Hotel St. Francis

210 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, NM
Phone:

East < GO > West

The Hotel St. Francis occupies the former De Vargas Hotel. The original De Vargas Hotel burned to the ground in early January 1922, by June 1922 construction had begun on the new De Vargas and by December of that year the newly elected Governor Hinkle was hosted there during his inauguration. One section of the new building was, and is, three stories and the rest was two stories.

The Hotel St. Francis website describes the De Vargas Hotel in part like this:

"... a first class hotel with a spacious lobby where men wore top hats and ladies wore full-length dresses. The bellhops escorted the guests to their rooms, after the couples had shown their marriage licenses, and the house detective ensured that all guests stayed in their own rooms."

The De Vargas was sold and renovated in 1986 and reopened as the Hotel St. Francis. The renovation included creating additional private baths which resulted in the number of guest rooms being reduced from 98 to 79. Heritage Hotels and Resorts acquired it and fully renovated the hotel in 2009.

Signage for the Hotel St. Francis is pretty minimal.

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Vintage Advertising Highlights

THE DE VARGAS HOTEL
"At The End Of The Santa Fe Trail"
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Located in the heart of New Mexico, near historic Plaza and Santa Fe Trail, within easy reach of all points of interest. Within blocks of State Capitol, close to museums and Indian Reservations. Enjoy first class comfort and relaxation with reasonable rates, plus free parking. Hotel facilities, Coffee Shop, Barber Shop, Beauty Shop and Cocktail Lounge.

NOTE: There's no mention of how many guest rooms the hotel had, or that only some rooms had private baths.
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Photo(s): 2015