Jenny's View

Dear Friends,

We hope you can make it this Friday, December 2nd as we honor La Fonda icons! Our inaugural Legends of La Fonda Awards will take place in our New Mexico Room from 2-4pm. The event is free and open to the public.  

Over the past few decades, the soundtrack to La Fonda’s 100 Years of Hospitality has been headlined by the super popular Bill Hearne and his late wife Bonnie. Bill has been strumming’ his Collins guitar late nights in La Fiesta for over thirty years and we can’t wait to honor his legacy in kind. Without his folk tunes and Texas drawl, sincere heart, and the laid-back vibe that his performances evoke, La Fonda would be at a loss for an incredibly special vibration that truly renders the rooms and corridors of La Fonda blessed.  Bill is bringin’ along his mic and guitar — so be prepared to two-step as we raise a toast in his honor! 

Just as Bill’s tunes linger long after the show stops, so do the thoughtful design decisions of our dear friend and architect, Barbara Felix. As travelers, we don’t often stop to consider the emotional impact creative decisions have on the spaces we enter and experience. But I know, because of her passion, that nearly every waking minute of every day, Barbara is pondering the thread between place, materials, culture, and the very thoughts that result in the construction and caretaking of amazing structures, like La Fonda. Her partnership with the hotel spans nearly two decades and her impact on our iconic building is immeasurable. We’re honored to acknowledge Barbara and her talented team for the work they’ve done to restore and honor our rich history. 

The famous Harvey Girl Twins of La Fonda, Beverly Ireland and Bernette Jarvis — the vibrant gals with first-hand insight to the Fred Harvey era — are true stewards of our past. Through storytelling and their vast network of friendships stemmed from their time boarding in the basement of the hotel during the ‘50s, these wonderful women truly are a part of our La Fonda family. These amazing sisters are a testament to the spirit of authenticity we value and admire. 

Our team recently returned from the Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide 2022 Awards of Excellence and Conference at the gorgeous Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in Point Clear, Alabama. What a trek! We ventured out to Point Clear to celebrate our nominees, Ed Pulsifer (Historian of the Year), Rik Blyth (Hotelier of the Year), Connie Stahlhut (Ambassador of the Year). The experience was wonderful; we ate a lot of seafood gumbo, connected with old friends, enjoyed traditional southern hospitality, and learned important lessons about the region. 

One keynote’s story resonated deeply. Darron Patterson, President of the Clotilda Descendants Association and a descendent from the last slave ship to the America’s, presented a story that evolved from horror to hardship to hope. His relatives were among the 110 captured Africans forced to make the voyage across the Atlantic on the Clotilda. He called on all the historic hoteliers present to not only promote the preservation of history, but to make sure we don’t sugarcoat the struggles of the folks that helped our iconic properties achieve success. If you are interested in learning more about the history of Clotilda, click here.  

And it sure feels great to come home from such a prestigious event with a win! From over 350 nominations, the awards committee evaluated the nominee finalists and, after careful consideration, selected La Fonda for Best Social Media. What an honor!  

It’s hard to believe our Centennial Year is ending, but we still have a few tricks up our sleeve to keep the champagne pouring! Join us on December 7th in our lobby as we unveil the permanent installation of our commemorative plaque that was debuted at our Centennial gala in March. Our friend, the honorable Mayor Alan Webber will lead us with a toast to our next century of success! And in typical La Fonda style, we’re going to officially close out the year with a bang! Don’t miss the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display from our rooftop. We can’t wait to ring in another 100 years of hospitality.

Cheers! 
Jenny