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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Chloe Shakesby

Abandoned hotel gutted by fire that killed owner's wife is like 'world without humans'

Step inside the grand Welsh hotel that has hosted everyone from Winston Churchill to Richard Burton - until a tragic fire left it half destroyed, half perfectly preserved.

Bontddu Hall, built in 1873 as a country residence for the Mayor of Birmingham, sits in Snowdonia National Park, between Dolgellau and Barmouth.

The 20-bedroom building was then used as one of the grandest hotels in Wales until 2004, with guests including Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain, Richard Burton and Sean Connery.

Being transformed into a private residence after the closure of the hotel, tragedy struck in 2020 when a fire broke out, killing the owner's wife.

It has been left abandoned ever since, but urban exploration vlogger Mr Airborne has revealed what it is like inside the half-burnt hotel in a new video.

The video shows the magnificent exterior of the building, almost untouched by the fire - but then ventures inside, showing blackened walls and dilapidated rooms.

One of the rooms is entirely destroyed, buried under rubble - while the ornate hallway next to it remains in perfect condition.

Old TVs are piled up gathering dust (mediadrumimages/@mr_airborne)

"I love exploring these places left as it gives an insight to what the world would be like after humans," said Mr Airborne.

"At the time I was there I didn't know much about the history of the woman dying.

"It was a stunning place to see, and the parts that are half burnt and half still there in perfect condition were amazing.

The abandoned bar area (mediadrumimages/@mr_airborne)
Books have been left behind (mediadrumimages/@mr_airborne)

"It shows two sides to the life of this place in one shot."

The hotel is currently on the market with a listing price of £950,000 at Christie & Co.

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