Hotel Oloffson, a historic Gothic gingerbread building in Haiti, has been burned down by gangs, prompting mourning among Haitians and foreigners alike. Although it closed due to gang violence, many remained hopeful for its reopening. The hotel's manager Richard Morse confirmed the fire, revealing long-standing rumors about damage. Resident James Jean-Louis described witnessing the flames amid gunfire. The hotel had once welcomed various artists, intellectuals, and politicians, marking its significance in cultural history.
Haiti's once-illustrious Hotel Oloffson, a beloved Gothic gingerbread building that inspired books, hosted parties and attracted visitors from Mick Jagger to Haitian presidents, has been burned down by gangs.
Even though gang violence had forced the hotel in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, to close in recent years, many had hoped it would reopen.
Longtime hotel manager Richard Morse, who had been overseeing the property remotely from the US since the hotel's closure in 2022, confirmed the fire and noted that rumors had circulated about potential damage.
The attack on the area began late on Saturday, as residents were chased out while police and gangs exchanged heavy gunfire, leading to inaccessibility for journalists.
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