Decaying, abandoned room with a bed and broken furniture, showcasing neglect and urban decay. The image features a tattered bed with dirty bedding, peeling walls, a broken ceiling, and a large window with shattered glass and torn curtains revealing overgrown plants outside. Debris and damaged items, including a broken fan, litter the floor. Perfect for illustrating themes of urban exploration, abandonment, or the passage of time.

Visiting the Abandoned Port of the Islands Hotel – Naples, FL

My First Urbex Adventure: The Port of the Islands Hotel

It was a week into the pandemic. The world was shutting down, and oddly enough, the only “open” places were the ones that had been abandoned for years. In other words, it was the perfect time to finally try something I’d been wanting to do for a long time: urban exploration, or “urbex” for short.

The Obsession Is Born

My obsession with urbex started way back when I was 16, thanks to a creepypasta called Abandoned by Disney. That story sent me spiraling down a rabbit hole about Disney’s forgotten Discovery Island and, eventually, into the entire world of exploring abandoned places. Fast forward to 2020: after a week of working from home, I decided it was time to just go ahead and do it.

I’d been a fan of Abandoned Florida’s website for ages, frequently fixating on the photos of forgotten landmarks. So, I scrolled through their archives and decided on a place that seemed perfect for a beginner explorer like me: the Port of the Islands Hotel.

This spot had everything: decay, a story, and it was easily accessible. Also, yeah, it was a dump and totally trashed… but, whatever, I was super excited to go see it.

The Journey Begins

I found the address on an old MapQuest page, and plugged it into Google Maps. Three hours away. Oof… but it’s not like I had anything better to do. So my partner and I hopped in the car and started driving.

At the tail end of the three hour drive, the GPS led us through what looked like a very nice Naples neighborhood of townhomes – mowed lawns, shiny SUVs, white picket fences. “This can’t be right,” I thought. But then, there it was: the crumbling, desolate hotel looming from behind the pristine suburb like a scene straight out of Edward Scissorhands.

The First Steps Inside

My heart was pounding. This was it – the moment I’d been dreaming about for years. But as we parked in the sketchy lot, my nerves started to set in. What if I got arrested for trespassing? What if someone yelled at us? What if leaving the car here was a terrible idea? It was only three hours back home – I could still chicken out, right?

Thankfully, my partner talked me into committing. With adrenaline kicking in, I grabbed my camera and we made our way in. Below is the gallery of what we saw:

Abandoned Port of the Islands Resort in Naples, Florida, showing a decaying hotel lobby covered in graffiti. The once-luxurious space is now in ruins, with broken furniture, scattered debris, and crumbling ceilings. The grand staircase and arched walkways hint at the hotel's former elegance, now overtaken by urban exploration and vandalism. Graffiti tags, including 'RIP Juice WRLD' and various other markings, cover the walls. This eerie and abandoned location has become a hotspot for urban explorers and photographers documenting Florida’s forgotten places.
The amount of dopamine that rushed into my brain the second we ducked into the entrance was insane. My eyes were wide open and taking in every detail… which way should we explore first? There were so many doors!
The air felt thicker inside, probably because of all the dust floating around.  The floor was littered with broken glass, but luckily we both had good shoes on.  You could tell teenagers from around the area liked to hang out here based on some of the messages spray painted on to the walls.
Destroyed mural at the abandoned Port of the Islands Resort in Naples, Florida. The once-vibrant artwork, featuring palm trees and a welcoming 'Port of the Islands' sign, is now riddled with holes and peeling paint. Graffiti covers the surrounding walls, adding to the eerie, decayed atmosphere of the forgotten hotel. This abandoned resort, once a gateway to the Everglades, has become a hotspot for urban exploration and photography, showcasing the effects of time, neglect, and vandalism on Florida’s lost landmarks.
This mural had been wrecked by vandals. I wonder what it looked like in its complete state.
Graffiti-covered room inside the abandoned Port of the Islands Resort in Naples, Florida. A broken vintage television sits beside a vandalized purple couch with scattered cushions. The walls are covered in colorful graffiti, adding to the eerie, decayed atmosphere of this once-thriving Everglades getaway. Urban explorers and photographers visit this abandoned Florida hotel to capture its haunting beauty and history of neglect.
Every room had been equipped with CRT TV’s, a relic of its time.  Some of those TVs had made their way into the lobby to be tossed around.
Inside a decayed hotel room at the abandoned Port of the Islands Resort in Naples, Florida. A disheveled bed with a floral comforter sits amid overgrown plants creeping through the broken window. Graffiti on the walls, including ominous messages like 'Jump' and 'I Dare You,' add to the eerie atmosphere. This former Everglades resort, now a hotspot for urban explorers, showcases nature reclaiming the forgotten space.
Every room was technically the same, but each one was in a different state of decay.  Some had vines creeping in, some had strange fungi growing on the mattress, some had shattered windows, some were completely boarded up.  It was fun to explore all of them.
A heavily decayed wooden wardrobe inside the abandoned Port of the Islands Resort in Naples, Florida. The structure is falling apart, with broken drawers, frayed wood, and peeling veneer, surrounded by debris and overgrown vegetation. This eerie scene highlights the effects of time and nature reclaiming the once-luxurious Everglades hotel, making it a fascinating location for urban exploration and abandoned photography.
The ceiling had fully collapsed in on this second floor room. You could definitely see the effect the exposure to the elements had on this piece of furniture.
A room inside the abandoned Port of the Islands Resort in Naples, Florida, overtaken by nature. Green vines and foliage grow through a broken arched window, nearly engulfing the space. A dusty lamp, decayed furniture, and peeling paint add to the eerie atmosphere, showcasing the slow reclamation of this once-luxurious Everglades hotel. A prime location for urban explorers and abandoned photography enthusiasts.
One of the trees outside had stretched its branches into this room’s full length window.
Interior of the abandoned Port of the Islands Hotel in Naples, FL, now demolished, showcasing a large, graffiti-covered room in disrepair. Debris is scattered across the floor alongside broken furniture, and the walls feature prominent graffiti. Exposed wooden beams line the ceiling, and light streams through several arched windows, creating a stark contrast with the state of decay. A scaffold is visible on the right, hinting at possible renovation or demolition work. This evocative scene captures the haunting atmosphere and deterioration of the historic site."
The conference space ceiling was also starting to cave in.  There was a temporary structural support system in place, which made me believe the problem started prior to the hotel being abandoned… I wonder if that’s part of why the owners left.  Perhaps the repairs would’ve been too costly.
Abandoned laundry room at the demolished Port of the Islands Hotel in Naples, FL, featuring two rusted, open-door washing machines surrounded by debris and fallen ceiling panels. The pink walls, marked with graffiti, contrast with the exposed pipes and insulation hanging from the damaged ceiling. This image captures the scene of decay and neglect prior to the hotel's demolition.
This was the only room in the whole building that had a washing machine and dryer.  It for sure had me wondering how they could’ve supported the whole hotel’s laundry with only one full set of machines. Maybe that explains the old reviews that mentioned bed bugs.
Interior of the abandoned Port of the Islands Hotel in Naples, FL, prior to its demolition. The room features large arched windows, partially boarded up, with ceiling fans hanging from a damaged ceiling. Graffiti-covered walls and debris-strewn floors, including broken furniture and overturned tables, reflect the state of decay. This haunting scene encapsulates the eerie atmosphere of abandonment and neglect.
The hotel restaurant was very spacious… do you think the menu was any good? I love the huge arched windows.
Dilapidated building with a red-tiled roof and graffiti-covered walls at the abandoned Port of the Islands Hotel in Naples, FL, which has since been demolished. Overgrown foliage partially obscures the structure, while a murky, algae-filled swimming pool with floating debris sits in the foreground. The image captures the eerie atmosphere of decay and the gradual reclamation of the site by nature.
The pool was now filled with green nightmare sludge, but I imagine families once had a great, relaxing time here. I would’ve gone for the mojito at the poolside bar.
Close-up of white mold growth on a doorframe at the abandoned Port of the Islands Hotel in Naples, FL, which has since been demolished. The mold appears dense and textured, emphasizing the decay and neglect typical of abandoned buildings. The contrast between the bright mold and the dark background highlights the extent of deterioration.
While most of our exploration was lit by natural light coming in through broken windows, the bottom left corridor was almost entirely boarded up and dark. Most of the doorframes there were covered in this horrific, alien-goop mold… I definitely felt the impact of the building conditions later. If I were to visit again, I would wear a mask. Funny enough, all stores were sold out of masks on this particular week, and the reuseable fabric masks everyone would eventually don had not yet been popularized.
Weathered documents and faded photographs discovered at the abandoned Port of the Islands Hotel in Naples, FL, prior to its demolition. The collection includes typed pages, ledger sheets, and a Ritz Camera envelope, all displaying signs of decay. This image evokes a sense of history and mystery, providing a glimpse into the hotel's past and the passage of time.
Behind the check-in desk was a small hallway that lead to a couple small office rooms.  One room had a mattress- maybe the owner used to live there.  There were a few legal documents and family photos that appeared to have belonged to the previous owner. We even found an electric bill from 1986.
Close-up of a dusty and weathered compact disc (CD) labeled 'Raja,' featuring names like Indra Kumar, Nadeem-Shravan, and Sameer, found at the abandoned Port of the Islands Hotel in Naples, FL, prior to its demolition. The CD is partially covered in debris and lies atop a purple-and-yellow guidebook, capturing a piece of history and decay from the once-active hotel.
Old FPL billing statement from December 12, 1986, discovered at the abandoned Port of the Islands Hotel in Naples, FL, which has since been demolished. The bill, addressed to Gopal Motwani, shows residential service details with a total amount due of 3.30. Partially covered in debris, it highlights the decay and abandonment of the once-standing hotel.
Close-up of a weathered bill of sale document discovered at the abandoned Port of the Islands Hotel in Naples, FL, prior to its demolition. The document records a transaction between Charles and Helen L. Ciesler and Gopal P. Motwani and Nirmia G. Motwani. Partially obscured by stains and dirt, it highlights the decay and historical significance of the site.

On the drive home, I felt pumped, already thinking about the next abandoned place to explore. I had officially caught the urbex bug. Over the years, we went on to explore several more abandoned sites, but this one remained my favorite.

Unfortunately, the Port of the Islands Hotel has since been demolished. If you ever decide to try urban exploration for yourself, please remember to respect these sites. Follow the old cliche: Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints. Destruction ruins these places for future explorers.

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