Celebrity-owned hotels that totally flopped

Showbiz hotels that didn't stand the test of time

They might have other skills, but some of these stars had a tough time making it in the hotel business. From plush Las Vegas resorts to budget inns in Wales, these celebrity-owned properties didn't last. 

Click or scroll through the gallery as we reveal the celebrity hotels that failed spectacularly…

Debbie Reynolds: Debbie Reynolds’ Hollywood Hotel, Las Vegas, USA

The Sin City hotel once owned by American actress Debbie Reynolds had something of an identity crisis since it opened in 1970.

It began life as the Royal Inn before changing hands numerous times and serving stints as both the Royal Americana and the Paddlewheel, before it was snapped up by Reynolds in 1992.

Debbie Reynolds: Debbie Reynolds’ Hollywood Hotel, Las Vegas, USA

Upon purchasing the property (pictured here in its later days as the Clarion Hotel), Reynolds made her mark, christening it the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Hotel. The venue had a Hollywood theme with tributes to film stars and movie memorabilia, and it got off to a swimming start.

However, financial issues ensued and the hotel filed for bankruptcy in the late 1990s. In more recent years, it operated as the Clarion Hotel but was eventually closed and ultimately torn down in 2015.

Rupert Grint: Rigsby’s Guest House, Hertford, England

Harry Potter star Rupert Grint bought Rigsby's, a Grade II-listed, luxury guesthouse in Hertford, in 2011. The lodgings, which reportedly cost $188 per night, got off to a promising start. 

The property even won an episode of Channel 4's Four in a Bed, a TV program in which B&Bs are pitted against each other, in 2013.

Rupert Grint: Rigsby’s Guest House, Hertford, England

Despite the accolades, the guesthouse (pictured right) didn't stand the test of time. Rigsby's was ultimately closed at the end of 2015, reportedly due to low profits earned over its four years in operation.

The property's manager took to Facebook to thank patrons for their support.

Donald Trump: Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, USA

The 45th (and 47th) president of the United States is certainly no stranger to the hotel business, with The Trump Organization operating luxury hotels across the States and beyond.

However, the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, originally opened on Atlantic City's buzzing Boardwalk, no longer counts among Trump's successful properties. 

Donald Trump: Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, USA

The Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino opened in the mid-1980s complete with sumptuous rooms and several restaurants, and was known for supporting some major wrestling events over the years.

However, by the 2010s, business wasn't booming and the Trump Plaza shuttered in 2014. Trump Entertainment Resorts, the company that owned the hotel, also filed for bankruptcy. The building was eventually demolished in 2021, after remaining vacant for years.

Nicky Hilton: Nicky O hotel, Miami and Chicago, USA

Nicky Hilton may be a hotel heiress but her own dreams of opening a property were sadly short-lived.

In 2006, Hilton unveiled plans to open high-end hotels in Miami's sought-after South Beach and Chicago's Printer's Row. Each hotel would fall under the new Nicky O brand. 

Nicky Hilton: Nicky O Hotel, Miami & Chicago, USA

The property on Miami's Ocean Drive (area pictured) reportedly involved plans for a glitzy penthouse, created with the help of some world-renowned designers.

However, the plans were scrapped before they even got off the ground. Hilton was also sued for a breach of contract by the Chicago development group involved.

Jim Bakker: Heritage Grand Towers, Fort Mill, USA

Heritage Grand Towers was an ambitious project dreamt up by American televangelist Jim Bakker.

The high-rise hotel, which was tipped to have 500 rooms upon its completion, was set to be part of Bakker's Heritage USA, a large Christian theme park opened in the late 1970s. 

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Jim Bakker: Heritage Grand Towers, Fort Mill, USA

However, construction of the hotel was halted after a slew of scandals that ultimately led to Bakker's conviction and imprisonment.

Today the tower (pictured) stands decrepit and unfinished and, much to the dismay of local residents, its future still remains uncertain.

Jay-Z: J Hotel, New York City, USA

Hip hop heavyweight Jay-Z has had plenty of success as an entrepreneur, with his booming business ventures including everything from music streaming services to clothing lines.

However, the music mogul's efforts to break into the hotel industry in 2007 ultimately flopped, and his plans to open a hotel in the Big Apple came to nothing.

Jay-Z: J Hotel, New York City, USA

The upmarket property was planned for New York City's Chelsea neighborhood (pictured), not far from the High Line attraction. Despite Jay-Z reportedly sinking millions into the venture, the project never got off the ground.

Reports blamed the recession and a lack of funding.

John Malkovich: The Big Sleep, various UK locations

While most celebs in the hotel industry plump for all-out luxury, actor John Malkovich favored more budget-friendly options. The star invested in 81-bed hotel The Big Sleep in Cardiff, Wales in 1999.

Eventually affordable locations in Eastbourne and Cheltenham, both in England, were also opened. Malkovich sold off the properties to firms Compass Hospitality and Seacare Hospitality in around 2015. 

John Malkovich: The Big Sleep, various UK locations

While the hotels remained open following the sale, the Cardiff location found itself in hot water in 2016. The property was slammed for "dirty rooms" reported by guests and uncovered by a BBC Wales investigation.

Today, The Big Sleep brand no longer exists and now all three properties come under the Citrus Hotel umbrella.

Neil Morrissey: Multiple properties in Laugharne, Wales

Actor Neil Morrissey, best known for his role in British TV sitcom Men Behaving Badly, bought several properties in the small town of Laugharne in Carmarthenshire in the early 2000s.

These included Hurst House on the Marsh and Brown's Hotel, which is known as a spot once favored by the late Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.

Neil Morrissey: Multiple properties in Laugharne, Wales

Sadly though, things didn't go to plan and by 2008, Morrissey's dreams of establishing a hotel chain were dashed. Brown's Hotel had already been sold on, and the company behind Hurst House ultimately went into administration.

Brown's is now running under new ownership but Hurst House has closed for good. 

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Now check out the world's celebrity-owned hotels that are thriving..