I am beside myself with glee. I really thought this weekend would be fun, but not that special sort of fun that makes me giggle like a child.
There is an abandoned mall inside this hotel. This is not a drill.
Let’s back up for a minute. I’m in Yakima at the Hilton Tapestry hotel, a place known for having Mason roots. There is a tour you can take, but it’s only on weekdays, and I have already spent a night in a Shriner clown room*, so I’m good.
This hotel is labyrinthine. The outside is a confusion of empty storefronts showcasing local art and no admittance doorways. The garage is keycard access only. The porte cochere is more of circular drive, with one part of the circle blocked by potted plants and a grouping of roped off chairs. There is a patio with arched columns, gated with ornamental fencing, where an air conditioning unit is housed. Walking around the hotel gives a disorienting feeling of always heading in the wrong direction.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice here. The rooms are large and modern. The walls boast clips of the history of the building. The staff are friendly. It’s probably haunted. All the things you expect from a fancy hotel. But there’s something idiosyncratic about the building, this undercurrent of oddness that was escaping me.
You might recall that I’m nosy.
First thing this morning, I was peering through the windows under the patio to see what was in there. The photo isn’t great because of the glare, but as a child of the nineties, I know a mall when I see one.
If you don’t believe me, here’s a slightly different angle, where the mall turns the corner:
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*the Shriner clown room is not affiliated with the Hilton Tapestry, nor is it located in Washington. It no longer exists as far as I know.