and an overgrowth of mold. A new owner had ambitious plans to re-open the hotel but it appears they may have taken on a project that’s bigger than they can handle as it continues to simply decay.
There are hopes that the historic building will still be brought back to life (and suggestions have been made that it could be turned into a venue for live music) but it’s unclear at this time whether it will ever make a return from its state of abandonment.
Hotel Regina Maris, Belgium
Hotel Regina Maris: This hotel located on the coast of Belgium in De Panne appears to have causes some confusion inside the travel industry. Hotel Regina is listed in several hotel directories but appears by all photographic accounts to actually be abandoned. Built in the 1920’s, it is not completely falling apart but has been the victim of extensive interior and exterior vandalism.
Diplomat Hotel, Philippines
Diplomat Hotel: This abandoned hotel in the Philippines is a historic attraction on the verge of being turned into a museum after decades of stagnation (unless you count the creatures that reportedly haunt the place). The building has served many purposes throughout the years including being a refugee camp, housing for Dominican friars and a first-class hotel. Its current state of disrepair is said to make the place incredibly spooky, so consequently it is a place of both notoriety and great interest to the world’s ghost hunters.
Palace Hotel, Jerusalem
Palace Hotel: The Palace Hotel was built in 1929 and once was the home of the Industry and Trade Ministry. Abandoned in 2004, it has been empty for several years. It isn’t going to be empty much longer, though; in 2010 this site is going to be home to the new Waldorf-Astoria luxury hotel.
Hotel Durant, Michigan
Hotel Durant: This grandiose hotel is named after William Durant, the founder of General Motors. That’s quite apropos considering that it is located in Flint, Michigan. This city used to be a thriving hotbed of automotive industrial activity, but has been in gradual decline due to the outsourcing of labour. The abandoned hotel serves as a symbol of the remains of a once-bustling area now fallen from its prime.
North Point Surf Resort, Barbados
North Point Surf Resort: Over thirty years ago there was a luxurious resort built on the Caribbean island of Barbados. With an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a dramatic staircase leading to the beautiful ocean beach, the North Point Surf Resort was poised to be a major tourist attraction. Unfortunately, the remote location didn’t appeal to travellers and the developer’s grandiose plans fell through. North Point Surf Resort is now a hangout for skinny-dipping Rastafarians but there are suggestions that it may soon get a renovation.
Dream Island
Dream Island: The site of this abandoned hotel looks like paradise and it could have actually been a dream come true if the region where it is located had been of any interest to tourists. Since that wasn’t the case, it’s simply just another spot marked only by some stunning, if not eerie, abandoned ruins.
Ramada Hotel, Louisiana
Ramada Hotel: The Ramada Hotel chain decided to move one of its Lafayette, Louisiana businesses to a new location and abandoned the old building. Sources say that it took less than two years for the abandoned hotel to fall into this somewhat shocking state of disrepair.
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