The Incredible Vacation Home In Kentucky That Has Been Left In Ruins
By Will Suphan|Published May 01, 2024
×
Will Suphan
Author
Will has been living in Arizona off and on for 30+ years in the Phoenix Metro and Tucson areas. He has traveled all over the state as well as having lived all over the Southwest. He's been writing for OnlyInYourState for one year and has previously written for Digital Journal. Will has a passion for travel and writing and combining the two is what he loves most. He loves solo international travel and has been to Thailand, France, Japan, and Cambodia.
Since we have a long history in Kentucky, we’re bound to have a great many abandoned places to discoverall over the state. It’s such an eerie and compelling feeling to see these places in person that were once bustling with life and are now nothing but abandoned ruins left to vandals and the elements. One such intriguing place that has been left in ruins in Kentucky is the “Hotel California” at Land Between the Lakes.
Deep in the woods on the island known as Land Between the Lakes, you can find an abandoned home that has been nicknamed the "Hotel California." It’s in the northern part of the island near a small town called Kuttawa.
It’s a two-story concrete building that is covered in graffiti and was actually a home rather than a hotel. It was built for Grover Marler, a riverboat captain, and was intended to be a retirement home for him and his wife.
While it was occupied, this house had several large windows and sliding glass doors, as well as a driveway that led to it from the old Highway KY 522. The road is now overgrown and the concrete skeleton of the home is all that is left.
Every inch of the remains is covered in graffiti and you’ll often find beer bottles littering the place from partygoers who frequent it in the evenings. Please try to leave no trace if you choose to visit.
The home was likely built sometime in the 1940s before the establishment of Land Between The Lakes. It was purchased during the 1960s for the creation of this island tourist attraction, but was ultimately abandoned.
If you choose to explore this place, make sure to come during the day and don’t come alone as you never know who else might be visiting. Thankfully, the structure has no wooden parts that might collapse. Even so, stay safe and stick to the ground floor.
Have you ever visited places like the “Hotel California” at Land Between the Lakes? Do you have any favorite abandoned places that were left in ruins in Kentucky? Let us know in the comments. While you’re visiting this areabe sure to explore more of the wonderful things to do at Land Between the Lakes: