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When the De Soto Hotel went up in flames in February, people wondered a lot of things, including what started the fire in the over 116-year-old building and what the haunted hotel’s fate would be. Well, now we have a bit of an update. But first, let’s recap a few things.
At the time of the fire, the property’s owner, Rogelio Gonzalez, had recently been approved for grants to make improvements to the building. Would he still receive the grants and did he still plan to renovate? Or maybe he’d try to sell the hotel? Perhaps even to someone like Zak Bagans? It’s someplace Ghost Adventures had investigated, after all. Maybe Zak would even turn it into a Haunted Museum hotel or something?
Spoiler alert: Zak Bagans is not involved, but there are plans to bring the hotel back to life.
De Soto Hotel Update #1
KISS El Paso didn’t mention whether Gonzalez had still received the grants he’d been approved for, but they did report that Gonzalez plans to move forward with the renovation. The ground floor will be refurbished and contain a restaurant. Floors two through four will be refurbed to accommodate a 34-room boutique hotel.
There’s no word on when work will begin or about an estimated completion date. KISS El Paso guesstimated a grand re-opening is at least two years away.
De Soto Hotel Update #2
What started the blaze that got so intense the roof and fourth floor collapsed? Have fire investigators released any answers?
Yes and no.
According to KISS El Paso, what caused the fire was never determined and likely never will be because the El Paso Fire Marshall closed the case.
Another mystery to add to the De Soto Hotel’s collection of them…
De Soto Hotel Update #3
Is it still haunted?
Something else KISS El Paso pointed out was all the people who shared images on social media of figures and faces in the flames as the hotel burned. Did the fire cleanse the hotel of its restless spirits, or is it still “the crown jewel of paranormal in Texas,” as paranormal investigator Colin Browen put it? He’d been in the hotel a week before the fire filming a documentary about the hotel’s haunted history.
Then again, the basement is purportedly one of the hotel’s most haunted hot spots. Did whatever dark energy is alleged to lurk down there survive the fire?
I guess we’ll find out when the De Soto reopens and starts welcoming guests again.
Check-In
Would you stay at the De Soto when it reopens?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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I would avoid the basement, but otherwise, sure, I’d stay there.
I’d say that sounds like a super-smart plan because in general avoiding basements that are not in your house seems like a good idea. Only trouble ever seems to come from venturing into them otherwise… lol