Question: is bad times at the el royale based on a real hotel?
Answer: The thriller Bad Times at the El Royale comes out on Oct. ... It turns out that the El Royale isn't exactly a real hotel, but it is loosely based on one called the Cal Neva, W reports. You see, the hotel that's in El Royale is located on the border of California and Nevada, so its real-life inspiration makes perfect sense.