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La Fonda Hotel
Rating Details »
100 E San Francisco St
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 982-5511
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 982-5511
- Price Range:
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$$$
13 reviews for La Fonda Hotel
Gotta love the La Fonda, a Santa Fe fixture if ever there was one. While living in Santa Fe, the hotel became my favorite place to unwind with a margarita--upstairs on the roof during the warmer months, and inside during the winter. The view from the roof is a fine one, and during the winter there is usually some sort of live music each night, with an eclectic mix of dancers, consisting of both hotel guests and local regulars. Always with a happy, light-hearted vibe though.
And the creperie, well, that's easily my favorite breakfast spot in town. The crepes, pastries, and bread are all outstanding, and you get a little slice of Europe along with your breakfast in terms of atmosphere. It's cash only though, so be prepared.
This review is centered on the La Fonda's "Lumkin's Ballroom" and the service I received at the 2009 IAIA Auction to benefit student scholarships... And my only gripes, and there were two, were with the service and the food by La Fonda's catering service.
Water. Seriously... The La Fonda does itself a great diservice in not offering at least a pitcher of water for each table during these events... This particular event lasted over 4 hours (and I had to leave before it ended), and in four hours, we got refills of the water twice... That's basic server negligence IMHO.
Secondly, the salads and the desserts were great, but serving a main dish that nobody can identify is a nono... We got a chicken dish, but everyone at the table couldn't identify it as so until we took the plunge and cut into it... Overly breaded, not too tasteful, and was saved by the garlic mashed potatoes that it rested on. At one point the members of our table had named it either the "Chish" dish, or the "Ficken" dish in parody.
Other than that, and I've been to quite a few of these banquets over the years, the service was commendable, and the entertainment was excellent.
We paid (I believe) $150 a plate for our confusion... Maybe the La Fonda will donate a portion of their take to the IAIA Scholarship Fund because we were confused... But somehow, I don't think so...
I stayed here for a conference. I got a tiny room on second floor. There had been a mistake in my reservation! GRRRR! That after a horrible overnight unexpected stay in Alberqueque due to fog! WHEW!
The conference facilities were great- large, well-cleaned and spacious.. The food was superb. Staff very friendly. I really liked my little tiny room. Due to the mistake they brought me a mini-fridge.
Bow down and worship the margaritas. And while you're down there, get some tacos and fajitas too.
I stayed here once with family on a business trip. It's an historic hotel (literally at the end of the Santa Fe trail) and is right on the Plaza. The hotel itself is nicely appointed in faux adobe and other Southwest touches. The hotel rooms themselves are nice and stay with that theme, but are not amazing.
However, my fondest memory of La Fonda was when I lived in New Mexico in 1979. I would go to Shabbat services at the old Beth Shalom building and then for our Oneg, Rabbi Leonard (first name) would take us all over to La Fonda. His Catholic friend was in the band and did a killer latin dance version of "Hava Tequila".
The plaza is literally your front yard and the hotel is a piece of living history.
There seem to be some minor inconsistencies in people's experiences here, but our stay was just fine.
La Fonda is Santa Fe like chiles, turquoise, and O'keefe. If you are there to explore and enjoy the area around the plaza look no further.
I stayed in La Terraza and it was preh-T sweet, my friend. The food is great, as is the hotel bar where live music or a buffet is usually present. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. It's got the classic look and vibe of SF, and the suites are unique and comfortable. And the hot tub is awesome day or night - pretty cool view too. It's huge, so I'd bring company ;)
Overall, I give it my rare two make-believe finger guns a blazin': Pow! Pow!
We stayed here on our last few nights in Santa Fe for a more romantic visit to Santa Fe. We had a hard time choosing between here and the Hacienda, but ultimately went for the proximity of La Fonda (it translates to "Inn") to the plaza and the authenticity of Old Santa Fe. A hotel has been on this site for the last 400 years! But this inn has been around since only 1922.
The rooms are well appointed with nice hand painted furniture (see pictures) and it's extremely well located in the center of town.
We were pleasantly surprised with a complimentary bottle of champagne from this hotel in honor of our anniversary! This is our third anniversary, we've traveled 2 other times to hotels that haven't done anything to commemorate our special day before, so we felt really honored!
The only real complaint I have with the hotel was the amount of noise we could hear from the rooms next to us and on the street. I think the age of the place doesn't lend itself to the sound-proofing that hotels have now. It really wasn't THAT loud, it was just louder than I was used to.
While staying here, or perhaps just visiting, hop on up to the beautiful Bell Tower Bar for a spectacular sunset! (see my other reviews)
I'd recommend La Fonda on the Plaza to those coming to, and exploring Santa Fe.
Well above my expectations, prefect locations, and super friendly and helpful staff. Rooms are old, but in a good way. Really liked the entire atmosphere of the hotel. Staff really went out of their way to help you out, not that different than what you see at the four seasons.
I've been staying in La Fonda my entire life. It is a hotel that is near and dear to my heart. The hotel is simply beautiful, smells wonderful, and is ever so comfortable. The hotel restaurant is great, especially for breakfast--try the buttermilk pancakes.
I do miss the old hot tub/cold plunge setup. I once sat in a hot tub with Diane Keaton at this hotel.
La Fonda defines Santa Fe for me--at least the place where I rest my head.
I've never been able to afford to stay here, but that's probably because I prefer to skimp on my accommodations so I can spend more on food. Whenever I'm in Santa Fe, I always make sure I have at least one meal in the dining room. The painted glass windows are mesmerizing, they hand-make the guacamole at your table, and the rest of the food is delicious, fresh... authentic Santa Fe.
I love this place, it's Santa Fe at it's finest. The food at their restaurant was SO AWESOME. Love the chile relleno. Service is excellent, staff is courteous. Must try, if not for a stay... at least a meal!
I stayed here for a week last winter, and it was excellent. Because it is historic and the hotel itself is very stable, the lobby is decorated with museum-quality local artwork. The shops inside the ground floor are also wonderful, and of course the location in the midst of all the town's activities and galleries is splendid.
