Have you heard of skeletons in your attic? There may be skeletons in your bed in the Shady Inn Hotel. Within the desolate town of Grave Stone stands the Shady Inn. It's a horrifying place with boarded windows, creeking floors, and terrifying spooks that haunt the dark rooms within.

Legends say that the Inn was built on a graveyard, while others believe that the land beneath was the ancient burrial ground of American Indians. The shadows play tricks on ones sanity within this horrific hotel for those who have dared spent the night have seen those terryfing visions of apparitions and the undead, calling for someone to join them in their shallow graves.

If you are unfortunate to have stumbled upon the ghostly town of Grave Stone, you may want to think twice about spending the night in the Shady Inn.

The Shady Inn is my first MOC of Series II of the Grave Stone collection. About two years ago, when I originally thought of the Ghost Town sub-theme, I had built a rather large hotel that had rooms and a bar within. I had planned to use the building to host one of my murder mysteries. It was not so good (in my opinion). This second attempt (I think) is a much better MOC than the original and has inspired me to start Series II of the Grave Stone collection.

Please share your thoughts and/or critisism.

Excellent work, Mr. Brickster. The colors are fantastic and I like the Brown Tile porches and the abandoned look, but the placement of the columns provides me with an issue.

Usually this type of architecture would have symmetrical columns but I think it's OK to override this if you have the whole MOC asymmetrical. But that being said one would still have to keep the columns of the different floors in line. So the main problem here is the lack of the should-be middle column on the right side top floor (from the viewer's perspective).

I'm also wondering about that large gap between those two columns on the middle floor.....was there once a railing that has fallen off due to natural and/or artificial weathering?

I'm also wondering (again) how such a large barrel made its way to the utmost roof. And I think the bottom porch could use at least one stair.

The rounded railing really wouldn

Great MOC, great size, great color scheme. *y*

There

Thanks for the feedback. let me provide some explanations:

  oo7 said:

Usually this type of architecture would have symmetrical columns but I think it's OK to override this if you have the whole MOC asymmetrical. But that being said one would still have to keep the columns of the different floors in line. So the main problem here is the lack of the should-be middle column on the right side top floor (from the viewer's perspective).

I really wanted to keep the symmetry of the columns, and origianlly had a column in the place you mention. The issue was the fence pieces that I only have two of (in the orange brown) and two of the rounded fences (from the Scorpion Palace). With that said, I had to remove the column to keep them together. I may re-do and work on this as I was not real pleased with the final design here. I would have to change the color of the fencing though and I really liked the orange-brown pieces.

  oo7 said:

I'm also wondering about that large gap between those two columns on the middle floor.....was there once a railing that has fallen off due to natural and/or artificial weathering?

This was intentional (not due to a shortage of fencing). I wanted to keep this area open to see the large windows on the 2nd floor. I was wondering about this too. I may have to redo and could possibly use shorter fencing in this area.

  oo7 said:

I'm also wondering (again) how such a large barrel made its way to the utmost roof.

Just something to add some design to the roof.

  Asuka said:

There

Wow, I like that.

You work out a whole new line of Western sets and better than Lego hiself.

Customer: "I want to talk the owner, there's a skeleton in my bed"

Skeleton: "I am the owner, what can I do for you sir?"

*skull* :-D

This is definitely the finest building I've seen from the almighty Brickster! The only thing that's not working for me is the colour - teal? I think it really clashes the light brown because the brown is much brighter.

Maybe the former owner grew up innear the Village of Miami.... X-D

Thanks for the feedback. I've taken some time to redesign this MOC. Here's the outcome:

And some close-up shots of a treacherous band of looters being attacked by the undead:

I really like you MOC, Brickster. I would really have liked sets like this to have been released by TLC.

Does it have an interior?

BTW I think that the first version is the best. the second version simply looks too big, for a typical hotel.

  Christian said:

I really like you MOC, Brickster. I would really have liked sets like this to have been released by TLC.

Does it have an interior?

BTW I think that the first version is the best. the second version simply looks too big, for a typical hotel.

Thanks. Believe it or not, the 2nd one is just 2 studs wider in length and actually two studs less in width. It must be the third floor and the additional columns and design that gives it a much bigger appearance.

I absolutely love this! Was the intent to have it appear as if we were looking at a negative? It's very eerie...the color choice is superb :-)

As for the actual set, while I think it looks fantastic, it doesn't have that broken down feeling enough. Maybe take down one or two of the shutters while leaving the frame?

I love how you vary the white steps on the room, though one thing confuses/bothers me. I know you don't have many rown gates, but the alternation of bley gates with the curved rown ones just puts me off.

Anyway, fantastic creation! A true legacy to your ghost town *sweet*

Here are some shots of the rooms within the Shady Inn:

The bar as you enter the saloon (right side of the first floor):

A better shot of the bar:

A skeleton plays the piano (left side of the first floor):

The red room (right side, 2nd floor):

Chamber on the left side of the 2nd floor:

Canopy bed (3rd floor):

To the left of the canopy bed, the closet:

Hidden exit from the closet to the roof:

A shot of the entire backside:

Enjoy!

Very nice. I love the colour scheme. As others have said, I also prefer the original. I like the edge of the baseplate being visible, as it implies that the landscape carries on beyond the walls of the Saloon. Still, some of the additional detailing in the revamped model is quite impressive.

Good work.

Once again, a most excellent MOC. I love the color scheme and the various skinless denziens. Can't think of anything else to add, except, wish Lego would make more sets like this!

Steve

With the choice of sand green, I was trying to capture a combination of both an old western hotel and something along the line of a haunted house. I'm not real fond of the grey fencing, but I didn't have enought of the orange brown - my first choice.

I'm a little surprised that some of you are saying that you like the first model better (perhaps it's the more squarish design). The 2nd is more symmetric and has more detail.

I didn't spend much time on the furnishings, but one can get an idea of the intent to have a few rooms and a saloon as part of the hotel. The skeletons are just there to add a little fun.

Excellent work Brickster - make

i love the outside colour of this MOC brickster well done! :-D

i also like the little bar and four poster bed! *wub*

i tell you one thing though i would never stay there with all those creepy skeletons! *skull* :-| X-O

  casewindu said:

i also like the little bar and four poster bed! *wub*

I think the bar is a little too bright and modern looking - perhaps it's the yellow. - but thanks.

Much better! Just Bricklink some more Dark Orange fences and you're set! I agree with you about the bar and all the yellow, and the piano and beds could also benefit from a little more work. The double and single be look a little too flat right now.

Outstanding. *y*

Both of these are very nice, Brickster. I absolutely love the colors, and the building style is good too. I think that I may like the first version a little more, because it fits with the rest of the western buildings better, and seems a little better scaled. But the second version is great too.

I look forwards to seeing more. :-)

Wow! Now I regret rebuilding. I really wasn't too fond of the first design for the reasons mentioned in some of the first few responses - but thanks. Appreciate your feedback.

I prefer the first one as well. The second looks like its an alternate model that belongs on the back of the packaging for the first one. The first one looks complete, but the second one looks like you took the bricks from the back of the left building to make the right one (or vice-versa). At least that's the impression I get, though I can't really explain why.

Steve

  Athos said:

The first one looks complete, but the second one looks like you took the bricks from the back of the left building to make the right one (or vice-versa). At least that's the impression I get, though I can't really explain why.

That's too bad. I really did put much more effort into building the second MOC.

I just realized my comment seemed unduly harsh. I didn't mean the MOC looked bad, I just thought the first one looked better in comparison.

Steve

They're both phenomenal and better than I could do, but sometimes that's the fun in building. Finding out what works better, and what doesn't, and then throwing apart the bricks and starting again with a better knowledge of what to do and how to do it.

Sure it's frustrating at first, but it gives much more satisfaction when you're done-done :-P