What Does Hotel California Really Mean? Unlocking the Eagles’ Dark Allegory

Hotel California isn’t just a song—it’s the overture to an album that unravels the excesses, illusions, and ultimate disillusionment of rock stardom. By starting at The Last Resort and working backwards, we see how the Eagles crafted a thematic journey akin to a rock opera, where the title track sets the stage for the rise and fall that follows.