5 Abandoned Hotels That Were Once-Thriving Tourist Destinations

There's a reason why urban exploring has become so popular among the masses. It's perhaps only natural for humans to be fascinated by abandoned structures. There's something uncanny about seeing a place, such as a hotel, once bustling with life, now derelict and discarded. What's even more riveting is that abandoned hotels exist across the U.S. and around the world. Interestingly, some have even found a second life. Take, for instance, The Baker Hotel in Texas, which is being restored to its former glory (as of this writing) and will eventually reopen to overnight guests. 

Another example is Hotel del Salto in Cundinamarca, Colombia. The 1920s-era mansion was left to wither away in the 1990s but reopened in the 2010s as the Tequendama Falls Museum of Biodiversity and Culture. Others have been demolished, while some remain in decay and largely forgotten. Curious about the latter? Here are five abandoned hotels that were once thriving tourist destinations. Some still stand; in other cases, only ruins remain.

Just off the coast of Croatia is Krk, an island in the Adriatic Sea. Known for its pristine beaches, the island includes the town of Malinska, where you'll find what remains of the Haludovo Palace Hotel. Built in 1969, the seaside complex blended brutalist architecture with a touch of retrofuturism (think high ceilings and eye-catching shapes). Needless to say, it was once the definition of extravagance. According to Business Insider, the hotel featured two pools and a casino established by "Penthouse" founder Bob Guccione.

Once frequented by affluent tourists who came to gamble and enjoy the high life, the Haludovo Palace Hotel closed in 1991 during the Yugoslav Wars. Today, the former opulent hotel is enveloped by thick greenery and frequented by urban explorers. Although it's filled with debris and its walls are covered in graffiti, visitors can still catch a glimpse of its former glory. The pools remain, as do the seaside views. 

In fact, the Haludovo Palace Hotel is listed as not only one of the best things to do in Malinska but in Krk on Tripadvisor. "The main room is beautiful in a strange apocalyptic way, and you can explore corridors in both directions," reads a review from the platform, though the reviewer added that the property is in bad shape and visitors should proceed with caution. It's worth mentioning that there is a popular beach, Haludovo, nearby, and according to several Google reviewers, you can see the dilapidated structure in the distance. 

Japan's volcanic islands include Shikinejima, a laid-back gem with snorkeling, sunset spots, and natural hot springs, as well as Hachijojima. Sometimes spelled Hachijō-jima, this destination is a short flight from Tokyo and is home to the abandoned Hachijo Royal Hotel, also referred to as the Hachijo Oriental Resort. Built in 1963, the French baroque structure can be described as palatial. It features 252 rooms, crown molding on the walls, and chandeliers hanging from the ceilings. 

In its heyday, the Hachijo Royal Hotel primarily attracted Japanese tourists who came to vacation on the subtropical island. However, when visitors declined, opting to travel to other destinations outside of Japan, the Hachijo Royal Hotel declined. In the end, it shuttered around 2005 or 2006. Since its closure, the Hachijo Royal Hotel has become an artistic muse of sorts. The site is often photographed for its surreal scenery. Countless items, now relics of the early 2000s, were left behind, including bulky desktop computers, TVs, and other equipment. In other words, it has an eerie time-capsule quality. 

One musician, Alexey Seliverstov, even set up a studio inside the desolate hotel in 2019. Seliverstov wrote on his website that he used the hotel's piano and the property's natural sounds in his recording process. While the hotel appears largely intact, many spaces are covered in vegetation. As one Redditor put it, "Nature always reclaims everything man makes eventually."

The Holiday Inn in Beirut was an immediate success when it opened its doors in 1974, a time when the city was a tourism hotspot. In a 2025 interview with This is Beirut, former manager Ignace Ziade, who stated that the hotel once had a 90% occupancy rate, said, "We hosted weddings, baptisms, and folklore parties." Plus, it featured a revolving restaurant that overlooked the city. But with the start of the Lebanese Civil War in 1975, the Holiday Inn, located in the city's downtown, went from a destination to a combat zone.

The 26-floor building was subsequently occupied and fought over by militias. In a video for Al Jazeera, journalist Jonathan Dimbleby explained, "Control the Holiday Inn and you control the region around, so you took the Holiday Inn if you possibly could and that's why it was such a bloody battle." The Guardian reports that the "war of the hotels", also known as the "battle of the hotels", raged on until 1976, with veteran Abu Ali telling the publication that the Holiday Inn's contents were then liquidated.

Today, Beirut's Holiday Inn is off limits to the public and still looms over the coastal city, vacant and abandoned. The decaying building is nestled next to other downtown hotels and is ravaged with damage acquired during the war. It's unclear what will become of it. One owner wants to raze the structure, while the other would like to restore it.

The Hachijo Royal Hotel is far from the only abandoned structure in Japan. There's also the Maya Kanko Hotel in Kobe, a city near Osaka. Nicknamed "Queen of Ruins," this multi-level art deco structure resembles a ship and dates back to 1929. In its prime, it exuded old-Hollywood glamour. These days, its grandeur has long faded; the grounds are overgrown, and the building, severely damaged by the elements, is essentially crumbling. Located on Mount Maya, it was formerly an onsen hotel.

This site was established following the creation of the Maya cable car, which still runs today and draws tourists for its expansive views of the city. However, the Maya Kanko Hotel actually closed multiple times over the decades, including during World War II, when it was repurposed for military use. Despite later reopenings, it was ultimately abandoned in the 1990s.

Unsurprisingly, the hotel and its weathered beauty became sought out by urban explorers. But this is not where the building's story ends. In 2021, it was designated as a cultural property, primarily for its architectural significance, meaning it's protected by the Japanese government. While it is still technically accessible via the Maya cable car, entry to the site is prohibited, and Google reviewers warn that the building is monitored.

Florida is dotted with structures and long-forgotten places. One such site is the Hampton Springs Hotel, located outside Perry, a city about an hour away from Tallahassee, an underrated Southern capital near the Gulf Coast. The Hampton Springs Hotel was built in 1908 as a wellness destination that provided visitors access to therapeutic sulfur water and a taste of Southern hospitality. It featured two stories, manicured lawns, and notably, a pool filled with this mineral-rich water, said to relieve indigestion, gastritis, and other ailments.

But that's not all the Hampton Springs Hotel had to offer guests. It also featured a clubhouse, a tennis court, and much more. Put simply, it was an upscale property, and it's even reported that it hosted Theodore Roosevelt. Sadly, it was destroyed by a fire in 1954 and never rebuilt. Nevertheless, it was not entirely destroyed by fire. The pool and other foundations survived the blaze. Situated just off U.S. Route 98, the abandoned land is now a park, and visitors are welcome to explore the ruins.

"If you have an imagination you can see where everything would have been," reads a review posted on Google. Others say that there are picnic tables (if you're looking to take in the view with a snack, Rocky's Convenience store & Campground is around the corner) and bathrooms. Keep in mind that the area is swampy and that there are signs warning against entering the water. In any case, you can stroll the grounds and enjoy the bubbling sounds of the sulfur springs. Are you a fan of articles like this one? Be sure to read about the once-thriving island resorts that are now abandoned.