Historic Hotels & Motels
Style: Spanish-Pueblo Revival
Hotel La Fonda de Taos
Constructed 1937
There has been a hotel at this location since 1820. The first establishment, called the St. Vrain Mercantile Store, supplied locals and travelers with everything from tack and seed to rooms and a saloon. While there were numerous fires in the Plaza, the hotel was never affected. In 1880, Aloysius Liebert built the Columbian Hotel and Bar on the site. It was a popular gathering place. In 1900, Robert and Maclovia Poole purchased the hotel and bar and ran it until Robert was shot by a disgruntled customer in 1909. Maclovia Poole�s heirs sold the property to the Karavas brothers in 1932. They began a major renovation in 1937 when they expanded and added a second story to the complex. They changed the name to the Hotel la Fonda de Taos. In 1952 Saki Karavas, son of James Karavas, bought out his uncle�s share and ran the hotel until his death in 1999. Saki was an admirer of D.H. Lawrence and owned many first editions of his literary works. He also purchased a group of controversial paintings by Lawrence and these currently hang in the hotel gallery. The hotel is now owned by the Sahd family and underwent a complete renovation in 2002.
108 So. Plaza | Taos, NM 87571 | 575-758-2211
open
mon: 24/7 | tue: 24/7 | wed: 24/7 | thu: 24/7 | fri: 24/7 | sat: 24/7 | sun: 24/7
