The Upstate New York Hotel That Even Gordon Ramsay Couldn't Save

Gordon Ramsay tried to help a historic hotel that is about a 2-hour drive from the Hudson Valley. What went wrong?

Have you ever stayed in a nasty hotel? A bad hotel stay is one of the worst experiences you can have as a customer. According to Statista, the average cost for a night in a hotel around the country is around $90 which means a nice room in a higher-end hotel is probably more like $200 or even more.

If a hotel consistently delivers a bad experience, then there's a good chance they will go under. A short-lived television series starring Chef Gordon Ramsay called Hotel Hell highlighted these failing inns and even attempted to save them. Did you watch this show? I loved it. It only lasted about 3 seasons and it aired before I lived in New York State. Many of the hotels Gordon tries to save are a short drive from us here in the Hudson Valley.

One of the most memorable episodes from the first season was when Ramsay visited the famous Cambridge Hotel in Cambridge, New York. The hotel was in pretty bad shape and the owners were nearly $1 million in debt.

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The hotel itself was beautiful and seemed to have a lot of potential. The Cambridge Hotel even took credit for being the birthplace of Pie à la Mode. I checked and according to reports, that claim is accurate. The episode showcased how the hotel had so many issues mainly from John, the overbearing owner of the hotel.

The episode ended positively. The owner seemed receptive to the criticism and adopted new practices along with a new kitchen menu created by Ramsay himself. The inn seemed like it was going uphill. So what happened to it?

According to Reality Revisited, the hotel was foreclosed in 2012 by the bank and was sold for $350,000. It was later turned into an assisted living community.

A Look Inside Abandoned Ames Department Store in NY

Ames Department stores were once prevalent throughout the United States, including here in the Capital Region and other parts of New York. At one time, there were about 700 stores nationwide.

I remember buying my first DVD player at the store in Latham when it was having its going out of business sale in the early 2000's. That location is now a Hobby Lobby.

In 2002, there were between 300 and 400 stores. The company was declining in sales and shut down operations permanently.

This former store is located in Horseheads, NY, in the state's Southern Tier between Elmira and the Finger Lakes. What makes it unique is the fact that sign and external design of the store still remain. In fact, the power still works in the building - as these urban explorers found out when they were making their way through the building.

Inside the store, not much retail history remains, though there are some colorful counters and maybe the remains of some signs on the floor. It also appears some squatters may have been calling it home at some point.

As expected, floor tiles are deteriorating, ceiling tiles are non-existent, there's garbage and debris, but neatly piled into different areas, so somebody is keeping an eye on it. Graffiti is seen in different parts of the former store as well.

It looks like some work may have been done on the facility in the past as it looks 'relatively' clean for a store that's been abandoned for around twenty years.

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.