Across Michigan, a number of once-prominent hotels have faced abandonment at some point in their history. Some still stand vacant, others have been repurposed through redevelopment, and a few have been lost to demolition. Each experienced years of disuse, reflecting broader shifts in tourism, urban development, and local economies.
This list highlights 10 Michigan hotels that went through periods of abandonment, drawing on local history sources, preservation records, and reporting on their current conditions. Most of these sites are not safe for exploration today, so they are best appreciated through historical documentation, guided tours, or redevelopment projects that have brought new life to old spaces.
This list is compiled using historical records, local reports, and publicly available information. Access to abandoned properties can be restricted or unsafe, so this article is intended for informational purposes only rather than as a guide for visiting.
1. Lee Plaza Hotel, Detroit
Standing tall with intricate Art Deco flourishes, Lee Plaza Hotel embodies both the ambition and challenges of early 20th-century Detroit. Built in 1929 as a luxury apartment-hotel, it once welcomed guests with lavish interiors and panoramic city views. Over time, economic challenges shifted its fate, leading to vacancy and disrepair by the late 1990s…