Jakarta –
No one thought that in the largest tropical forest in the world, there were abandoned buildings like giant tombstones. This building rises high through the dense thicket of trees and plants that thrive in it.
Reported by Express, the building will initially be used as an upscale luxury hotel. However, this plan is now just wishful thinking.
This hotel, called Gávea Tourist Hotel, was built in the middle of the forest because the initial concept was a boutique hotel with a fashionable style and character, so that it could attract tourists who wanted to stay in a different atmosphere.
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“The secret of Gávea Boutique Hotel is its stunning views and unique environment. I can say that only a few places in the world offer views like this,” said new board member of Gávea Residence and Corporations Marcos Cumagai as quoted on Thursday (15/1/2026).
Surrounding this hotel is Tijuca Forest, Rio de Janeiro. The view of the building when viewed from above is the sea leading to the Atlantic Ocean.
The building, nicknamed the ‘Skeleton Hotel’, has been standing since 1953 and if the project goes ahead, the hotel will be ready to operate in the same year. However, after 70 years or 7 decades this building was still left to die in the middle of the forest.
Its current condition is just a concrete frame without skin. The outside of the building is still exposed concrete and the windows are not covered from end to end. Inside, there are 270 stairs that lead to 16 floors that have been built. The plan is for there to be 440 rooms.
Standing on an area of 30,000 square meters, the Gávea Tourist Hotel was abandoned in the 1970s because the company went bankrupt. In 2011, it was heard about the rescue efforts that the local government wanted to continue construction. Speaking to G1, Marcos Cumagai, a member of the new managing board of Gávea Residence and Corporations, revealed they want to take over.
They were hesitant to continue construction, but in the end they continued, cleaning up the building area and closing the area to outsiders. Because, before they intervened, many tourists came and entered the building to enjoy the view.
“We cordoned off the area, but despite this, tourists and young nature admirers still flocked to the place over the weekend,” he said.
Although never completed, this place was once used. In 1965, the hotel hosted a grand New Year’s party and a nightclub called Sky Terrace once operated there.
“I think around the ’70s or ’80s, there was a nightclub here. They had some parties on the roof. That lasted about a year, and then it closed permanently,” Cumagai said.
The good news, according to their statement in 2023, this year they plan to reopen the hotel under the name Gávea Boutique & Extended Stay Hotel.
The facilities will consist of long-term accommodation as well as hotel rooms, with the aim of offering a boutique style. However, there is no latest news regarding the construction time and concept.
(aqi/das)
