Police have been patrolling at the former Best Western Kilima Hotel on Holgate Road in York after videos of the inside of the building appeared on Urban Explorer social media channels.
A police van was spotted again at the site, which is closed off, last night (Saturday) The hotel announced it would shut, after 50 years, back in September last year (2025)
Like all Best Western hotels, it was a franchised business that was in private ownership.
It’s a former rectory dating from the 19th century, and had a bar, swimming pool and gym.
People were dismayed by the news last year. One said on Facebook: “Absolutely gutted to hear this, such a lovely place with amazing staff.”
Another wrote: “This is really sad news. It was a family tradition to come every year at Christmas.”
This is what the inside used to look like.
Urban Explorers (Urbex) produce videos of places which are closed off to the public, often abandoned buildings that are off-limits, like the Kilima.
Practitioners say they document these sites for historical preservation, photographic art, and morbid curiosity about decay and human absence.
Urban Explorers say they work to an ethical code: “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.”
However the videos can encourage other visitors who look to steal anything they can lay their hands on.
There are also health and safety issues in entering buildings that are out of use and while they may appear to be derelict, owners do not always welcome the intrusion.
