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18th Aug 2022

Hotel that inspired Dirty Dancing burns down in fire

Ellen Fitzpatrick

Such a shame.

A fire has sadly destroyed the abandoned resort that inspired the hit 80s film Dirty Dancing.

Once a glamorous hotel in the Catskills mountains of New York state, Grossinger’s resort has been left in ruins after a blaze hit on Tuesday.

The damage is said to be so severe that firefighters needed to demolish the famed building, according to officials. The cause of the fire is now under investigation.

The fire broke out in the evening on Tuesday with the three-and-half story building completely destroyed.

Firefighters were forced to cut through the gate and through overgrown gardens and concrete barriers, with the main building being torn down four years ago.

Hugely popular in the aftermath of World War Two, the hotel saw thousands of holiday goers each year, with a 27-hole golf course, indoor and outdoor pools, a nightclub, two kosher kitchens and a 1,500-seat dining room.

The hotel soon became the inspiration behind the 1987 blockbuster that is still a fan favourite to this day.

Grossinger’s wasn’t only known for being the inspiration behind Dirty Dancing but was regularly visited by actor Eddie Fisher, who later married Debbie Reynolds there in 1955.

The hotel was in business for almost 70 years before it closed in 1986 like many other regional hotels at the time.