As part of the 101st anniversary celebrations for the Rosarito Beach Hotel, Baja California’s Secretary of Culture, Alma Delia Abrego Ceballos, unveiled a commemorative plaque officially declaring the iconic hotel a site of historical and cultural heritage.

The designation acknowledges the hotel’s significant contribution to the history and identity of Baja California, making it the first physical site in Rosarito to receive this distinction.

During the unveiling ceremony, Abrego Ceballos emphasized that this recognition was the result of two decades of advocacy initiated by the late Hugo Eduardo Torres Chabert. She noted with regret that the formal request had languished in government archives under previous administrations.

“We’re very pleased that today, in memory of Don Hugo Torres, we are finally able to designate the Rosarito Beach Hotel as a site of historical cultural heritage,” said Abrego Ceballos, addressing an audience that included Hugo Antonio Torres Ramírez, current president of the hotel’s board, and his brother Gustavo.

Unlike past governments, which she said paid little attention to the state’s cultural legacy, Abrego Ceballos praised the current administration of Governor Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda for taking culture and historical preservation seriously.

“Many administrations ignored this issue because heritage and culture were not a priority. But this government took it seriously. That’s why we were able to follow through on this file during the first three years in office,” she explained, noting that the official designation process was completed last year as the hotel marked its centennial.

The Secretary of Culture highlighted the hotel’s architecture and history as key elements of Baja California’s cultural identity and stressed the need for ongoing preservation efforts.

“This building—this architecture—represents a vital part of the legacy left by the Torres family,” she said. “It’s a beloved site for the people of Baja California, full of memories and stories involving figures who helped shape the state.”

She added that the new designation paves the way for restoration and conservation work, backed by professional historians and restoration experts who will assist the Torres family in ensuring the hotel is preserved for future generations.