The Hotel Westend was built in 1929 as the Hotel Morris, and replaced a business called ‘Half Price Shoe Stores’, which had filed for bankruptcy in 1925. Shoulda charged full price, guys.
From its erection in 1929 through to 1963, the building was Australia’s tallest hotel. Now, as Nomads Westend Backpackers Hostel, it’s apparently Australia’s most repulsive:
Before providing filthy rooms at a greater height than anyone else, back in 1890 the boarding house that stood at this address was embroiled…in CONTROVERSY!
South Australian Register, December 23, 1890.
The very next day, the plot thickened:
The Argus, December 24, 1890.
And then…nothing. Dodgy NSW cops? Sure it wasn’t 1980? Also, pretty ballsy of the Argus to call out the detectives as stupid given their spelling of ‘skull’.
Past/Lives of the Near Future 
Staying at the Meriton on Campbell with a view down to the interesting looking ‘Hotel Westend’ and wanted to find some history on it. Seemed tall for a building with turn of the century/art deco architecture. Shame it has ended up as a backpackers.
Love the “pretty ballsy of the Argus…given their spelling of skull” 😂
Took this photo this morning from across the road. Thank you for the background. https://www.flickr.com/photos/rodeime/32259937497/