Overview of the El Conquistador Hotel
Since it opened its doors in 1982, this northwest Tucson getaway has provided a winning combination of outdoor activities and elegant comforts. It is located on a saguaro-studded stretch of the Sonoran Desert with stunning Santa Catalina mountain views. El Conquistador welcomes families. Four to twelve year olds will be kept busy at El Con Kids Club in hourly, half-day, and full-day sessions. Native American flute music is played in the courtyard every Tuesday through Saturday for a taste of the local flavor. Additionally, there is an on-site gallery featuring a different Tucson artist every month. The nearby Catalina State Park now boasts 5,500 acres of protected land, and Tucson's expansion to the northwest gives you access to some of the best dining and shopping in the city. Additionally, a multi-million dollar restoration that was finished in the fall of 2017 accentuates El Conquistador's distinctive Southwest location while also stepping up its comfort levels. Every aspect of the resort was renovated, including the pool decks, which were regraded for the best views, the landscaping, which was all native to Tucson, and the addition of a new salsa and herb garden for the resort's fine dining restaurant, Epazote Kitchen & Cocktails, which serves upscale Southwestern cuisine. Two championship golf courses, the Conquistador Course, the Caada Course, and a 9-hole Pusch Ridge Course, are available at the Oro Valley Community Center - El Conquistador Golf & Tennis. With golf course improvements created by the original architects Greg Nash and Jeff Hardin, our golf courses offer a demanding, thrilling game that is sure to bring a genuine desert golf experience. The Overlook Restaurant offers a lively schedule of social, civic, and gastronomic events. Start your exploration of El Conquistador today to join the community's active lifestyle and experience an experience unlike any other.
History of El Conquistador Hotel
The hotel opened in 1928 and was designed by M.I.T. graduate and University of Arizona professor Annie Graham Rockfellow, who worked under architect Henry O. Jaastad's firm. Rockfellow went on to design the first buildings for the Desert Sanatorium (Tucson Medical Center) and many other houses and churches across Southern Arizona. It was built on 120-acres and had a pool, casitas, tennis courts, a riding stable, shuffleboard, barber shops, and a cocktail lounge. There were five total structures that made up the heart of the hotel: the main building, and four cottages. The main building was spacious and elaborate, and offered forty-six guest rooms. Each guest room contained "individual tiled baths, sun porches, a tea terrace, curio shop, dining room, kitchen, lobby, storerooms, and a servants' dormitory". It was referred to as being "as magnificent as a European monastery", with a sixty-five foot tall bell tower covered by a copper dome. According to architecture critic Lawrence W. Cheek, "The original El Conquistador Hotel [...] was one of old Tuscon's glory." He goes on to state that "for its time and place, it was irresistibly exotic" .[1][5]
The history of this hotel begins in 1922, with the community recognizing the need for visitor accommodations. In order to satisfy this, the Tucson Sunshine Climate Club was developed with the purpose of attracting tourists to Tucson. One of the first items on their agenda was to build a first class hotel. After considering many different sites, they settled with a 120-acre plot of land that was graciously offered for free by Ben B. Matthews of the Urban Realty Co. and Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Roberts.
In order to get construction underway, people and businesses had the opportunity to purchase hotel stock. This raised approximately $300,000 to get the hotel construction started. However, construction was prematurely halted in the process due to running out of funds. Luckily, the United Hotel Co. restarted the constructions with a $325,000 bond. It finally opened in 1928 with 70 guest rooms.[1]
Unfortunately, in 1935 the hotel went bankrupt. This was due to the Great Depression occurring almost exactly parallel to the opening of El Conquistador. A series of revenue gaps and seasonal closures led to its eventual bankruptcy.
In 1957, the property was sold and began sharing land with the early developing El Con Shopping Center (short for El Conquistador). Originally, the developers of the mall wanted the hotel to be integrated into the mall. However, as the mall expanded and the desire for a closed mall grew, it was clear the hotel had to go. In 1968 the hotel was demolished in order to make room for the El Con Mall that we see today.
Not all was lost in the demolition of the hotel. To this day, the El Conquistador Water Tower that was once a part of the hotel still stands across the street of East Broadway.
For pictures and more information, you can follow this link: http://tucson.com/promo/homepage/photos-historic-el-conquistador-hotel/collection_231211a8-ca9b-11e0-be92-001cc4c03286.html#1
About the Rooms
The 428 newly renovated rooms and suites, which include 144 apartments in the exclusive casita village, feature clean-lined furniture in blue and gold tones that are accentuated by plenty of natural light. The bathrooms have gray granite countertops, opulent Peter Thomas Roth amenities, and LED-lit wall mirrors with built-in night lighting. From the patio or balcony of your room, you'll enjoy stunning views of the mountains, city, desert, or a combination of all three. For a patio with a private pool and hot tub, a fireplace, and separate living and dining areas, upgrade to a Casita or an Acacia suite. The Presidential Suite is the most opulent lodging option. It features a master bedroom with an en suite bathroom, segregated living and dining areas, a wet bar, and a balcony with pool views.
Attractions Near the El Conquistador Hotel
Go to Catalina State Park, which is in the resort's backyard, and inquire about the free weekly guided hikes and two-hour bike rentals. The state park, which is a piece of the Coronado National Forest, features miles of hiking and bike trails in addition to Native American sites to explore. The neighboring Oro Valley Aquatic Center complements the resort's pool complex with high-diving boards, swimming classes, and regular national meetings and synchronized swimming demonstrations. Visitors are still drawn to Biosphere 2 because of its background as a site of eco-survival experiments for humans, which is now managed by the University of Arizona as a conference and scientific research facility. Visit the Tohono Chul park's desert gardens, art galleries, and gift stores, but beware—you'll probably want to pack your luggage full of bright Mexican folk art and exotic plants. Tucson Premium Outlets are just a short drive north of the five-star hotel if you need to go shopping. Browse shops like Godiva Chocolatier, Calvin Klein, Nike, and Brooks Brothers.
What is the El Conquistador Water Tower
El Conquistador Water Tower is the only standing structure left from the "El Conquistador" hotel. After the demolition of the mall, the water tower seemed to have been left and forgotten about. In order to preserve as much history as possible from the growing residential areas, the water tower was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1980[3]. To serve the expanding Colonia Solana neighborhood, this water tower was constructed in 1928. The water tower was just a regular steel water tower when it was first built in. In 1980, the National Register of Historic Places listed the El Con Water Tower. A less obtrusive solution was desired by the Colonia Solana neighborhood. The neighborhood's developer commissioned Tucson architect Roy Place to create an enclosure. To conceal the tank, an elaborate structure made of chicken wire and plaster was created in 1932. The City of Tucson Office of Integrated Planning states that a $70,000 restoration of the water tower was completed in 1994.
Facts about the Water Tower
According to tucson.com, there is some confusion as to the original purpose of the water tower. Initially, people assumed that it was to provide water to the hotel, as would the name suggest. However, "old valve maps don't show water pipes crossing Broadway" [3]. To this day it is inconclusive as to the original intent of the water tower.
Atop the water tower sits a weather vane with a depiction of an old miner with his donkey.
Since the initial construction, it has been restored twice. The first restoration was by Tucson architect Roy Place, who is famous for designing the Pima County Courthouse. He enveloped the tower in "chicken wire and plaster" in order to give it a Spanish colonial style that is most familiar to Tucson. It was later restored by "the City of Tucson and the Tucson Pima County Historical Commission", along with funding by the Arizona Heritage Fund [5].
Sources:
[1] http://tucson.com/news/state-and-regional/history-and-culture/el-conquistador-revisited/article_fbd23eb4-c2e4-5d07-a0bb-b53e51ef92a7.html
[2] http://tucson.com/promo/homepage/photos-historic-el-conquistador-hotel/collection_231211a8-ca9b-11e0-be92-001cc4c03286.html#1
[3] http://tucson.com/news/local/tucson-oddity-old-water-tower-now-historical-landmark/article_cbc3059a-a6a3-594e-bd6c-ac22e9238c2b.html
[4] http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM8PFV
[5] http://wikimapia.org/8821512/El-Conquistador-Water-Tower
[6] https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/preservation/elmontevideonrhd1994_2_significance.pdf
https://www.forbestravelguide.com/hotels/tucson-arizona/el-conquistador-tucson-a-hilton-resort
https://www.hiltonelconquistador.com/
https://www.library.pima.gov/content/el-con-water-tower/
https://www.kgun9.com/absolutely-az/history-of-el-con-water-tower-makes-it-absolutely-arizona
