banksy’s hotel reopens its doors after more than two years
Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel has reopened in Bethlehem, welcoming visitors once again to what it describes as ‘the worst view in the world’—a space directly facing the imposing concrete separation wall. This unique three-star hotel, envisioned as both a living artwork and a platform for social discourse, originally closed its doors on October 7th, 2023, due to ‘major developments in the region.’ Now, after more than two years of closure, the hotel is cautiously resuming operations during a period of uneasy ceasefire, where ongoing political uncertainty remains despite a reduction in widespread conflict.
The hotel had communicated its closure through Instagram, noting that it would not accept reservations ‘for the time being’ and would provide updates as the ‘situation evolves.’ The decision to close followed a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel and the subsequent Israeli military response. This conflict escalated into a broader regional war and a devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, resulting in mass displacement, severe destruction, and the loss of tens of thousands of civilian lives.
all images courtesy of Walled Off Hotel | image via @walledoffhotel
Walled Off Hotel is positioned against the wall
Established in 2017, the hotel created by the anonymous street artist is located just 500 meters from the checkpoint to Jerusalem and about a mile from the center of Bethlehem. Banksy selected this spot not only due to Bethlehem’s ‘shortage of rooms… famous since biblical times,’ but also for its proximity to the wall—a structure stretching over 700 kilometers, built by the Israeli government and seen by critics as a tool of apartheid and by supporters as a security barrier. The hotel’s location ensures that guests are immersed in the environment’s stark realities: tear gas, watchtowers, unreliable utilities, and constant surveillance are part of the everyday experience.
The Walled Off Hotel reimagines hospitality as both a cultural and political act. Its manifesto declares, ‘We believe a hotel can be more than just a place to rest your head,’ describing the property as ‘a three-story fight against fanaticism – with breakfast included.’ Banksy frequently cites Eleanor Roosevelt’s view that art should ‘comfort the disturbed, and disturb the comfortable,’ a sentiment the hotel has adopted as its unofficial motto.
Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel reopens in Bethlehem | image via @walledoffhotel
living with art under surveillance in Bethlehem
Staying at the hotel means sleeping within a work of art. Each room is distinctively designed by Banksy, Sami Musa, and Dominique Petrin, with plans for additional artists to contribute in the future. Accommodations range from budget-friendly bunk beds outfitted with surplus items from Israeli military barracks to a lavish suite featuring a plunge bath, original art pieces, a library, a home cinema, a rooftop garden, and a water feature crafted from a bullet-riddled tank. Regardless of the room category, all windows look out onto the graffiti-covered wall, and many rooms offer direct views of army watchtowers.
Beyond the guest rooms, the hotel serves as a vibrant cultural center. The piano bar, designed to evoke a colonial outpost reminiscent of Britain’s 1917 entry into Palestine, showcases vandalized oil paintings and sculptures ‘choking on tear gas fumes,’ while offering tea, scones, and the signature Walled Off Salad. The on-site gallery is the largest permanent venue for Palestinian artists in the region, with local curators organizing rotating exhibitions that have featured works by artists such as Suliman Mansour and Nabil Anani. A dedicated museum explores the history of the wall through audiovisual installations, historical accounts, and artifacts—including a bullet-damaged camera from the Oscar-nominated documentary “Five Broken Cameras.”
The reopening underscores the hotel’s founding purpose: to use tourism, art, and daily life to highlight political realities. As the hotel itself states, its offering is ‘nothing but the sight of a giant concrete wall from every room.’
restoring access to what the hotel calls ‘the worst view in the world’
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