Reservation

Gardner Hotel and Hostel in El Paso

Welcome to Gardner Hotel, the oldest continually operating hotel in the city of El Paso, Texas. This hidden jewel will transport you back to the 1920’s and offer an experience like no other hotel in El Paso.  Our hotel was first opened in 1922 by Preston E. Gardner, and has been in the Nebhan family since the 1940s; a stay with us is an experience in El Paso history.

Guests are transported from the busy Downtown El Paso streets to a place that is reminiscent of another era. Our marble staircase leads to rooms that have seen countless guests and still retain their charming features. One such guest was America’s Most Wanted, bank robber John Dillinger  and two members of his gang who checked into Gardner Hotel while on the run. American novelist, Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award Winner Cormac McCarthy was a longer resident here who used to stay at the Hotel while writing his novels.  He even mentions the hotel in his books!  Stay at the Gardner and see how this hotel inspires you.

Our Historic Hotel

Gardner Hotel offers all the amenities you could need during your stay. We have a variety of hotel rooms including private rooms with a twin or full bed & shared hall baths, a variety of private rooms with private baths, and shared hostel rooms– many retaining their original antique furniture. This Downtown hotel has a unique sense of old world charm and the western frontier, with a lavishly decorated reception with well-maintained memorabilia dating back to the 1920s. Guests are welcome in the lobby to see the history, but for the safety of our guests there is a no visitor policy (unless prearranged with us). 

Note that our elevator is original and nearly as old as the hotel! Therefore, it is very delicate and not currently operational. All of our rooms are located one or two levels up, so you will need to use our stairway to access your room. We do employ very strong people who are more than happy to help you with your luggage to your room, so don’t be afraid to ask for help!

A lot has changed in El Paso since we were built, and due to our downtown location that means we now have a pulsing nightlife in the city centre. If you are here to enjoy yourself then please take advantage of our discounts available at neighboring bars and restaurants. If you simply want a good night’s sleep, then grab a free set of ear plugs at reception if you are a sensitive sleeper!

Due to El Paso’s dry temperatures, the Gardner Hotel uses centralized evaporative cooling not AC, and each room has a transom above the door to allow air to the room. In the winter, radiators in each room provide centralized stream heating. There is no individualized heating and cooling, however, there are ceiling fans in the rooms and extra blankets available upon request.

Our El Paso Hostel

Welcome to the El Paso Hostel at the Gardner Hotel. The hostel opened in 1984 and has been serving travelers from around the globe since then. We have dormitory rooms and communal areas for those traveling in groups or backpackers on a budget. Our hostel guest kitchen and common room areas have been recently renovated as featured on Travel Channel’s ‘Hotel Impossible‘ Hostel Takeover. We have been recognized for excellence by Lonely Planet and Harvard University (Let’s Go)

Find out more about Gardner Hotel and Hostel El Paso in our ‘About Us’

Our Historic Hotel

Our Hotel History

Gardner Hotel was opened in 1922 by Preston E. Gardner and still retains its charm. Dillinger signed the name John D. Ball on the registry and stayed in room 221. Find out what happened to him in our 'About Us'.

Our Stylish Rooms

Our Rooms at Gardner Hotel

All the rooms are maintained to the highest modern standard and many have been recently renovated. Many of our rooms still have their original antique furniture and features, along with moderrnized bathrooms and suites.

Our hostel rooms

Our Shared Hostel Rooms

The El Paso Hostel is located in the historic Gardner Hotel so you have the benefit of their history while enjoying affordable accommodation. Enjoy our newly renovated kitchen & dining facilities, shared communal areas and en suite bathrooms.
Gardner Hotel and Hostel El Paso is the oldest continually operating hotel in the city of El Paso, Texas. This Downtown hotel offers an ambiance of old world charm with modern amenities. The rooms still have their original antique furniture, with the exception of a few necessary upgrades, to give you a small taste of the history we have to offer. Gardner Hotel is family run and has been since the 1960s! Come and visit this El Paso institution and see our memorabilia in the historic lobby.

OUR LATEST GALLERY

See our antique styled rooms, facilities, hostel rooms and more here.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is your downtown location noisy?
Please note that we are located in a prime downtown location area. Noise may be present at times, go out, have some fun, and make good use of your guest discounts perks with our neighbours. However, if you are all partied out, we have earplugs available at the front desk.
Do you have parking spaces available at the hotel?
We have two FREE parking spaces in front of the hotel reserved for guests only, on a first come first serve basis. On street metered parking is also available. The meters are FREE after 6:00 P.M to 8:00 A.M. Monday-Friday and all day Sunday. About a 2 minute walk away is a parking lot that charges per 8 hours. The Gardner Hotel is not responsible for any tickets or towing of your vehicle.
Do you have laundry?
Yes we have hot wash laundry.
How do I get to the hotel?
Check our 'directions' page for information on arriving via Greyhound, Amtrak, the Airport or driving from 1-10 East and 1-10 West.
Our elevator is original therefore it is very delicate and not currently operational. All of our rooms are located one or two levels up so you will need to use our stairway to access your room. Don't be afraid to ask for help!
We have a free luggage storage available behind the front desk before check-in and after check-out!
For the safety of all guests The Gardner Hotel has a no visitor policy. All guests are welcome in the lobby.

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS

  • “I'd stay again and highly recommend this hotel!” This is the second time I've stayed here at Gardner and again, I really enjoyed my stay! I'd stay again and highly recommend this hotel. Very clean and service was wonderful! I've already recommended to many!

    Ryan F, Texas
    Via Tripadvisor

  • “Very nice staff, nice room, great value” Yes, the building is quite old (has a lot of character though) but the location is great, the price is more than competitive, the staff is very friendly and the rooms are nice

    Cecile 2407, Dublin, Ireland
    Via Tripadvisor

  • “Historical building, excellent location” The same ownership has been here for decades, and they take an obvious pride in that. This building, nearing the century mark, was built to last with solid cement construction, including the walls. I did hear a rumor of a haunting here, but so far, I haven't been lucky enough to feel that. I do feel an ambiance of a time gone by. Some of that ambiance means that yes, as to the fixtures being mostly original, there are some examples of ageing appearances. They also work perfectly, which is all that matters. As for the cleanliness, the cleaning staff here are as thorough as I've seen."

    Herbert S, Texas
    Via Tripadvisor

  • “Good for the price” Ideal for a night's stay in El Paso. I stayed here and enjoyed my stay at the Gardner Hotel. I will be back for sure. Great location great price. Friendly staff and accommodating. Room and hotel was clean!

    Brett W from Boston, Massachusetts
    Via Tripadvisor

  • “Historic, Clean, Friendly and a Little Atmospheric” ..It's very clean and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. It's still owned and operated by the same family that has held the property for most of its' existence. The place is obviously still loved by its' owners. It has a great central location for exploring El Paso and its' sister city across the border, Ciudad Juarez. The hotel is walking distance to everything, and public transportation is steps away. The gangster John Dillinger once stayed there, and it seems like he might have just left. The rooms have much of the original furniture. There was a time when every major city had lots of hotels like it. There's not too many left. Four stars for fun and atmosphere. Free WiFi is screaming fast.

    srsjones825, Las Cruces, New Mexico
    Via Tripadvisor

  • "I stayed in a hostel room with bunk beds... it was very clean, had an attached bathroom and the bed was comfortable" "I was here briefly but definitely liked the place. It was well maintained, but has retained a lot of its historic aspects for a unique feel. My room had a functional transom window and a 1920s-era push button light switch, and the lobby has an old hex tile floor, a marble staircase and a phone booth. I stayed in a hostel room with bunk beds. It was very clean, had an attached bathroom and the bed was comfortable... Otherwise, a nice place in a quirky historic building, and a great location right downtown. I'm female and was traveling alone and arrived at 2am (bus was delayed) ... having never been to El Paso I was worried the hotel would be in a unsafe area but it really seemed fine. It was well lit and it is in the central business district of the city."

    7MileRiver
    via Tripadvisor

  • "Historic Hotels for the Win" "The Gardner was everything I expected it to be: a fantastic historic hotel that seems to be working hard to become an elegant and enjoyable place to stay in El Paso. It's true that we could hear music too late and too loud through the walls, but the room was clean and well-furnished, and we were happy to endure a bit of next-door revelry for the opportunity to stay in a lovely building surrounded by interesting venues and good food. I will definitely give it another chance."

    Reviewed by florycanta
    via Tripadvisor

  • "Great place!" "Carrie and Stephanie at the front desk were very friendly and accommodating! The rooms are very clean and smell great! I like the old fashioned feel of the place, takes you back in time. The shower was perfect, with hot water quick to come out. I recommend this place! Derek" https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g60768-d288559-Reviews-The_Gardner_Hotel-El_Paso_Texas.html

    Reviewed by Derek K
    via Tripadvisor

Location

Gardner Hotel
311 E Franklin Ave El Paso, TX 79901

Contact Us

Phone : (915) 532-3661
Email: info@gardnerhotel.com

Transport

We are located only 7 blocks from Greyhound and only 1km from Amtrak.