The Baker Hotel In Mineral Wells, Texas
Wikimedia CommonsThe Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, Texas was long abandoned, but it’s expected to reopen by 2028.
The Baker Hotel, a 14-story luxury hotel in Mineral Wells, Texas, was once one of the most elegant destinations in the entire state.
Opened in 1929 by entrepreneur T.B. Baker, the hotel was built during Mineral Wells’ heyday as a renowned health resort town. The city’s mineral waters, believed to have health benefits, had attracted wellness-seekers since the late 19th century, thanks largely to the city’s founder James Lynch, who speculated that the waters had cured his family’s rheumatism.
T.B. Baker, later seeing the opportunity that lay before him, began to dream up the idea of a world-class hotel that would cement Mineral Wells as a leading spa destination, competing against other high-end resorts.
To his credit, the Baker Hotel was opulent and ambitious. The 450-room property featured Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, with ornate detailing, a grand lobby, a rooftop garden, and an outdoor Olympic-sized swimming pool. Its spa facilities — the main draw for many guests — offered therapeutic treatments using the town’s famous mineral waters.
Wikimedia CommonsThe front of the Baker Hotel, which was largely abandoned before redevelopment began.
At a construction cost of $1.2 million ahead of what would be the Great Depression, it was an enormous investment.
Baker was clearly confident the investment would pay off, and for a time, it certainly did, despite the country’s widespread economic struggles. Influential figures like Judy Garland, Clark Gable, and Marlene Dietrich were just a few prominent guests at the Baker Hotel. It was a social hub for the rich and famous, where wealthy Texans mingled with Hollywood stars, hoping to find rejuvenation in the mineral baths.
Of course, many of the claims made about the town’s mineral waters were highly sensationalized, and as medicine progressed throughout the 20th century, fewer people saw the need to visit the Baker Hotel. At the same time, the increasing accessibility of travel drove tourism toward bigger cities, and many smaller resort towns suffered — including Mineral Wells.
The Baker Hotel struggled for a time and closed in 1963, reopening shortly after to draw in new business. It failed, though, and closed again in 1972.
More recent years, however, have been kinder to the hotel. After sitting abandoned for decades — and developing a reputation for “hauntings” — a major restoration project began in 2019. In July 2024, the local news station KFYO reported that the Baker Hotel was set to reopen in Spring 2026.
That reopening date has since been delayed to 2028, but regardless, it seems that the Baker Hotel once again has a new lease on life.
