EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Four years into the Plaza Hotel’s new era — having reopened in 2020 after having been closed for nearly three decades — the El Paso landmark is rising to prominence once more.
The iconic Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park, located in Downtown El Paso at 106 W Mills Ave., was awarded the Michelin One Key designation by the 2024 Michelin Guide.
This designation is awarded to hotels around the world based on anonymous inspections that judge a hotel’s architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and making a significant contribution to the guest experience in a particular setting, according to a press release by Visit El Paso.
“The significance to the city is it tells you where we’re going and that we’re getting better and better every day. And for it to be awarded to a hotel that has to do with the history of the city. It speaks to more than just the hotel. It speaks to the whole community,” said Director of Sales and Marketing for the Plaza Hotel Sabrina Guerrero.
The Michelin Guide began this new designation just last year, and is similar to the renowned Michelin Stars for restaurants. The guide’s hotel selections includes over 5,000 establishments worldwide, which can be designated anywhere from one to three keys in increasing value.
Officials with the Plaza Hotel said this recognition puts El Paso on the map for luxury travel and hospitality, but more than that, it marks a significant milestone for the landmark hotel that aims to restore its prominence after shutting down in 1991.
Paul L. Foster purchased the building in 2008, and invested over $80 million to renovate it.
“His (Foster) goal was to restore it. Not so much to recreate a whole new experience, but to allow you to experience what people in the 30s, 40s, 50s got to see, as well as adding all of those modern elements that we’ve become accustomed to,” Guerrero said.
The hotel was built by hotel legend Conrad Hilton in the 1930s, and during its prime was a staple of the Borderland. For over 30 years it stood as the tallest building in El Paso and welcomed renowned celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor.
Today, the Plaza Hotel features 130 rooms, world-class dining options, and over 7,600 square feet of event space, but has retained much of its nostalgic aura. The hotel still has original tile floors, brass elevator doors, moldings, a letter box and mail shoot, just to name a few.
To learn more of the Plaza Hotel and what they offer, you visit their website by clicking here: https://www.plazahotelelpaso.com
Read: Read More