Jenny's View
Friends,
La Fonda on the Plaza is a testament to endurance. Her solid foundation and fluid curves have sheltered us from times of uncertainty for decades, her grand fireplaces have blazed bright and kept our corridors warm and welcoming, her doors — always open — remind us that history moves lockstep with the present. There’s no place I’d rather be as we say goodbye to 2020.
La Fonda is Santa Fe’s landmark hotel and the city’s cornerstone that reflects who we are as a community and constantly reminds us of what has happened here “At the End of the Santa Fe Trail”. I consider La Fonda a tribute to our predecessors and a history lesson for all.
And because of our rich history, we see everything long-term. Visit our lobby and you enter a vessel that was built to withstand adversity and the test of time. The layout has been carefully considered, paintings are curated with care and respect, furnishings crafted with love — everywhere you look there are artful details that honor our past and our relationship with the cultures and people of the region. Everything within our walls embraces the intricate connection between design and sustainability, the awareness of the past and future.
If you’ve stayed with us you know that we strive for authenticity and make decisions that respect La Fonda’s resilient personality, core values, and unrelenting spirit. We’re honest with ourselves and others and we take responsibility for the trials and errors that have lead to our success after nearly a century of hospitality service.
I am so proud that our Director of Sales, Ed Pulsifer was named a finalist for the Historic Hotels of America Awards of Excellence “Historian of the Year.” Anyone who has been in Ed’s presence understands that he is a passionate scholar and champion of our rich past. He plays a pivotal role in archiving the hundreds of photos and books shared by our extended family of friends and guests. He helped establish our wildly successful docent-led art tours that offer a total immersion experience into the treasures that illuminate the story of the hotel, our city and region— all closely intertwined. And though the tours have been temporarily paused due to the pandemic, we look forward to reinstating them as soon as it is safe to do so. Please join me in congratulating our world class, in-house historian for his nomination!
It is because of this remarkable history and wonderful staff, that I was fortunate to be recognized as the “Historic Hotelier of the Year” by the Historic Hotels of America in their 2020 Awards of Excellence. After these long months of unprecedented hardship I am overcome with appreciation. Being part of the fabric of La Fonda’s legacy is the honor of a lifetime. In receiving this recognition, I acknowledge that the award belongs mainly to La Fonda’s dedicated management team and the hundreds of employees that I have had the good fortune to work with over the years. It is truly the sum of our efforts that make it a deep privilege to represent such a cherished New Mexico institution. It is also due to the hard work of our team that we took home the “Sustainability Champion” award for our unrelenting environmental stewardship initiatives, something near and dear to all of us at the hotel.
As we say goodbye to the hardships of 2020, let’s pivot toward a safer, more empathetic world. Let’s remember our individual and collaborative responsibility to make decisions that result in a healthy and sustainable future. Let’s navigate the next decade and beyond with positive intentions and improve our relationship to one another through kindness and respect.
And as we move toward a brighter future, remember, La Fonda, Santa Fe’s most beloved grande dame, awaits your return with open arms!
Happy New Year!
Jenny
