Safety Issue in Albuquerque, NM

Old Mar 3rd, 2009, 01:10 PM
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Safety Issue in Albuquerque, NM

There is a renovated Rt 66 motel with great reviews located on Central Ave (Rt66) in Albuquerque within walking distance of Old Town. Its called the Monterey Non-Smokers Motel. Only a couple of reviews indicate that it's located in a seedy area but others say it's completely safe.
Upon reading about safety information concerning Albuquerque on other websites, they indicate that anything on or south of Central Ave is not safe at night and that women should not be in those areas, sometimes even during the day.
Old Town itself has heavy tourist traffic and is a place I would like to spend some time, however if the immediate surrounding area is not safe I don't want to stay there.
Looking for some reinforcement from Albuquerque folks pro or con. Thanks.
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Old Mar 3rd, 2009, 01:22 PM
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I am curious why you are wanting to be within walking distance of Old Town? Will you have a car?

I lived in ABQ for over 5 years, my kids still live there and we have a second home there still. We are there almost once a month.

Old Town is nice to visit during the day, at night, it is basically shut down. During summer and Balloon Fiesta, shops etc would be open later.

I personally would not stay in this location. ARE you a woman [I am] that will be traveling alone? Honestly, it is perfectly safe during the day, but I wouldn't be comfortable staying in that location.

Are you looking for a good price room? I recently got a Priceline room for $42 and was at The Albuquerque Grand near airport. I also see that The Sheraton Uptown is being gotten at $42 or 43; the Doubletree downtown for about the same bid.

I would really recommend staying somewhere other than this place. I see that it is listed as #1 out of 151 in ABQ and honestly, I can't believe that.
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Old Mar 3rd, 2009, 01:27 PM
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Dang, posted too soon. The Radisson midtown is about same bid. Bid on a 3 star in mid or uptown area; downtown [will have to pay for parking in most of these], airport; north.

http://biddingfortravel.yuku.com/top...OTEL-LIST.html

As with any area, use you everyday common sense, just like you would do at home and you will be safe. You are on vacation, crime is not. There is always risk, but if you are aware of surroundings, you should be ok.

I travel alone often and don't think ABQ is any different than most "metro" areas.
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Old Mar 3rd, 2009, 02:16 PM
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I find Old Town worth a visit (loved the Rattlesnake Museum!) but after an hour am done with it. All the shops seem to have the same generic stuff. My friend who lives in Albuquerque on the other hand seems to love to shop there (she's a woman - not to draw stereotypes or anything...). The Old Town area itself is fairly small, and I personally don't see the appeal of staying near it. I'd much rather stay on the other side of town on Central Ave in the Nob Hill area, east of University of New Mexico, where there are a bunch of little restaurants and such - at least some night life. But other than a motel or two I don't recall any decent hotels in that general region.

I agree with Debi - I'd choose somewhere else. I've stayed at the Sheraton Uptown - it's safe (very suburban) and quite a deal via Priceline if you can get it for a good price, and you can hop on I-40 and be at Old Town in about 15 minutes.
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Old Mar 3rd, 2009, 02:32 PM
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My friend who lives in Albuquerque on the other hand seems to love to shop there (she's a woman - not to draw stereotypes or anything...)

I am here to report that this woman can't see spending more than an hour or two in Old Town either (and that would include stopping for ice cream or coffee)!
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Old Mar 3rd, 2009, 02:48 PM
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A rule of thumb in ABQ - there is no place ON Central that I would spend the night.

So you know a bit of how ABQ is laid out; it is a quardrant format:

Central [the former Rt 66] runs east west. It divides the city into North and South. Addresses on the northside of Central will be either NE or NW. Addresses on the southside of the street will be SE or SW.

Broadway runs north -south and is the division of East or West. To the right of Broadway is East, to the left is West.
Old Town is SW. Nob Hill is either NE or SE, depending on which side of the street you are on. UNM is on Central and is NE.

SW is often thought of as the sketchier part of town. SE can be great [NobHill, Ridgecrest areas for example] but go a few more blocks south and east and it gets sketchy too.

NE and NW are usually considered the more desirable sections for living.

There are pockets in each quadrant that don't follow the above.

I agree with Andrew and sf7307, a couple of hours in Old Town would be my limit. One thing I will recommend is to go on a free, docent led tour of Old Town, given through the Museum. The tour pointed out things I never saw, despite my dozens of times walking around OT [usually acting a tour guide to my guests]. You CAN teach an old debit new tricks!

http://www.cabq.gov/museum/oldtowntour.html

Deb
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Old Mar 3rd, 2009, 04:37 PM
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Thanks for the responses. I am setting up reservations for a visit during the Balloon Fiesta. Have the airplane tickets, just having a heck of a time with where to stay while in Albuquerque.

I am male but my better half (my wife) will be with me. We like to walk to restaurants, etc. and attractions, if possible, but we know that a rental vehicle will be essential in Albuquerque to get to most places.

I was thinking that there would be good restaurants in Old Town so that's another thing I must consider - good Mexican or Southwestern food.

Anyway thanks for the information. I will follow up on your suggestions concerning hotel reservations.
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Old Mar 3rd, 2009, 05:10 PM
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You are smart to get your hotel reservations now, you have indeed picked the busiest time of year and the best, too!

I would also check out the park and ride setup to get to Balloon Fiesta. Driving and parking yourself [in rental] is daunting. LONG lines in the wee hours of the morning.

The restaurants IMHO in Old Town are far from the best the city has to offer, they are really aimed at tourists. Our local cuisine here is New Mexican, which is quite different from Mexican. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/565839

Prices are going to be way higher then the $42 or 43 I quoted earlier.

The Uptown area has several hotel chains and is close to a really nice, new shopping and restaurant area.
http://www.abquptown.com/home

Zip is 87110. The Sheraton is there, as is Hyatt Place, Marriott, Homewood Suites.
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Old Mar 3rd, 2009, 07:26 PM
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Thanks DebitNM. You're a gem. I am going to pull these websites up and check the uptown area out.
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 03:52 AM
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I've actually stayed at the Monterey Non-Smoking Motel. I was traveling with my wife and another couple, and I would have to say that it never occured to us to feel unsafe.

It was a very eccentric place. The owner was an East European immigrant who actually grilled us about whether we were really sneaky smokers in disguise before he would rent rooms to us, but the rooms were nice, and there was an extremely handy coin laundry on the premises. There was no "hourly traffic", Harley Davidsons, screeaming kids, barking dogs, nor anything else that might make a stay unpleasant.
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 07:05 AM
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Hi DebitNM. One last question. We are considering the Marriott in the uptown area. There appears to be many major highways through that area. Do they have walkways whereby we could walk to the shopping area and restaurants? Thank you.
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 11:51 AM
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LOL! There are only 2 interstates in the entire state. The Marriott Uptown is just off Interstate I40. To get to the Uptown shopping center, you would have to cross some major roads.

There are sidewalks and I suppose you could walk the hotel, but really, the places you would want to walk around, see shops, eat etc. would be more easily accessed by car first, parking and then walking around.

Not sure where you are from and what you are used to, but ABQ isn't like a city [like San Francisco, or New York City] where you can walk around from place to place. It has shopping centers [Uptown and Coronado], strip malls galore, the zoo, the biopark, the museum, Nob Hill, UNM, but they are spread out and really, some type of transportation to get you to an area is needed.

The Balloon fiesta is located pretty far out of central ABQ too, it is at the northern most reach of the city.

ABQ isn't a walking city per se.
Deb

Deb
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 02:51 PM
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Thanks again Deb.
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 08:42 PM
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>>Upon reading about safety information concerning Albuquerque on other websites, they indicate that anything on or south of Central Ave is not safe at night and that women should not be in those areas, sometimes even during the day.
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Old Mar 5th, 2009, 08:49 AM
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I think it really has to do with what a persons' level of comfort is in general--kind of will like:

-- will you stay and be happy at a 1*, 2* property or do you want 3* etc?
-- Does it bother you to see or be around poverty, panhandlers while on vacation [or even at home for that matter].
-- What kind of restaurants do you like? H
-- How much you are willing to spend etc.

Lots of time folks come from very different surroundings and may be concerned with things that locals are not [or other visitors].

Clearly OP has concerns and even if we feel area is ok, they may not. I know that I am pretty comfortable in big city "rough areas" others may not.

I find ABQ to be safe, because I am comfortable with my familiarity with it and knowing that I use common sense in deciding where and when to go places.

There are some streets, areas, I honestly wouldn't go at night and a couple where I would be less than comfortable.

I lived in a beautiful neighborhood, but just a few street over, there were some not so nice areas.

It is like that in a city - good on one street and not so in the next. In San Francisco, Union Square and all its high $$$ stores are very close to The Tenderloin area. An area ends and another starts, right next to each other.

There is nothing wrong with staying at the motel in question, it is a matter of what makes you comfortable. The fact that safety concerns were mentioned, it just seems to me these folks would be happier elsewhere.

I will step off my soapbox.

Lee Ann, I think you are safe and can stay put.

Deb
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Old Mar 5th, 2009, 09:00 AM
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DebitNM, I think your advice is very wise.
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Old Mar 5th, 2009, 09:31 AM
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Good Day,
I am ssure you have enough to go on with all that is said however if you are coming for the Balloon Fiesta I certainly would stay closer to the Balloon Park and be centrally located and have more options to take day trips, The traffic is heavy and you are not wanting to be driving in or out if you have a choice during these times and there are several nice places close to the park. With the new RailRunner commutor train just opening it expands your options.
Should you need any additional info I would be happy to help.
Lynn
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Old Mar 5th, 2009, 12:11 PM
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LOL - thanks, Deb! I do agree that if the OP is concerned about safety, he would probably be more comfortable staying elsewhere.

Lee Ann
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Old Mar 5th, 2009, 02:28 PM
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Sorry to stir things up. Just wasn't sure about the different areas of Albuquerque. However we will be up & down Central Avenue and in and out of Old Town during our stay and I am sure all will go well. Now we can't wait until October.

I did acquire reservations at the Homewood Suites Uptown. It is closer to the Balloon Fiesta Park and one of the special park and ride locations is in Coronado Center, just down the street from the hotel. In any case it is probably a better location for what we're mainly in Albuquerque to see.

Thanks to all of you for your very well written comments. It just goes to show a person that Fodors and Frommers don't know everything - the locals are the ones with the good info.
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Old Mar 10th, 2009, 02:58 PM
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That is a good location.

Lee Ann
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