New photos show life in the world’s most expensive hotel suite, once home to Elvis, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Michael Jackson.
The Celestial Suite Penthouse – once judged by Elvis to be “too colorful” – was the crown jewel of the Astroworld Hotel in Houston, Texas after it opened its doors in 1968.
Texas State Representative and later Houston Mayor Roy Hofheinz built the suite as part of the 500-acre “Astrodomain” empire of hotels and entertainment centers that played a key role in Houston’s growth in the second half of the 20th century.
Today, after the gradual dissolution and sale of the project in the years since, the Celestial Suite is frozen in time, unused and untouched.
The marble library in what was once the world’s most expensive hotel suite in Houston, Texas
The Celestial Suite at Astroworld Hotel even had its own nightclub for guests, as pictured
The Astroworld Hotel was a seven-figure penthouse, fetching $2,500 a night in 1977 when it was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s most expensive suite.
$2,500 is then equal to about $12,244 in today’s money.
Attracting stars from Frank Sinatra to Muhammad Ali, Hofheinz commissioned Harper Goff, the Oscar-winning set designer and Disneyland visionary, to build the suite.
Several themed rooms, a two-story nightclub, library and dining room were just some of the features, all accessible via a private elevator.
The hotel itself still operates under the Wyndham brand today, but the penthouse appears to have been closed to overnight guests since the 1990s.
The Astroworld Hotel website says: “The Astroworld Hotel is still standing today. Kind of.
“It’s changed names and owners countless times, and most people don’t even know it exists, let alone that the hotel they’re staying in was once this great hotel.”
Guests can enjoy the Roman-style penthouse’s private bath as part of the experience
The “Birdcage” dining room is said to have hosted presidents, singers, actors and athletes in their prime
What remains unused in the suite is a “remarkably well-preserved” time capsule from the 1960s.
Urban explorer Lance Bradford was able to photograph the suite and capture its faded majesty in haunting new images.
In his photos, the beds are still made, the library is well stocked with books and the chairs are still arranged around the kitchen table.
He said: “It is not open to the public at all. It’s not exactly locked behind bars, but to get in you have to ‘think creatively’, shall we say.
“The decor dates back to the late 1960s and to my knowledge has not been touched at all, although the hotel itself has gone through several iterations and owners.
“I can only imagine that the top floor was preserved because either it was prohibitively expensive to demolish everything or the owner has plans to potentially capitalize on the nostalgia of the time.”
He continued, “The furniture, fittings, floors and even the books in the library are remarkably well preserved.
“It’s not like most 60-year-old buildings I’ve photographed.
“There is no water damage or the kind of warping and cracking typically caused by Houston’s oppressive humidity.
“The windows are closed and the air circulation system is working, so the heat didn’t play a role. It’s incredibly rare to get something like this.’
Hofheinz, known as “The Judge,” lived in the suite from its completion in 1969 until 1973, when he was shocked by a fire two floors below and moved to a mansion.
The Crusader Room. Photographer Lance Bradford found beds still made in the penthouse
The ‘Tarzan’ Room in the Celestial Suite – said to be Michael Jackson’s favorite room
It’s unclear when the suite will close, though there are hints.
PaperCity Magazine noted that it was available for $5,500 a night in November 1996, citing an article from the Houston Chronicle.
The magazine added that the penthouse’s private nightclub was used as a jazz club “over the next decade”.
Meanwhile, a 2013 article on Houston-based television network ABC13 said the suites had been “closed for more than a decade.”
Astroworld closed its doors for the last time on October 30, 2005 and was demolished the following summer.
The Astroworld hotel has been renamed several times since 2005 and has been considered a Crowne Plaza hotel since 2011.
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
