Chilling reason why hotel resort has a secret bunker which could house 1,000 people

When you check into a hotel knowing there is a secret underground bunker which can fit up to 1,000 people underneath it, you might sleep a bit sounder - although you better hope you don't need to use it.

Nowadays, the sprawling shelter is regarded as a nice perk that comes with staying at the super swanky resort situated near White Sulphur Springs in West Virginia, which could come in quite handy during a crisis.

But it's also a very interesting tourist attraction which welcomes visitors from all over the world, thanks to its extraordinary past and riveting origin story.

With 1,000 beds to sleep in, a cafe to dine at, a hospital and a broadcast centre all crammed behind a 25-ton blast door, the bunker underneath The Greenbrier has everything you might need if things go sideways.

The Greenbrier is a lot more than just a luxury hotel (Getty Images)

But this secret hideout below the surface of the luxury hotel wasn't built for any ordinary Joe to hunker down in, but rather all of the US' lawmakers - and a personal assistant for each of them.

The existence of it only came to light 32 years ago when The Washington Post reporter Ted Gup wrote an article about it, so locals were left pretty shocked when they found out there had been a nuclear bunker on their doorsteps all this time.

Covertly constructed from 1959 to 1962 with a 'cut-and-cover' style method, the fortress beneath The Greenbrier was built to house all the members of the United States Congress in the event of an emergency at the height of the Cold War.

The government got in touch with the high-end hotel for assistance in creating the bunker, which had the code name 'Project Greek Island', through fear that officials might need to shelter if a nuclear holocaust unfolded.

The bunker was built to house up to 1,000 people (The Greenbrier Resort)

The building work was cleverly disguised by the erection of the West Virginia Wing, an above-ground addition to the hotel, meaning no one had a clue about its presence.

Upon completion, the 112,544 square-foot bolthole made out of reinforced concrete was stocked up with loads of supplies, although thankfully none of the 535 members of Congress ever had to use them.

The bunker boasts decontamination chambers, an intensive care unit, auditoriums as well as a communications briefing room, so that officials could at least try and run the country from there if they needed.

The Greenbrier bunker's broadcast centre was also equipped with large changeable seasonal backdrops so members of Congress could pretend they were broadcasting from Washington and that everything was under control.

Thankfully, members of Congress haven't had to use it (The Greenbrier Resort)

Now a National Historic Landmark, it's existence only came to light in 1992 and the government immediately decommissioned the bunker as soon as it became public knowledge.

These days, the sprawling hidey-hole is used as a data storage facility for the private sector, but us ordinary folks can finally step foot in there too.

As it's no longer veiled in secrecy, The Greenbrier allows visitors to tour the declassified facilities, known as The Bunker, to enjoy an 'unforgettable' journey through the corridors and chambers of one of America’s most closely guarded Cold War secrets.

Topics: History, US News, Politics, World News, Weird

Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

@livburke_