25 Deserted Getaways That Welcome Adventurers

If your idea of paradise includes a little mystery and a lot of space to breathe, these 25 deserted getaways are calling your name. Hidden in plain sight, they welcome the few who seek silence, stories, and the thrill of being somewhere almost forgotten—but not quite.

Hachijo Royal Hotel, Japan

Opening in 1963, Hachijo Royal was envisioned as a tropical Japanese paradise. Isolation and financial trouble led to its closure in 2006. Today, hidden by thick vegetation, its grand arches and winding halls survive to attract urban explorers who move through its crumbling elegance on remote Hachijojima Island.

Varosha Seaside Resort, Cyprus

Varosha was a major tourist district in Famagusta until the 1974 Turkish invasion forced its evacuation. The area remained closed to the public under military control for decades. In 2020, parts of Varosha were reopened to visitors, but most buildings are abandoned and inaccessible.

Sheraton Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Construction on the Sheraton Rarotonga began in the late 1980s but stopped in the early 1990s due to financial problems and legal disputes. The resort was never completed or opened. The unfinished buildings still stand on Rarotonga’s western coast, unused and deteriorating.

Hotel Belvedere, Switzerland

The building remains empty, with its curved facade weathering snow and alpine winds. Hotel Belvedere opened in the late 19th century to accommodate travelers visiting the Rhone Glacier. As the glacier receded and visitor numbers fell, the hotel closed permanently in 2015.

Ducor Hotel, Liberia

The Ducor Hotel’s skeletal structure remains standing on Monrovia’s highest point, exposed to decades of decay. Opened in 1960 as one of Africa’s first five-star hotels, it hosted diplomats and dignitaries. However, it closed during Liberia’s first civil war in 1989 after heavy looting.

Belvedere Du Rayon Vert, France

The Belvedere Du Rayon Vert remains intact but largely unused, aside from occasional cultural events. Following a decline in rail tourism, the hotel closed permanently in 1983. Opened in 1932, the Art Deco property had originally served travelers along the Franco-Spanish border.

Le Paradis Beach, St. Lucia

Today, partially built shells and overgrown paths mark the abandoned luxury project of Le Paradis Beach. Along the coastline, planned villas and a golf course were left incomplete. Development halted in 2008 following a financial collapse during the global recession.

Gran Hotel Balneario San Miguel De Los Banos, Cuba

The Gran Hotel of Cuba opened in 1929 to attract visitors to its mineral springs. After being nationalized following the Cuban Revolution, the property was neglected during the later decades of the 20th century. The neoclassical structure stands crumbling, with its spa facilities long abandoned.

Abandoned Hotel At Cala D’en Serra, Spain

The skeletal concrete terraces of the Hotel at Cala d’en Serra still overlook a turquoise cove in Ibiza. Designed by architect Josep Lluis Sert, construction began in the early 1970s. Political shifts under Franco’s regime halted the project, which left it permanently unfinished.

Hotel Igman, Bosnia And Herzegovina

Hotel Igman was built to serve visitors of the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics. But tragically, it was severely damaged during the Bosnian War and left abandoned. The bullet-riddled structure stands in the woods, partially collapsed and exposed to the elements.

Monte Palace Hotel, Portugal

The building remains abandoned, with open corridors and mist drifting through its skeletal halls. The Monte Palace Hotel opened in 1989 to overlook the Sete Cidades crater lakes in the Azores. Financial struggles forced its closure just 18 months after opening.

Xenia Hotel, Andros, Greece

Changing travel patterns in the late 20th century led to the abandonment of the Xenia Hotel in Andros. Originally part of a nationwide Greek tourism initiative launched in the 1950s, the hotel could not withstand shifting trends. Its weathered remains now sit overgrown near the island’s shoreline.

Hotel Algarrobico, Almeria, Spain

The massive concrete shell of Hotel Algarrobico remains a striking presence along the Spanish coastline. Construction began in the early 2000s but was halted following legal battles over its location on protected land. Despite being ruled illegal, demolition efforts have been delayed for years.

Grand Hotel Campo Dei Fiori, Italy

Opened in 1910, the Grand Hotel Campo Dei Fiori once offered Belle Epoque luxury above Lake Varese. The ivy-covered structure remains abandoned, with ornate facades crumbling among the forested hillside. Tourism trends shifted by 1968, which led to its permanent closure.

Hotel Du Chalet, France

The shuttered Hotel Du Chalet, opened in the 1970s in Saint Jean d’Angely, now shows cracked walls and vine-covered balconies. It once offered boutique charm to locals and tourists. That soon faded, and mismanagement and declining visitors led to its closure in the 2010s.