Holland Hotel- Alpine, TX

If you find yourself in the far reaches of West Texas, perhaps on your way to Big Bend National Park, or maybe heading over to Marfa, be sure to stop at the Holland Hotel in Alpine. Like the Paisano in Marfa, the Holland Hotel is a beautifully restored Troust & Troust designed building, which will immediately make you feel like you have returned to the Old West.

The original Holland House was constructed in 1912 to serve the booming mercury mining industry. Built by John Holland, a successful cattleman, the hotel soon became the business and social hub of the small West Texas town. Following John’s death, the hotel passed to his son Clay, who retained the renowned southwest architecture firm Troust & Troust to expand the existing structure.

Between 1903 and 1933, Troust & Troust Architects & Engineers designed hundreds of buildings throughout the southwest. In cities such as El Paso, Phoenix, Tuscon, and Albuquerque they erected hotels, offices buildings, residences, department stores and schools, many in their trademark Spanish Colonial style. And so, in 1928 they came to Alpine, to the Holland, and a new hotel was born.

On March 16, 1928, at the price of $250,000, the new Holland Hotel opened it doors. Situated as it was across from the railroad depot, the fancy new hotel became the place to stay in the Big Bend area. For the next two decades Clay Holland’s new hotel prospered, but by the late 1940s, tourist business declined, along with railroad travel. The car was now king in America, and traveler preferences were changing.

As frequently occurs, the hotel changed hands multiple times over the next several decades, getting worse for the wear with each passing year. Finally, in 1969 the hotel closed for good; the furnishings and fixtures were sold off and the building was left to deteriorate. In 1972, the property was purchased and transformed into an office building, which it remained until 1985, when new owners began the process to return the hotel to its former glory.

This iteration of the Holland lasted two decades, until the historic hotel was sold once again in 2011. At this point, another renovation took place, resulting in 24 guest rooms and a full service restaurant and bar off the lobby. Walking into the Holland today is definitely evocative of the hotel’s earlier years.

The tile floors, exposed wood beams, and stucco walls impart the same vibe as the Troust & Troust original design. A courtyard complete with a fireplace complements the interior common areas. Our room was small, but comfortable. It looked out on the main street at an old gas station that now houses a restaurant, and the still operational railroad depot. You are unlikely to forget you are that close to the station, as trains rattle through town frequently. The hotel provides ear plugs if you are a light sleeper, but otherwise, just consider it part of the experience.

Now, with just about every historic hotel there are whispers of ghosts. I cannot confirm their existence at the Holland, as no orbs danced in front of my eyes, or appeared in my pictures. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the hotel while living, so I could totally imagine hanging out there while dead.

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