It was love at first sight. That sometimes happens when I first see a hotel, usually when there is a stunning water view or grand entrance. With La Posada in Winslow, Arizona, I was entranced when I saw the lush garden, bright turquoise pots, metal camel structure and the Spanish Colonial-style architecture with the red tiled roof.
I loved it even more when I saw our colorful room, visited the Affeldt Mion Museum, toured the art galleries, ate in the Turquoise Room and learned the history of this storied hotel.
Here are 7 things I loved about La Posada.
The Accommodations
La Posada has 54 rooms, with almost all of them named after a famous person who visited or had a connection to the hotel. These include Jackson Browne, the Doublemint Twins, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Temple and Diane Keaton. Ours was named after Billy Al Bengston, an American artist and sculptor.
Our room had orange walls, two red headboards, a sofa, hardwood floors and a Southwestern-style rug. The bathroom was even more colorful with Mexican tiles throughout. Plus, it had a bathtub, which will always get a shoutout from me.
The Trading Post Gift Shop
At La Posada, you enter and exit at the Trading Post Gift Shop. We checked in at the counter there and walked through it every time we went to our room. One note: There are no elevators at La Posada, so if you have mobility issues, ask for a first-floor room.
The Trading Post is the largest hotel gift shop I’d ever seen. It was filled with Native American collections, books, clothing, hats and home décor. And there’s a selection of Route 66 goods including cookbooks, handbags, and glassware. Many of the items are available online.
The Martini Lounge
This small, elegant bar is adjacent to The Turquoise Room, and has cocktails inspired by Route 66, including a Route 66 Margarita and Bees Knees, a Prohibition-era cocktail made with gin, honey and lemon. The bar serves seasonal cocktails, smoked beverages and has a Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 3-5 p.m.
The Turquoise Room
Once the finest dining room in the area back in the day, the Turquoise Room was closed for decades. The owners, Allan Affeldt and Tina Mion, reopened it in 2000 and named it after the dining car of the Pleasure Domes, luxury railcars built by Pullman in 1950 that were part of the Super Chief, which ran through Winslow from 1937 to 1971.
The restaurant is once again renowned for fine dining, serving Southwestern cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
After a refreshing cocktail at the Martini Lounge, we had a fabulous dinner there. I am a huge soup fan, eating it just about every day for lunch, and adored the Signature Soup. On the recommendation of the woman in the gift shop in Winslow, I also ordered the squash blossoms, along with salmon in a husk and shrimp pasta. For dessert, we indulged in ice cream served in an almond-flavored cup. It was a truly memorable meal.
The Affeldt Mion Museum
Named for the owners, this small museum is located just outside the hotel and is housed in the former 1930 train depot at La Posada. Fun fact: The hotel still serves as an unmanned Amtrak station with the platform located just outside the back of the hotel.
The Winslow Studio Artists Gallery features work of artists who came to Winslow after the renovation of the hotel. Another gallery features the history of the hotel, the architect Mary Colter and hospitality mogul Fred Harvey.
For a glimpse of what luxury train travel was like back in its heyday, visit the #502 railcar just outside the museum, one of six “Pleasure Domes”
A must-see is the world’s largest traditionally made Navajo rug, woven by mother and daughter Julia Bah Joe and Lille Joe Hall and completed in 1937.
Co-owner Tina Mion is an accomplished artist whose paintings can be found in the Tina Mion Art Space located above the ballroom and throughout the hotel. She seems to have a whimsical, wry, macabre, provocative preoccupation with death, and we were fascinated by her death spoons series that depict how famous people died. For example: a spoon with Sylvia Plath’s name is topped with a pink oven mitt.
The Gardens at La Posada
While still a work in progress, many of the gardens have been restored. It’s a delight to wander through the 11 acres. Another five acres of gardens and a vineyard are planned for the property.
We grabbed breakfast from a take-out window at The Martini Lounge and ate outside in one of the gardens.
The history of La Posada
Chris was especially surprised to learn that the original architect was a woman, Mary Colter, who also planned the gardens and oversaw the construction. She wanted the hotel to look like it was owned by a wealthy cattle baron of Spanish descent.
Mary worked for Fred Harvey, who built an empire developing and running hotels along the Santa Fe Railway. He opened La Posada in 1930 with 70 guest rooms, three restaurants and a train station. Famous guests included Amelia Earhart, Clark Gable, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jimmy Stewart and President Harry Truman.
However, in the ‘40s and ‘50s, train travel became less popular and La Posada closed in 1957. It was gutted, made into offices and closed to the public for 40 years. It was about to be demolished when Allan and Tina bought it, began restoring it and reopened in 1997.
Please see our related story: Route 66: 7 amazing days in Arizona with national parks, quirky roadside stops, historic motels
– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief