debwhite

We're travelling to Sante Fe to hike, eat well, shop some, and explore the southwest a bit. Hoping to do day trips to Taos and Bandolier NP. Looking for a reasonable ( don't need high end) place to stay for a week in beginning October. We've been told to stay in walking distance of the main city streets. Any particular suggestions or warnings? Would also love recent restaurant finds, highlights of activities, sights, etc. I tend to love the recommendations from this site. thanks!

ElendilPickle

What is your lodging budget per night?

Staying close to downtown Santa Fe (note the spelling ) will be more expensive. Depending on your lodging budget, you may want to stay in a different part of town and drive to the Plaza area. There are plenty of parking lots and garages around downtown.

You might want to sign up for Groupon, Living Social, and sites like that. I've seen several Santa Fe deals on those sites recently.

For a week, you could look into a casita rental. I've never done one, so hopefully those here who have can help out. We usually just stay overnight at Pueblo Bonito B&B, which is a couple of blocks from the Roundhouse and nicely situated for heading downtown or up Canyon Road. www.pueblobonitoinn.com

Be sure to check the New Mexico folder here for restaurant recommendations. We didn't have any standout meals on our last overnight in Santa Fe, but we have enjoyed Andiamo and the Cowgirl BBQ in the Railyard area. www.andiamoonline.com www.cowgirlsantafe.com

Lee Ann

DebitNM

That is a very busy time of year here. Prices may be high due to Hot Air Ballon Fiesta in ABQ. Inn of the Governors may be one of your best bets. Hotel Santa Fe is also very nice and they offer free shuttle to the plaza area, a lot depends on your budget. There are also lots of chain motels on Cerillos Rd, but they will require a drive to the plaza area.

There are many threads on here for things to see and do, use the search box to find them.
Also, check out the destination tab at the top of the page for ideas.

nlg

We stayed at the Inn of the Governors when we were in Santa Fe and loved it there. The breakfast was great and they also have a restaurant attached to the hotel-we ate lunch there one day and it was great. You can walk to the Plaza from the hotel and can also walk to the Georgia O'Keefe museum and many restaurants.

jeffergray

My family stayed at the Sage Inn on Cerillos Road when we were there in the summer of 2010, at which time it was $142/night (incl. taxes) for a room with two queen beds. The Sage Inn is really a motel, with no internal corridors: everything opens on the parking lot, which the hotel partly encircles. The rooms were attractive, but a little cramped once you had the two queen beds in there. It is about .8 of a mile to the central Plaza, which I found a pleasant walk (about 15 minutes), but the hotel runs a shuttle bus basically whenever you want it, and you can simply call the front desk and they'll send it to pick you up in the center when you want to come back, so the slightly greater distance than the places right around the Plaza was no big deal at all (and more than compensated by the reasonable price). There was also a breakfast which you could make a decent meal out of; several good restaurants were within a block or so; and there was either a Whole Foods or a Wegman's literally next door, so one night we went there for a good and reasonably priced dinner. There was a small pool. Cerillos Road also leads you out to the interstate.

Another reasonably priced option (also a motel) that is slightly closer to the Plaza is Garrett's Desert Inn.

In addition to touring in SF itself (where we stayed 5 nights), we did two major day trips.

(1) We did a drive to the north and west, stopping at the Tesuque Pueblo flea market (a remarkable collection of things: one vendor sold Ethiopian sacramental crosses, but there are also plenty of more traditional southwestern items) and then continuing on to Los Alamos (really good museum; we ate at the popular Central Avenue Grill), the Valdes Caldera (the crater of a huge volcano that blew up many years ago west of Los Alamos), and Bandelier National Monument, where the kids enjoyed crawling into the caves in the cliffs and we climbed 140' of ladders to reach Alcove House.

(2) We drove the High Road to Taos, stopping at Nambe Falls, the Santuario de Chimayo, the Taos Pueblo, and also drove out to see the Rio Grande Gorge and the curious Earthships (houses made of recycled materials a few miles away).

Here are a couple of restaurant recommendations. On our way in to SF from Albuquerque Airport, we ate at Bobcat Bite on the old Route 66, a small but very popular roadside eatery dating back to the 1950's that is known for its huge, juicy hamburgers. We liked the Cowgirl Cafe as well (Texas barbecue); the staff is fun and they have a memorable chocolate dessert that looks like a baked potato with all the trimmings.

SF is also full of really quirky shops. In addition to rugs, paintings, and carved Hopi dance figures, there's one a block east of the Plaza that sells reasonably priced fossils and polished stones; the place next door sold hand-painted tiles. There's a pottery place just off the southwest corner of the Plaza that's like a museum of all the pottery types produced by the various Indian pueblos in the Rio Grande Valley.

debwhite

Lee Ann, Pueblo Bonito looks like it might work for us, so thanks. Hadn't heard of it before.
Inn of the Governors might also be for us. I love the special amenities and if I can get the least expensive room, we might splurge.
So appreciative of the extra suggestions. Will check out the dates of the Hot Air balloon event. I have heard about it, but booked my flights without worrying about when it was!
We will have our daughter join us for 3 of our 7 nights, so I need to find a place that can easily accommodate her with us. look like these are some good options.
Thanks so much.

ElendilPickle

www.balloonfiesta.com for information. This year's dates are October 6-14.

Lee Ann

martym

If you want to consider a casita--check out this site http://luxxhotel.com/capitol.html We have rented casitas at both the south Capitol and the Guadalupe locations. They were very nice and within walking distance of the Plaza.

debwhite

wow, I can imagine this is both spectacular and very crowded. I am not a big fans of crowds, but this may be worth it. Do you recommend taking a day out to go see. And if you don't do the early morning lift off, when is a good time to go?
I can also do another post to ask this one.

DebitNM

If you want to see the balloons, you really have to be there before the sun rises. The big (700+)mass ascension takes place as soon as it is light out. They have to launch when the air is still cold. As Lee Ann said, it is all weather dependent as to IF they launch - they won't go up if there are even slight winds, so most people plan on being in town for a few days and are able to go a different day if need be. There are some events at night (they don't go up) but really NOTHING can compare with the sight of the launch!

santafefoodie

You don't say when in October you're coming or what you consider "reasonable." Sage is usually way less expensive than quoted here and they are adjacent to the Railyard and about a fifteen minute walk from the Plaza. They do have shuttle service for guests. If you like mid-century funk, Silver Saddles out on Cerrillos Road has great rates. For a bit more upscale, Pueblo Bonito is a great choice. Also love Inn on the Alameda, but they go into 3 figures. For lots of info on want to do in the area, check out Santa Fe Travelers blog.

Alice9

We'll be in Santa Fe for 4 nights in late Sept/early October. We'll be with another couple, and are looking at Fort Marcy Suites, which are condominium units. With the late summer discount they are very reasonably priced, and are a 1/2 mile out of town, which is walkable if you want it to be.

I like the idea of having a kitchen and living room space, rather than just 2 hotel rooms. Does anyone know anything about this place?

Thanks,
Alice

ElendilPickle

Do you mean the Fort Marcy Hotel Suites? They're only about four blocks from the Plaza. I haven't stayed there, but it's a good location.

Lee Ann

iris1745

In April, we were able to secure a two bedroom for $100 per night and stayed for a week. Call and see if any are available. www.lasbrisasdesantafe.com/index.htm

Alice9

Yes, Fort Marcy Hotel Suites. With the discount, it's costing us a little over $100 per night per couple. Glad to hear the location is good. Sounds like it's a little closer than La Brisas (which looks pretty nice too).

Alice

DebitNM

Fort Marcy Hotel Suites do get very good reviews and I have walked by them many times. They are attractive from the outside. They are a group of privately owned condos that are rented out so the units vary both in size and decor. Be sure ask questions about the specific unit you will be getting -- last time renovated, units location, etc. Once you get there you can't just switch to another unit.

Alice9

DebitNM, they classify them as standard or premium, and the premium ones are supposed to be recently upgraded and nicer. I saw a few negative comments about standard units, but only positive ones about the premium ones - and the price differential is relatively small. I'm calling the place today to ask about our particular unit. Thanks for the help.

Alice

santafestyle

Most of the answers are reliable suggestions of moderately priced options, but if you do have a little more to spend...you can get some really delightful places through Aqui Santa Fe (http://www.aquisantafe.com) or Santa Fe Vacation Rentals (http://www.santafevacationrentals.com) -- which give you deluxe furnishings, gourmet kitchens, art collections on the walls, more space, etc.

sylvia3

Villas de Santa Fe (a Diamond resort) is very comfortable; fully equipped condos with bedroom, kitchen and sitting area, in a very good location, plus they have a free shuttle to the plaza (though you could walk). Large hot tub and two pools.
We paid less than $100, but that was a low season special; there are several sites that book the Villas, so prices can vary.

sylvia3

This is a smokin' deal from Groupons for Villas de Santa Fe which I mentioned earlier here: 2 nights for $134

http://www.groupon.com/deals/ga-vill...&c=deal_button