The Spanish settled Santa Fe in 1607. Since then, the Santa Fe Plaza has always featured an inn, also known as a “fonda” in Spanish. However, the presence of the Spanish inn since the establishment of the city lacks formal documentation

The hotel has hosted a strong of famous, prestigious guests. Captain William Becknell stayed at the inn in 1821 after he founded the Santa Fe Trail. The site of the hotel sits where the Santa Fe Trail and the Camino Real met. Former U.S. presidents such as Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton visited the hotel.

La Fonda on the Plaza opened in 1922 and replaced the dilapidated Exchange Hotel. The Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad obtained the hotel and leased it to Fred Harvey. Harvey was one of the first to utilize cultural tourism. La Fonda Hotel became part of his first-rate Harvey House Hotels for four decades. In 1968, the hotel came under local ownership. The hotel remains operational and is currently undergoing renovations to include modern amenities while maintaining its Spanish-styled aesthetics and history.