12 Abandoned Hotels Where the Past Still Checks In

Some places don’t just gather dust—they gather stories. These abandoned hotels, once alive with laughter, clinking glasses, and whispered secrets behind velvet curtains, now sit in silence, their grandeur slowly crumbling under the weight of time. Yet even in decay, they refuse to be forgotten. Each one is a time capsule, frozen in the moment just after the last guest checked out, still echoing with the past. From mist-shrouded mountaintop palaces to ghostly seaside resorts and forgotten jungle retreats, these hotels aren’t merely buildings—they’re haunted history books, brimming with faded opulence and lingering legends. Some are whispered to be cursed, others simply deserted by progress, but all invite the brave to walk their worn halls and listen closely. Because in these places, the past isn’t gone—it’s waiting. Welcome to the world of abandoned hotels, where time stands still and the past still checks in.

1. The Haunting History of Hotel del Salto

Perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Tequendama Falls in Colombia, Hotel del Salto is a marvel of early 20th-century architecture. Built in 1928, it was initially a symbol of opulence, attracting Colombia's elite with its breathtaking views and luxurious accommodations. However, as time passed, the hotel's fortunes waned, and it was eventually abandoned. Today, it stands as a haunting reminder of its former glory, with tales of ghostly apparitions and unexplained phenomena adding to its mystique. Visitors often report feeling an eerie presence, as if the spirits of the past guests still linger in the halls. The hotel has since been transformed into a museum, preserving its history while inviting the curious to explore its haunted past. The story of Hotel del Salto is a poignant reminder of the impermanence of grandeur and the enduring allure of the unknown.

2. The Baker Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas

Standing like a ghostly sentinel over the small town of Mineral Wells, Texas, The Baker Hotel is a relic of 1920s glamour turned haunting monument to forgotten grandeur. Once a destination for the rich and famous drawn to the area’s supposed healing mineral waters, the hotel boasted opulent ballrooms, a grand spa, and rooftop views that rivaled anything in the state. But by 1972, the crowds had faded, and the Baker closed its doors—seemingly for good. Since its abandonment, the Baker has become a magnet for ghost hunters and urban explorers, with countless stories of unexplained footsteps, flickering lights, and cold spots in the empty corridors. Locals speak of the ghost of a red-haired woman, believed to be the mistress of the hotel’s former manager, who still roams the upper floors. Crumbling yet resilient, the Baker Hotel is a monument to a bygone era—and a chilling reminder that some guests never check out.

3. Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel, New York

Once the crown jewel of the Catskills, Grossinger’s was the epitome of mid-century vacation glamour. With its own airstrip, ice rink, golf course, and even a post office, it played host to celebrities, socialites, and honeymooners during its heyday. Known as a cornerstone of the “Borscht Belt,” it was immortalized in pop culture and served as inspiration for the setting of Dirty Dancing. But time was not kind to Grossinger’s. As travel trends shifted, attendance dwindled, and the resort closed its doors in 1986. Today, the once-lively complex lies in haunting disrepair—its dance halls silent, swimming pools overtaken by weeds, and guest rooms reclaimed by nature. Vandals and vegetation have had their way with the ruins, yet echoes of laughter and music seem to linger in the stillness. Grossinger’s is not just an abandoned hotel—it’s a faded symbol of a golden age long gone.

4. SS United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Docked in quiet stillness along the Delaware River, the SS United States is more than just a ship—it’s a maritime legend left in limbo. Once the fastest ocean liner in the world, this vessel dazzled passengers with mid-century modern luxury, carrying celebrities, presidents, and immigrants across the Atlantic in record time. But by 1969, air travel had eclipsed ocean voyages, and the grand ship was retired. Since 1996, the SS United States has sat motionless in Philadelphia, stripped of her interiors, silently decaying beneath layers of rust and forgotten memories. Hopes for restoration flicker from time to time, but the ship remains largely untouched—an eerie monument to American ambition and nautical elegance. Visitors who peer through the fences see not just a rusting hulk, but a floating palace, patiently waiting for a second act that may never come. Here, the ocean's whispers still echo in her steel bones.

5. Haludovo Palace Hotel, Croatia

Rising from the rocky coastline of Croatia’s Krk Island, the Haludovo Palace Hotel was once the ultimate symbol of luxury and libertine glamour in Eastern Europe. Opened in 1972 with backing from Bob Guccione, founder of Penthouse magazine, the hotel featured marble interiors, crystal chandeliers, and an infamous “Penthouse Adriatic Club Casino,” where the rich gambled and partied without restraint. But geopolitical instability and economic shifts in the early 1990s marked the beginning of the end. The lavish resort was shuttered, and what was once a playground for the elite is now a sprawling ruin. Vines creep through shattered windows, graffiti mars its marble columns, and silence has replaced the clinking of champagne glasses. The Haludovo Palace today is a surreal blend of brutalist beauty and ghostly decay—a place where the past feels as vivid as the graffiti on its crumbling walls.

6. Hotel Monte Palace, Azores, Portugal

Perched atop a misty ridge overlooking the twin lakes of Sete Cidades, Hotel Monte Palace once promised unmatched luxury amid volcanic landscapes. Opened in the late 1980s, this five-star hotel featured sweeping views, modern design, and a remote location that felt like paradise. But within just a few years, financial trouble and lack of tourist traffic led to its closure in the early 1990s. Now, Monte Palace sits abandoned, shrouded in fog and mystery. Moss carpets the floors where red carpets once lay, glassless windows frame haunting vistas, and graffiti tells tales of modern visitors drawn to its eerie charm. Yet even in decay, the hotel’s architecture and setting remain breathtaking. It’s a place where nature and neglect have woven a strange kind of beauty—one that invites the adventurous to wander through its halls and imagine a future that never came.

7. Château de Noisy (Miranda Castle), Belgium

Tucked away in the Ardennes forest of Belgium, the Château de Noisy—also known as Miranda Castle—once stood as a fairytale-like vision of neo-Gothic splendor. Built in the late 1800s as a summer residence for a noble family, it later became an orphanage and holiday camp. But by the 1990s, the castle was abandoned, left to the elements and slowly swallowed by time. Its spires and turrets still rise above the trees, but the interiors have long since fallen into ruin. Floors have collapsed, ivy overtakes grand staircases, and shattered stained glass scatters sunlight like broken dreams. Rumors of hauntings abound, adding a layer of spectral intrigue to its already melancholic air. Though partial demolition began in recent years, much of the structure still stands—a haunting reminder that even the most majestic dreams can fade into silence. The castle’s ghostly presence continues to draw explorers seeking the romance of ruin.

8. Pidhirtsi Castle, Ukraine

Once the crown jewel of Ukrainian aristocracy, Pidhirtsi Castle stands as a melancholic blend of Renaissance elegance and centuries-old decay. Built in the 17th century by Polish nobles, the castle was later transformed into a luxurious residence and hotel during the interwar period. With its grand halls, marble staircases, and manicured terraces, it was a marvel of its time—hosting balls, banquets, and nobility from across Europe. But wars, neglect, and looting stripped the castle of its opulence. After a fire in the 1950s, it was left to deteriorate, its ornate frescoes fading and its grand interiors falling into ruin. Today, ivy creeps across its once-glorious façade, and shattered windows reveal rooms where the past lingers like perfume in the air. Locals whisper of ghosts wandering the halls—spirits of former owners, guests, or soldiers. Pidhirtsi Castle is a haunting reminder that even the grandest legacies can be reduced to silent echoes.

9. Hotel Polissya, Pripyat, Ukraine

Hotel Polissya is one of the most iconic symbols of frozen time within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Once a modern hotel built to house Soviet officials and guests visiting the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, it stood proudly in the heart of Pripyat, overlooking the city square. But when disaster struck in April 1986, life in Pripyat came to a sudden halt, and the hotel was abandoned overnight. Now, its skeletal frame looms over a ghost town reclaimed by nature. Furniture lies untouched, beds remain made, and faded Soviet propaganda still adorns the crumbling walls. The silence is deafening—broken only by the wind whispering through shattered windows. Hotel Polissya serves as a haunting time capsule, a place where the clock stopped nearly four decades ago. For those who visit, it offers a sobering glimpse into the fragility of civilization and the enduring shadow of catastrophe.

10. Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang, North Korea

Towering ominously over Pyongyang’s skyline, the Ryugyong Hotel is one of the most bizarre and haunting unfinished skyscrapers in the world. Dubbed the “Hotel of Doom,” this 105-story pyramid was meant to be a shimmering monument to North Korea’s prosperity when construction began in 1987. Instead, political turmoil and economic hardship halted progress in 1992, leaving the concrete giant a hollow shell—windowless, lifeless, and looming over the city like a dystopian monolith. For years, it remained completely abandoned, drawing fascination and confusion from the outside world. Locals never mentioned it. Foreigners weren’t allowed to photograph it. Its eerie presence felt like a secret too big to hide, yet too shameful to acknowledge. In 2008, glass cladding was added, giving the illusion of completion, but the interior remains largely unfinished and inaccessible to the public. Despite reports of ongoing work, no guests have ever stayed within its walls.

11. The Diplomat Hotel, Baguio City, Philippines

Perched atop Dominican Hill with sweeping views of Baguio City, the Diplomat Hotel exudes a haunting grandeur. Originally built in 1911 as a retreat house for Dominican friars, the building has lived many lives—as a seminary, a refugee shelter during World War II, and finally a luxury hotel in the 1970s. But after its closure in the 1980s, the building was left abandoned, and the legends began to grow. Locals believe the hotel is cursed. Visitors claim to hear disembodied voices, see headless apparitions, and feel an oppressive presence as they wander through its arched corridors and crumbling rooms. The site has become a hotspot for ghost hunters and thrill-seekers drawn by tales of wartime atrocities and spiritual unrest. With its decayed beauty and eerie atmosphere, the Diplomat Hotel remains a chilling symbol of the intersection between history, suffering, and the supernatural.

12. The Lee Plaza Hotel, Detroit, Michigan

Rising above Detroit like a forgotten queen, the Lee Plaza Hotel is a tragic monument to the city’s once-glorious golden age. Opened in 1929, the art deco tower was a beacon of luxury, with lavish suites, ballrooms, and even an in-house pipe organ. It was designed to house Detroit’s elite during the boom years, but like the city itself, the hotel eventually fell victim to economic downturns and urban decline. Abandoned since the 1990s, Lee Plaza’s beauty still clings to its bones—ornate molding, marble accents, and colorful terra cotta tiles lie beneath layers of dust and decay. Vandals and scrappers have had their way, but the building’s soul lingers in its silent halls. Restoration plans have come and gone, but for now, the hotel remains a grand relic, draped in shadows. It’s not just a building—it’s a ghost story of America’s industrial rise and fall, written in brick and ruin.

Echoes in the Empty Rooms

As you leave behind these once-glorious corridors and ivy-choked facades, you carry more than curiosity—you carry the echoes of forgotten voices, of celebrations that ended long ago, and of mysteries left unsolved. These 12 abandoned hotels stand as monuments to time’s quiet erosion, their broken chandeliers and weathered walls whispering stories of love, loss, ambition, and sometimes tragedy. Though their lobbies are silent and their keys hang unused, they remain strangely alive—suspended between what was and what might have been. Some may be reclaimed by nature or razed by time, but their stories endure, passed along by explorers, photographers, and dreamers drawn to the poetry of decay. In a world obsessed with the new, these haunting ruins offer a compelling reminder: the past never really leaves—it lingers, watching from the shadows, waiting for someone to remember. So if you ever find yourself near one… listen. You might just hear history breathe.