Alvarado Hotel, historical hotel located in Albuquerque, replaced by the Alvarado Transportation Center
The Alvarado Hotel was a historic building constructed in 1901 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, designed in the Mission Revival style and operated as one of the largest hotels in the Fred Harvey Company network. The three-story structure contained guest rooms, a substantial dining room, multiple public spaces, and a dedicated area for selling Southwestern crafts and souvenirs to travelers.
The hotel was built in 1901 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in partnership with the Fred Harvey Company to serve train passengers. After expansion in 1922 with architectural input from Mary Colter, it remained a popular destination for over 60 years until declining train travel led to its closure and demolition in February 1970.
The building served as a gathering place where travelers from across the country experienced the American Southwest for the first time. Its Mission Revival design with curved rooflines and central courtyards created a space that blended regional architectural traditions with hospitality.
The original building no longer stands as it was demolished in 1970, but the Alvarado Transportation Center was built on the same site and preserves the Mission Revival design elements. This modern transit hub at the historic location provides a good place to understand the regional architecture and the role the original hotel played in regional travel history.
The hotel was not simply a lodging facility but an E-shaped building with three wings, curved roofs, and central courtyards filled with fountains and plants. This carefully designed architecture and the Fred Harvey Company's commitment to quality service through its famous Harvey Girls staff transformed a whole era of train travel.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
