This was originally a Holiday Inn. The restaurant was an Aberdeen Barn and was considered quite the place back in the 1960s and 1970s. The paved area in the back was an ice skating rink.
I’ve been obsessed with this hotel since I was little. (43yr F). I have always had an overwhelming visceral pull to it for as long as I can remember. We would pass it on our way home from vacation every year. I dreamed of staying there from the moment I saw it’s lights high on the hillside in the twilight of the evening. I then moved to Lexington Va and it was so close I could visit whenever I wanted. As a Stephen King fan even back then when it probably wasn’t age appropriate, I always saw this as the “Overlook Hotel” from The Shining. Once living close to it, I used to drive the sit in the parking lot and imagine it in its glory. The 70’s and 80’s huge parties, the glamour of when it was new. Never having the guts to get out because of the less than ideal residents that infested it in the later years. Years ago when you googled the hotel, there was a photo taken of a woman standing naked in the open doorway of one of the rooms facing the mountain view. It was the most beautiful artistic photo I’ve ever seen and now I fear it’s gone forever. I searched for over an hour today with no joy. Thank you so very much for this video, You have no idea what it means to me to FINALLY see the inside. I am stunned that even with the ease of entry and the inhabitants of the last decade, it hasn’t been completely destroyed. Again. Thank you.
this hotel absolutely has some kind of power. I hiked the appalachian trail in 2012 and at that point it was almost completely abandoned, yet still open. there was something haunting and it felt like a time warp into the 1980s. Somehow the 1980s really did leave a permanent impression on the place, as though mystically burned into it.
Too cool. Howard Johnsons! My grandfather used to take us up there on the weekends when we were kids. The Holiday Inn restaurant was where I took my gf to dinner for WHS prom in '85.
I really enjoyed your video. I had always wanted to go inside the, "Inn at Afton" but wouldn't dare go alone. The hotel was originally built as a Holiday Inn and was once a very nice property. You are correct that the orange roofed restaurant served as a Howard Johnson's restaurant. It closed at the end of the 1998 season and never reopened due to the difficult task of staffing for business. The second hotel you mention was an older hotel (older than the former Holiday Inn/Inn at Afton atop the hill. It was a colonial looking hotel property (much smaller than the one on the hill) and was torn down after it has been set on fire multiple times over the years that it sat abandoned. I appreciate getting to see the inside of all of these properties via your eyes and footage.
Stayed there many times back in the day either on the way home or on the way up to hike with friends. The best prime rib I have ever eaten was at that hotel! Things change I suppose but still sad to see. Thanks for posting this.
We stayed there for camp Jeep in Nelson county. It was a dump 15 years ago and just kept going downhill. Great views just crap motel with an owner who just didn’t care. That stained glass in the restaurant was gorgeous.
That place is pretty cool and pretty weird. I went out there in 2016 and 2017 on my way to go camping and there were still people living in the hotel in those days. The owner of the land and the hotel also owns the massive estate on the hill behind it called Swannanoa and evidently he doesn't have the money or desire to do anything with any of it
I live not far from Afton Mountain. I’ve never seen the Swannanoa, but have heard cool things about it. Never knew the owner of the Inn owned that too! Such a shame they can’t do something with them. Oh and if you don’t mind me asking Alan, me and my family go camping a lot, so I’m just curious where you went as you mentioned in the comment.
I’m not far from Afton Mtn. Every time I go up Afton, I see this abandoned Hotel/Inn. It’s really cool to see what’s inside after seeing it there for so long!
Awesome vid bro 🎥 It sucks that people lied to the guy about just filming and now he can’t trust anyone. People like that really suck! No need to ever break stuff. Anyway love the content! 👌🏼 💯
It’s been a while since I was there. When I drove around there were cats in some of the floor level rooms. Called Animal control and they said they were very well aware and they were taken care of. People there when I came. Asked me what I wanted. Told them was just looking. Guess everyone has really jumped ship now. Beautiful spot. Someone should do a new hotel there.
With the drug problems around this area and rehab facilities being limited it would be awesome to see the community come together to make it a rehab center
I tried to explore this, but there was a bunch of people watching birds when I went here and this dude who is paid by the owner to scare off would be explorers lives in one of the rooms on property basically nicely told me to leave if I didn't want to be arrested for standing outside.
went there with some buddy’s and we went inside for a little walked around awhile and ended up finding out someone still lives there. some old black dude he chases us around the whole building until we finally made it back to the car. whole building is covered in needles and broken glass. was a rlly cool experience tho
@c6o6r6r5 the owners pay him to live there. The hotel used to have power but the city cut it off and now he uses a generator to power just the room he lives in
Sadly, this property can't be sold as it was deeded to the current owner as being unable to be sold or given away. So unless the current owner decides to improve the property (which he has refused to), or the current owner passes away, it will remain like this. As a resident here, I share in many other's embarrassment that this is the first thing they see when they visit our great area. We don't like seeing it rot away, but have no choice in the matter.
Interesting. Any articles you could share link to? Seems like they could get employees now. It should be condemned before squatters take it over. It this was California it would’ve been full of squatters and burned down by now. I doubt the owner has insurance on it so that can’t be his motivation. So odd. This place has great location. Could even be for middle income workforce housing.
i believe i went here but it was dark and extremely cold, it was all creepy and we think that we ran into a squatter staying in one of the rooms. and he high tailed out of there
thats pretty cool, I wouldn't think it would be 100% safe and idk how bad the security is. but who I saw seemed like they were living in one of the rooms all set up and such. but all power to them!
Guess what - if you don't secure the property - you're liable. This place is not secure. The actual owner who just kicked off was a total whack job and trashy who let multiple properties fall to pieces.
This was originally a Holiday Inn. The restaurant was an Aberdeen Barn and was considered quite the place back in the 1960s and 1970s. The paved area in the back was an ice skating rink.
Never knew the restaurant below to be a Aberdeen barn. Always was a Howard Johnson restaurant.
I’ve been obsessed with this hotel since I was little. (43yr F). I have always had an overwhelming visceral pull to it for as long as I can remember. We would pass it on our way home from vacation every year. I dreamed of staying there from the moment I saw it’s lights high on the hillside in the twilight of the evening. I then moved to Lexington Va and it was so close I could visit whenever I wanted. As a Stephen King fan even back then when it probably wasn’t age appropriate, I always saw this as the “Overlook Hotel” from The Shining. Once living close to it, I used to drive the sit in the parking lot and imagine it in its glory. The 70’s and 80’s huge parties, the glamour of when it was new. Never having the guts to get out because of the less than ideal residents that infested it in the later years. Years ago when you googled the hotel, there was a photo taken of a woman standing naked in the open doorway of one of the rooms facing the mountain view. It was the most beautiful artistic photo I’ve ever seen and now I fear it’s gone forever. I searched for over an hour today with no joy. Thank you so very much for this video, You have no idea what it means to me to FINALLY see the inside. I am stunned that even with the ease of entry and the inhabitants of the last decade, it hasn’t been completely destroyed. Again. Thank you.
this hotel absolutely has some kind of power. I hiked the appalachian trail in 2012 and at that point it was almost completely abandoned, yet still open. there was something haunting and it felt like a time warp into the 1980s. Somehow the 1980s really did leave a permanent impression on the place, as though mystically burned into it.
Let me know if you ever find that photo again, sounds lovely.
Part of the skating rink still there, not much left of the ski lift.
Too cool. Howard Johnsons! My grandfather used to take us up there on the weekends when we were kids. The Holiday Inn restaurant was where I took my gf to dinner for WHS prom in '85.
Grew up nearby spent my honeymoon Night there. and many a evening in the lounge in the 80s
I really enjoyed your video. I had always wanted to go inside the, "Inn at Afton" but wouldn't dare go alone. The hotel was originally built as a Holiday Inn and was once a very nice property. You are correct that the orange roofed restaurant served as a Howard Johnson's restaurant. It closed at the end of the 1998 season and never reopened due to the difficult task of staffing for business. The second hotel you mention was an older hotel (older than the former Holiday Inn/Inn at Afton atop the hill. It was a colonial looking hotel property (much smaller than the one on the hill) and was torn down after it has been set on fire multiple times over the years that it sat abandoned. I appreciate getting to see the inside of all of these properties via your eyes and footage.
there’s a man who lives inside of it he chases us all over the place before we left place is covered in needles
Stayed there many times back in the day either on the way home or on the way up to hike with friends. The best prime rib I have ever eaten was at that hotel! Things change I suppose but still sad to see. Thanks for posting this.
We stayed there for camp Jeep in Nelson county. It was a dump 15 years ago and just kept going downhill. Great views just crap motel with an owner who just didn’t care. That stained glass in the restaurant was gorgeous.
That place is pretty cool and pretty weird. I went out there in 2016 and 2017 on my way to go camping and there were still people living in the hotel in those days. The owner of the land and the hotel also owns the massive estate on the hill behind it called Swannanoa and evidently he doesn't have the money or desire to do anything with any of it
He has plenty of money,; he's just a shit person with local politicians in his pocket.
I live not far from Afton Mountain. I’ve never seen the Swannanoa, but have heard cool things about it. Never knew the owner of the Inn owned that too! Such a shame they can’t do something with them. Oh and if you don’t mind me asking Alan, me and my family go camping a lot, so I’m just curious where you went as you mentioned in the comment.
No way. Didn’t know that. Yeah it was about then when I came through. Cats in some of the rooms. Saw people there.
I’m not far from Afton Mtn. Every time I go up Afton, I see this abandoned Hotel/Inn. It’s really cool to see what’s inside after seeing it there for so long!
So incredibly sad. I remember it in its heyday. I pray it can be sold and either redone or something else built there because the views are beautiful!
So cool man! Thank you for showing me around inside! Been past there a million times but never inside.
The Inn at Afton looks to be beyond saving, but the location has value.
Used to be a very nice hotel with a Howard Johnson restaurant below.
I stayed here for Camp Jeep as well. It was really going downhill then which is a shame because it was an awesome location
Good explore, thanks for sharing
Beautiful place one time, so very 😔 sad,
looks like it was nice hotel in its hay day
Love this video buddy 👊
Awesome vid bro 🎥 It sucks that people lied to the guy about just filming and now he can’t trust anyone. People like that really suck! No need to ever break stuff. Anyway love the content! 👌🏼 💯
Need a private equity fund to raise money to refurbish it. Great location and views. Could also be workforce housing.
Awesome video!
It’s been a while since I was there. When I drove around there were cats in some of the floor level rooms. Called Animal control and they said they were very well aware and they were taken care of. People there when I came. Asked me what I wanted. Told them was just looking. Guess everyone has really jumped ship now. Beautiful spot. Someone should do a new hotel there.
With the drug problems around this area and rehab facilities being limited it would be awesome to see the community come together to make it a rehab center
I tried to explore this, but there was a bunch of people watching birds when I went here and this dude who is paid by the owner to scare off would be explorers lives in one of the rooms on property basically nicely told me to leave if I didn't want to be arrested for standing outside.
When was this?
We went yesterday some one was staying in a room out there😮
Probably the security guard
Why did it close. This is so amazing.
went there with some buddy’s and we went inside for a little walked around awhile and ended up finding out someone still lives there. some old black dude he chases us around the whole building until we finally made it back to the car. whole building is covered in needles and broken glass. was a rlly cool experience tho
Just went there wasn’t even able to get in cause he chased us he had a generator running. Do you think he was homeless?
@c6o6r6r5 the owners pay him to live there. The hotel used to have power but the city cut it off and now he uses a generator to power just the room he lives in
The only servers running there would be wait staff. No computers not that long ago!
Sadly, this property can't be sold as it was deeded to the current owner as being unable to be sold or given away. So unless the current owner decides to improve the property (which he has refused to), or the current owner passes away, it will remain like this. As a resident here, I share in many other's embarrassment that this is the first thing they see when they visit our great area. We don't like seeing it rot away, but have no choice in the matter.
Augusta Co. could 100% intervene, and they have refused because of their relationships with him.
😭
Interesting. Any articles you could share link to? Seems like they could get employees now. It should be condemned before squatters take it over. It this was California it would’ve been full of squatters and burned down by now. I doubt the owner has insurance on it so that can’t be his motivation. So odd. This place has great location. Could even be for middle income workforce housing.
yo you got an address or longitude/ latitude for this spot?
i believe i went here but it was dark and extremely cold, it was all creepy and we think that we ran into a squatter staying in one of the rooms. and he high tailed out of there
@@brugley1090 i went and some dude was camping out there, it’s a little aesthetic once you find the old maps
thats pretty cool, I wouldn't think it would be 100% safe and idk how bad the security is. but who I saw seemed like they were living in one of the rooms all set up and such. but all power to them!
This was a cool place
Mr Delaney owns all of that land up there until he died
Went recently older dude inhabits the place says he’s the caretaker or something
Going there toma
yo
It's decayed so much in the last 20 yrs
Guess what - if you don't secure the property - you're liable. This place is not secure. The actual owner who just kicked off was a total whack job and trashy who let multiple properties fall to pieces.
Who owns it now?
if the places can not be sold or restored, best to have them torn down.
Why don't they tear all this down and clean up their shit.
I was a waitress there for a short time years ago.
Doesn't look like it was that clean even before it was abandoned