Our hotel, owned by the people of the Picuris Puebo, is the only venture of its kind in the United States. It began in 1988 when local business people approached Picuris tribal leaders about a joint development. The agreement that ensued is a culturally-honorable step toward financial independence for the tribe, which settled nearly 800 years ago in a verdant valley northwest of Santa Fe (“Picuris” means “people of the hidden valley”). It became one of the largest tribes in the region. By 1900, war, religious strife, and disease reduced it to the smallest. In March 1991, Hotel Santa Fe opened and our Four Diamond addition - The Hacienda at Hotel Santa Fe - opened in September 2001. Much of our hotel staff is Native American, and the Arts and Crafts Gift Shop is owned by the Picuris.