The Eagles Are Suing ‘Hotel California’ in Mexico

The Eagles have filed a lawsuit against a hotel in Mexico called Hotel California — also the name of the rock band’s 1976 Grammy Award-winning song still played frequently today.

In a complaint filed Monday with the Central District of California court, the band claims that owners of the Baja California Sur hotel lead customers to believe it is associated with the Eagles and served as an inspiration for the lyrics in the song. Visitors to the hotel have made clear through “multiple online reviews” that the hotel is connected to the Eagles, “which is not the case,” the band said.

The hotel created false connections with the Eagles, the band claims in the suit, by playing the band’s music in its sound system and applying to register the name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

According to court documents, the band alleges that the hotel owners sought to create a reputation for the hotel “based at least partially on the hotel’s reputed, but false, connection to the Eagles.”

The Eagles seek injunctive relief, damages and other appropriate relief and arises. The hotel has not yet commented on the suit or responded to a request for comment.