Plaza Hotel 1882

The largest and wealthiest city in New Mexico in the late 1800s was Las Vegas, which is located about one hour north of Santa Fe. Today, as visitors stroll through the town’s various antique structures, they feel as though they have stepped onto a movie scene. With its exquisite three-story brick façade, nine-foot-tall windows, elegant pediments, and magnificent Baroque cornice, The Plaza Hotel is a Victorian masterpiece. The adjacent 1891 “Grand Emporium,” the best Italianate structure in New Mexico and formerly a magnificent department store, was added to the hotel in 2006 as part of an expansion. It is simple to understand why the hotel is known as “The Belle of the Southwest” given that it has 70 guestrooms, many of which have gorgeous views of Plaza Park, and some of the best restaurants in northern New Mexico.