One Mexican hotel in Todos Santos, Mexico, is finding itself in hot water – all for its name, Hotel California. The Eagles are suing the hotel’s owners for using the name “Hotel California”, claiming they are cashing in on “arguably the band’s most popular song”, which “in many ways embodies the very essence of the band itself.”
The hotel’s argument? Hotel California was its original name back when it opened in 1950. It went through several name changes since, but when new ownership took over in 2001 the original name was restored.
Still, visitors to the hotel are leaving reviews on Trip Advisor saying that Hotel California “put this otherwise sleepy little Baja town on the map”. Another purports that Hotel California is “the place where the Eagles wrote the song.” The Eagles’ music is reportedly played in the hotel’s library, and merchandise describes the site as being “legendary”.
Other reviews point to the connection as being clearly false. "The association often made between this hotel and Eagles song of that name is not supported in fact, only implied," reads one.
The injunction was filed on Monday (May 1) and will likely be settled out of court.