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EERIE pictures reveal the inside of the abandoned Grand Hotel Niagara – one of the most prominent landmarks in New York.
The luxury hotel hosted the likes of Marilyn Monroe, US President John F Kennedy and Frank Sinatra before closing – but half a century later, it sits frozen in time.
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The Grand Hotel Niagara has been left to rust with its gold pillars, vintage wallpaper and herringbone floors.
The ballroom – which would have once hosted lavish events and star-studded parties – looks completely desolate, but the extravagant crystal chandelier remains hanging.
A lot of the old carpets have been littered with paint chipping off the walls and dirt.
Entire spaces are completely sparse – with no furniture or decor left behind to fill the empty space.
Even what appears to be the kitchen looks apocalyptic, with plastic sheets attempting to cover the pipes and some of the tiles ripped out of the floor.
One of those who explored the rotting hotel is photographer Matthew Christopher, who runs Abandoned America.
The urban explorer was granted permission to enter the decaying hotel and take chilling images.
He told The Sun: “Hotel Niagara is a beautiful building, and an impressive sight to behold.
“I will confess that I was disappointed that the upper floors had been so thoroughly stripped, and the lower ones, while beautiful, were a bit of a jumble of tools and equipment.”
The hotel was built by Niagara Falls businessman Frank A. Dudley in 1924.
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Sitting 12 stories high with a steel frame and concrete, the hotel was designed by renowned Buffalo architects Esenwein and Johnson.
Matthew described how “gorgeous” the building was, with the ballroom and stairways still holding onto some of its history through the patterns and colours.
With nearly 200 guest rooms and convention facilities, the luxury hotel’s primary public rooms include a huge lobby, ballroom and main dining room.
And Matthew talked of its “amazing history” that drew prominent historical figures far and wide.
Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio are said to have stayed while filming the moving “Niagara” in 1952.
And the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr also stayed at the then-ultra-luxurious Grand Niagara Hotel.
But in the mid-20th century, a decline began due to Niagara no longer holding enough significance – as well as economic issues.
It was reportedly meant to undergo renovations in 2007 – but the site remained how it had for years before.
The owners Amidee Hotels & Resorts allegedly abandoned the property which allowed it to fall into foreclosure after their parent company filed for bankruptcy.
The building was even condemned by the Niagara Falls Department of Code Enforcement after its heating system failed – causing water pipes to burst.
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Angered city workers shut down the water after the incident, leaving the building with no running water or a functional fire sprinkler system.
Over the years various investors have tried to take over the Grand Niagara Hotel with no luck.
The latest was in 2019 by a developer who has restored other historic hotels.
This incredible restoration was set to cost an eye-watering $42 million and would even have received millions in state and federal tax credits.
Due to open its doors in 2021, it was stalled by the devastating economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Back to square one, the same developer and company resubmitted plans in June 2024 to restore the incredible building at $50million – $8million more than 2021.
Matthew said that he hopes the restoration plans “will be successful” due to how “striking” the property is.
He said reopening it would “help a lot in revitalizing the area”.
The photographer added: “It’s an enormous building and Niagara Falls has been in the midst of a slow struggle to recover from economic devastation.
“I think because of the work that has already been done perhaps this would make the rest easier to achieve.”
Inside the bullet-riddled ‘bay of abandoned hotels’ where stars have filmed
PERCHED by the glistening waters of Croatia sit the sinister-looking ruins of a luxury hotel complex that was once bustling with tourists.
But the resort now provides an eerie backdrop for sunbathers and even films as its bullet-riddled walls crumble and hold nothing more than debris and graffiti.
Scarred by Croatia’s war history, the ghostly complex is in Kupari village – just a stone’s throw from Dubrovnik’s busy beaches.
But as well as being gawped at by tourists, the ruins have been used for filming of the upcoming biopic Lee, about renowned World War 2 Vogue journalist Lee Miller.
According to local reports, it was one of several locations in Croatia Kate Winslet and Jude Law shot scenes last September.
With the Grand Hotel as its crowning jewel, the site features several other hotels – Pelegrin, Goricine I, Goricine II, Kupari and Galeb – able to accommodate thousands of guests.
The Grand Hotel flung its doors open in 1919 after a forward-thinking Czech investor realised the area’s tourism potential.
From the 1960s to the 1980s, several other hotels popped around it – largely bankrolled by the military.
It then became a huge draw for the Yugoslav military elite and their families – and Yugoslavian leader Josip Broz Tito even had his private villa there.
Spots at the hotel became harder and harder for normal holidaymakers to snap up – with rooms often prioritised for those with military connections.
But when the Balkans conflict kicked off in the 1990s, the Yugoslav People’s Army dramatically bombed their own precious holiday project in a bid to push out the Croatian soldiers.
They then badly vandalised the once-plush hotels, igniting phosphorous bombs and looting the rooms.
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