La Posada Hotel in Winslow
La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona, is a former Harvey House railway hotel that has been restored to its former glory as the best place to stay in Winslow.
When we were planning a few days in Winslow, Arizona, as part of a Big Birthday trip, friends told us that we had to stay at the La Posada hotel. They promised us that we would love it – and we did!
La Posada Star Rating
La Posada is rated as a 3-star hotel, meaning that its room rates are more affordable than you might expect from the best place to stay in Winslow. We were surprised at the comparatively low star rating as after we’d stayed there we reckoned it was at least of 4-star quality.
History of La Posada
In the 1920s Fred Harvey decided to build one of his Harvey House railroad hotels in Winslow. It would be a grand hotel and he wanted to call it La Posada, which is Spanish for ‘the resting place’. In fact he was determined it would be the finest hotel in the Southwest USA, and also serve as the regional HQ for the Santa Fe Railway.
Harvey hired renowned architect Mary Colter, who had collaborated with him on numerous previous projects. She crafted the hotel in the Pueblo Deco style, blending architectural elements of the American Southwest with Art Deco influences.
La Posada opened in 1930 and was everything Fred Harvey hoped it would be. However, it closed in 1957 and its opulent furnishings and fixtures were sold off. It was threatened with demolition several times, but when present owner Allan Affeldt saw it in 1994, he knew he wanted to preserve the building and help restore it to its former glory. That process cost $12 million. Affeldt and his wife, the artist Tina Mion, moved into La Posada as their home in 1997, and they still live there today.
Art at La Posada
Tina Mion has certainly left her mark on La Posada. She’s a prolific painter and her works are everywhere, along with works by many other artists. There’s a dedicated art gallery in the hotel, which was just along from our room and we spent ages looking at the very interesting and very different works in there.
A separate building adjacent to the hotel also houses the Affeldt Mion Museum, and contains what is said to be the largest Navajo rug in the world. The hotel’s public areas are lined with paintings and sculptures, and some quirky antiques. Whenever we went anywhere in the hotel, we’d always be stopping to look at things on display.
Famous Guests at La Posada
Many of the rooms are named after some of the famous people who have stayed at La Posada over the years, and they include Albert Einstein, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, and Hollywood stars such as John Wayne and Betty Grable. Our own room, number 231, was named after Gary Cooper.
Dining at La Posada
We dined in the hotel’s Turquoise Room both nights we stayed, and we were not disappointed. Prices were reasonable, given the top-notch quality of both the ingredients and the cooking. The elk medallions were melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the meatballs, which are studded with raisins and pine nuts, were the best we’ve ever tasted.
The menu has a big Mexican/Southwestern influence, and the service was impeccable. Our softly-spoken Navajo waiter was the epitome of grace and good manners.
The Grounds of La Posada
The grounds at La Posada are also wonderful. There’s a big, quiet lawn area at the back, with benches in the shade where we’d often see people relaxing with a book or a newspaper. There’s greenery everywhere, lots of seats and shade, and hidden nooks and crannies.
Location of La Posada
Being built by the railroad station, the hotel is very central, just a few minutes’ walk from Standin’ on the Corner Park in the center of Winslow. We appreciated that it was easy to find and you drive straight into a large parking area, with free parking. No bilking you for extra parking charges.
More Information
Visit the website of La Posada, and definitely put it on your list of great places to stay in Arizona.
Frommer’s Arizona and the Grand Canyon
This is our recommended guide for Arizona and the Grand Canyon, if you’re thinking of planning a visit. The two authors both live full-time in Arizona and the book is therefore based on lifetime experiences of the state. It has 86% 5- and 4-star ratings on Amazon.
