In El Paso, The Old West Shines Again

In El Paso, The Old West Shines Again

Issue 88

• Travel
• by Robin Tierney

See, feel and taste what’s new in this happy border city.

By Robin Tierney

When you enter Hotel Paso Del Norte, the stunning architecture and decor will inspire you to take Fido for a long walk indoors before checking into your guestroom and taking a nap in your luxurious bed. 

Honestly, you can spend hours exploring this stunning building, which opened in 1912 and reopened after a multimillion-dollar restoration in October 2020. Where shall we start?

The high ceilings! Old West-inspired paintings! The grand piano! Oh wait, what’s up above? A spectacular 25-foot Tiffany-style-stained glass dome! It illuminates the Dome Bar — a fabulous room dominated by a huge round bar, walls of scagliola cherrystone, brass accents, fine tilework, private nooks, overlooked by a mezzanine fitting of an opera house. 

Throughout Hotel Paso Del Norte, the presence of architect Henry Trost and the romance of the Old West are felt. The property exudes elegance and artistry, from its ornamental brick exterior’s terracotta trimmings to its ornate Native American carvings.

Peek into 1700° Steakhouse. It resembles an old Western movie set, a formal wood-clad dining room where oil and railroad barons made deals while gunfights took place outside the big picture windows. Take the elevator to the roof, where a swimming pool edges a long terrace, the place to gaze at city and mountain views. Lounge chairs invite you to sit and admire the Mexican Talavera earthenware pots. Terrace doors open to El Mirador, a sexy lounge that decades ago hosted balls and now attracts guests for cocktails and chatter.

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