BEYOND THE LOBBY - BANDS

Behind the Hotel Door: The Untold Stories of Rock ’n’ Roll’s Wildest Hotel Stays

By Jon @whereismyhotel

For some stars, like The Beatles, hotels were practically the only refuge where they could isolate themselves from frenzied crowds. However, that solitude came at a steep price—one that only a few could truly understand. The intimacy of those rooms also gave way to excess, strange rituals, and episodes of debauchery that would eventually become part of the myth.

Hotel rooms became the parallel stages of rock ’n’ roll—spaces where the glamour of fame faded behind dazzling moments of madness and chaos. As artists traveled from city to city, hotels became the only constant in an otherwise unpredictable lifestyle. Exhaustion and frustration built up after long hours on the road and the constant pressure to perform.

Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones took madness to new extremes: furniture nailed to the ceiling, cakes smeared on the walls, and TVs hurled from balconies were just some of the remnants of his chaotic presence. Elvis Presley’s hotel stays were no less infamous. His suites turned into intimate carnivals, where even his pet chimpanzee took an active part—often harassing female guests with his wild antics.

Others, like Iggy Pop, made chaos their personal brand. Smashed mirrors and bloodied hands marked the aftermath of one endless night, when he was found in the hotel hallway, completely naked and covered in peanut butter. Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys spiraled into darker territory, mixing music and paranoia by housing Charles Manson—shortly before trashing hotel rooms in alcoholic rages.

Beneath these behaviors lay a twisted, almost artistic logic: if a room was left untouched upon departure, it was as if they had never truly been there. The walls that bore witness to these excesses became part of rock’s lasting legacy.

Today, Dorado Ibiza Suites pays tribute to each of these—and many more—artists by dedicating a room in their memory, honoring their place in the history of music and hotels alike. Because hotel rooms have always shown the B-side of rock ’n’ roll—where every “Do Not Disturb” sign hid a story, often best left forgotten.