Some places are better left forgotten — or they’ll never let you leave.
“Hotel of the Damned (2016)” plunges viewers into a dark and unsettling world where a simple detour becomes a fight for survival. Directed by Bobby Barbacioru, the film delivers a mix of grim atmosphere and brutal horror, set against the eerie backdrop of a crumbling hotel deep in the Romanian wilderness.
The story follows Nicky (Peter Dobson), a recently released ex-convict, who’s determined to reunite with his estranged daughter, Eliza (Roxana Luca). On a fateful road trip through Romania, their car crashes in the forest. Seeking shelter, they stumble upon an abandoned hotel that promises warmth and safety — but quickly reveals itself as a death trap.
Inside the hotel lurk deformed, feral humans who’ve made the building their hunting ground. As Nicky and Eliza try to escape, they’re forced to navigate pitch-black hallways, hidden chambers, and unspeakable horrors, all while dealing with their strained father-daughter relationship. The tension is relentless as they discover the hotel’s blood-soaked secrets.
“Hotel of the Damned” stands out for its moody cinematography and the chilling use of its location. The decaying architecture, flickering lights, and echoing corridors create a claustrophobic sense of dread. Though the narrative sometimes follows familiar horror tropes, the film maintains suspense with jump scares and gruesome encounters.
At its core, “Hotel of the Damned (2016)” is more than a simple survival horror. It explores guilt, redemption, and the primal instincts that emerge when trapped like prey. While not groundbreaking, it offers genre fans a grisly, atmospheric ride — proving that sometimes, the real terror waits just beyond a seemingly safe threshold.
