West Baden Springs Hotel

The wooded hill country of southern Indiana is the homeland of the Miami (Myaamia), the Shawnee, and the Piankeshaw, who knew the mineral and salt springs of this region long before European settlement. The springs that later made the resorts famous had drawn people to these valleys for generations.

In the nineteenth century, entrepreneurs turned the mineral springs of West Baden and French Lick into fashionable health resorts, promising that the sulphur-rich waters could cure a range of ailments. Guests arrived by train to drink and bathe in the waters, and the twin resorts grew into a nationally known destination, a Midwestern spa retreat for the well-to-do.

After fire destroyed an earlier hotel, the owner Lee Sinclair set out to build something unforgettable, and in 1902 the new West Baden Springs Hotel opened with its astonishing domed atrium. The dome spanned the circular court without interior supports, an engineering feat that awed contemporaries and earned the building its Eighth Wonder nickname.

In its heyday the hotel hosted a glittering clientele, with the atrium as its social heart. But the Great Depression gutted the resort trade, and the hotel closed. Over the following decades it passed through use as a Jesuit seminary and a college before standing empty, and in 1991 a section of the exterior wall collapsed, threatening the whole structure with loss.

The collapse spurred a rescue effort. Preservationists stabilized the building, and a major restoration, backed by philanthropic and later resort investment, returned the hotel to its early-1900s grandeur, from the great dome to the tiled floors, murals, and mineral-springs setting. The work is regarded as one of the most dramatic historic-preservation successes in the country.

Reopened as a resort hotel, West Baden Springs again welcomes guests and day visitors beneath its restored dome. Standing in the center of the atrium and looking up at the vast span of glass and steel, it is easy to understand why it once stopped travelers in their tracks.

The atrium is open to visitors, and guided history tours tell the full story of the hotel's construction, decline, and rescue. As a working resort, the hotel also offers rooms, dining, and grounds, so a visit can be a quick look at the dome or a longer stay.

West Baden Springs pairs with the French Lick resort about a mile away, its own historic hotel, springs, and grounds part of the same story. Together the two make southern Indiana's springs country a rewarding stop, with the rolling Hoosier National Forest and Bloomington within reach.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The West Baden Springs Hotel, in West Baden Springs near French Lick in southern Indiana, is a magnificent and historic resort hotel famous for its breathtaking domed atrium, once billed as the eighth wonder of the world. Built over a century ago as a grand spa resort drawing visitors to the area's mineral springs, the hotel is renowned for its enormous circular atrium crowned by a vast dome, an astonishing architectural marvel, along with its elegant historic grandeur. Beautifully restored after years of decline, the hotel welcomes guests and visitors to admire its splendor. Its architecture and history make it a stunning destination. A magnificent and historic hotel, it awes visitors. With its grand dome, the hotel offers a compelling destination in Indiana.

The West Baden Springs Hotel is famous for its enormous circular atrium crowned by a vast free-spanning dome, an astonishing architectural feat that, when built over a century ago, was among the largest of its kind in the world and was billed as the eighth wonder of the world. Standing beneath the immense, beautifully restored dome is a breathtaking experience, and it remains the hotel's crowning glory. The dome and atrium are the highlight of a visit. Admiring this architectural marvel is the delight of a visit to the West Baden Springs Hotel in Indiana.

Yes, visitors who are not overnight guests can generally admire the hotel's spectacular domed atrium and historic public spaces, and tours have been offered that share the hotel's remarkable history and architecture, though as a working resort, access to some areas may be reserved for guests. Because tour availability and access can vary, checking current visiting information before you go is wise. Visiting to admire the dome and taking a tour offer a rewarding experience at the West Baden Springs Hotel in Indiana.

As a historic hotel with its magnificent indoor atrium, the West Baden Springs Hotel can be enjoyed year-round, with the dome and interiors splendid in any season, and the festive holiday season especially beautiful with decorations. Because tours and access can vary, checking current information before you go is wise. Because its splendor is largely indoors, the West Baden Springs Hotel makes a rewarding stop any time of year in Indiana.

The West Baden Springs Hotel is in West Baden Springs near French Lick in southern Indiana, within reach of the French Lick resort area, Spring Mill State Park, Marengo Cave, and the other attractions of southern Indiana. That makes the West Baden Springs Hotel a compelling stop to combine with the attractions of the French Lick area on a visit to Indiana.