Eden Hotel

Much like the Gran Hotel Viena, Eden Hotel in La Falda, Argentina is believed to have a Nazi past. In 1891, a German hotelier named Roberto Balkhe came upon a vast and beautiful piece of land, purchasing it in hopes of building a grand hotel. With financial support, the construction began four years later. The Eden Hotel was completed and opened in 1899 and was considered the centerpiece of La Falda's tourist attractions as a luxurious resort.

It contained an eclectic architectural style, with French towers and German ornamentation, 100 bedrooms, 38 bathrooms, dining room, assistance for children and personal trainers, a large lounge hall, reading room with desk hall, conservatory, lounge/bar, two spacious terraces, veranda, bank, blacksmith shop, golf course, swimming pool, electric power plant, sausage factory, tennis court and amphitheater. the hotel had many famous guests including Ruben Dario, The Prince of Wales, the Duke of Savoy, Albert Einstein (1925), the Marquis of Magaz, Argentine presidents Julio Argentino Roca, José Figueroa Alcorta, other representatives of the European nobility.

In 1912, the hotel was sold to Walter and Ida Eicchorn. Both were personal friends and leading financier of Adolf Hitler and his staff officers. It became a safe haven for Nazis and their supporters before and after the war. On September 17, 1945, there was an FBI investigation to determine a possibility of Hitler's connection with the hotel's owners and whether or not he would choose to flee Germany for Argentina seeking refuge in that hotel. Eicchorn was believed to have collected money during Hitler's campaign during his quest to gain power. Former staff members recall swastikas engraved on old kitchen utensils. Hitler speeches captured on shortwave antenna on the hotel roof and was broadcast throughout the hotel's loudspeakers. It was believed to be the only place that could contact Europe. In one of the reserved rooms, an autographed portrait of Hitler hung on the wall. After the war, a Nazi eagle on the steeple was destroyed by a group of militants and a "V" (Winston Churchill) was painted on Eicchorn and his friends homes.

After the war, the hotel was seized by the government, closing its doors to guests. The building was used to house a Japanese ambassador and his family for two years before being returned to Eichhorn. Unfortunately, the hotel switched ownerships a few times afterwords and became prey to looters and decay until 1963. The current owners are in the process of restoring the structure to its former beauty. However, they are experiencing problems as the workers from the restoration company are afraid to finish the job. Paranormal activity includes the apparitions of a little girl (possibly Eicchorn's daughter), waiter, woman and babies (all died within the hotel walls), shadows, voices whispering, cracking noises and slamming doors and windows.