Mesa Verde Lodging
May 1st, 2007, 11:47 AM
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Mesa Verde Lodging
I have the Far View Lodge booked for two nights in June. After reading other web site reviews, I am having second thoughts, due to negative reviews of the rooms and sevice. Would we better off staying one night in Cortez and then driving to Mesa Verde and spend the second night at the Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde? We will be arriving from Moab. If this was just for my husband and I we would stay at the Far View Lodge, but I am also planning and booking this trip for several other couples.
Thank you.
Thank you.
May 1st, 2007, 01:00 PM
#2
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I haven't read the reviews, but did stay there one night. I loved it. For me it was perfect because of the location in seeing the park and at night it was awsome to see the sunset from the rooftop terrace. I confess it's been a few years - so hopefully some recent traveler will respond too.
May 1st, 2007, 01:12 PM
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Sometimes I wonder what the expectations were and thus, the bad reviews. Sometimes I wonder if folks think they are checking into a Ritz when they book a National Park room.
It's been years, but we enjoyed our stay.
It's been years, but we enjoyed our stay.
May 1st, 2007, 01:16 PM
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I live in the area so hopefully I can offer some insights. Moab to Cortez is lot a long ride, under 2 hours. Cortez to the entrance of Mesa Verde; it is another 40 minutes or so to the visitor's center. Depending on when you are planning to leave Moab, you could certainly stay in Cortez first night and head out to Mesa Verde first thing next morning. That would allow you to stay overnight at Far View Lodge. I have never stayed there, so I can't comment on the rooms [have heard they are nothing fancy]. The views are indeed magnificent.
I have a very good friend that worked as a waiter at the restaurant last summer and raved about the food. I've not eaten there so no first hand on that.
If you decide to spend the night in cortez, I can recommend hotels and restaurants; let me know.
Hope this helps...
Debi
I have a very good friend that worked as a waiter at the restaurant last summer and raved about the food. I've not eaten there so no first hand on that.
If you decide to spend the night in cortez, I can recommend hotels and restaurants; let me know.
Hope this helps...
Debi
May 1st, 2007, 01:35 PM
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Even though I often stay at Starwood and Leading Hotels of the World properties, I enjoyed the Far View Lodge. The room was plain but very clean and adaquate. And the views made up for it. Sure there was no fancy room service but we didn't encounter any service issue at all. It's meant to be a national park roadtrip for us and I would have actually felt strange to stay at a 5-star place that's too removed from the environment/nature.
May 1st, 2007, 04:25 PM
#8
Stay in the Lodge. Otherwise you have to get up very early in the morning to just drive into the park. Even earlier if you want to get tickets to the popular sites.
Another plus is that you can still drive around to some of the smaller sites after the daytrippers leave the park in teh evening.
As said above, teh rooms are pretty much motel basic, but most have great views.
Another plus is that you can still drive around to some of the smaller sites after the daytrippers leave the park in teh evening.
As said above, teh rooms are pretty much motel basic, but most have great views.
May 1st, 2007, 05:24 PM
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Thank you all for your replies. As I mentioned before, if this was just my husband and myself, I would definitely stay at the Far View Lodge. I have also heard the restaurant is very good and the views are wonderful. We have stayed at the Bright Angel cabins at the Grand Canyon and thought they were just fine, so my thoughts were the Far View Lodge would be something along those lines, which is fine with us.
Debi, I would appreciate your suggestions for Cortez just in case we go that route. We are staying at your recommendation in Moab, at Cali Concheita, which sounds terrific.
Again, I appreciate all of your thoughts and help trying to make this choice. Looking at the web site for Far View Lodge, it looked absolutely perfect, especially for me, because the Mesa Verde Park is somewhere that I have wanted to visit for many years.
Thank you!
Debi, I would appreciate your suggestions for Cortez just in case we go that route. We are staying at your recommendation in Moab, at Cali Concheita, which sounds terrific.
Again, I appreciate all of your thoughts and help trying to make this choice. Looking at the web site for Far View Lodge, it looked absolutely perfect, especially for me, because the Mesa Verde Park is somewhere that I have wanted to visit for many years.
Thank you!
May 1st, 2007, 05:53 PM
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We stayed at Far View for 2 nights last year. The rooms are nothing special. The restaurant was very good, upscale. The views were good, we saw deer right outside the motel. The food for breakfast at the Terrace was cafeteria food. It was just ok.
May 1st, 2007, 06:08 PM
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Hello Chico,
We stayed at Far View Lodge in the fall of 2005. We were traveling with my parents, so we got two rooms.
We chose the upgraded rooms, a bit more expensive, but it was well worth it! There was a lovely king-sized bed with rough-hewn furniture, and the balcony overlooking the park had views that were unbelievable. The evening sunset was awesome, but the morning sunrise was enough to get even sleepy DH out of bed, put on the supplied robe, and watch the sun come up. Absolutely lovely! I wouldn't trade those nights for anything.
We ate breakfast and dinner at the restaurant there at the lodge. Try the elk. Yum!
Our next couple nights were in Cortez. We stayed at the Best Western Turquoise Inn & Suites, http://tinyurl.com/3yxxbt. The room was large with a couch and a decent breakfast. Be sure to try the Chinese restaurant down the street. Packed with locals, it was really very tasty.
Happy travels!
We stayed at Far View Lodge in the fall of 2005. We were traveling with my parents, so we got two rooms.
We chose the upgraded rooms, a bit more expensive, but it was well worth it! There was a lovely king-sized bed with rough-hewn furniture, and the balcony overlooking the park had views that were unbelievable. The evening sunset was awesome, but the morning sunrise was enough to get even sleepy DH out of bed, put on the supplied robe, and watch the sun come up. Absolutely lovely! I wouldn't trade those nights for anything.
We ate breakfast and dinner at the restaurant there at the lodge. Try the elk. Yum!
Our next couple nights were in Cortez. We stayed at the Best Western Turquoise Inn & Suites, http://tinyurl.com/3yxxbt. The room was large with a couch and a decent breakfast. Be sure to try the Chinese restaurant down the street. Packed with locals, it was really very tasty.
Happy travels!
May 1st, 2007, 06:42 PM
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Chico -- do you want another lovely B&B? If so, I highly recommend
http://www.theinnatmcelmocanyon.com/
The home is gracious and the rooms are really nice. The food is excellent.
If you want a motel type place; we stayed at Holiday Inn Express which was clean and typical HIE. The Best Western that kopp mentions just had the exterior redone, not sure if they did anything to rooms. There is also a Comfort Inn, don't know anything about that one other than the outside looks nice and seems maintained. I would not stay at any of the others in Cortez, as they are lesser quality places.
Let me know if you need more info on restaurants etc in area.
Debi
http://www.theinnatmcelmocanyon.com/
The home is gracious and the rooms are really nice. The food is excellent.
If you want a motel type place; we stayed at Holiday Inn Express which was clean and typical HIE. The Best Western that kopp mentions just had the exterior redone, not sure if they did anything to rooms. There is also a Comfort Inn, don't know anything about that one other than the outside looks nice and seems maintained. I would not stay at any of the others in Cortez, as they are lesser quality places.
Let me know if you need more info on restaurants etc in area.
Debi
May 1st, 2007, 06:46 PM
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I wanted to give you this name too
http://www.lebanonschoolhouse.com/
I don't have any first hand knowledge, but have heard good things about it too.
Debi
http://www.lebanonschoolhouse.com/
I don't have any first hand knowledge, but have heard good things about it too.
Debi
May 1st, 2007, 07:09 PM
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Location, location, location.
Are you staying at other hotels during the trip? If so, then don't stress about two nights at Far View Lodge. Let everything balance out. It's really worth the simplicity of lodging to be IN the park. Keep your booking, relax and enjoy. If you DO change to another locaton outside the park they may gripe about the long drive into the park
On one trip with my parents, we alternated the Canadian Railroad hotels (Empress in Victoria, Chateau Lake Louise in Banff, etc.) with Kamping Kabins in between. It was a hoot! We enjoyed both types of accomodations - for different reasons.
Keep your res at Far View. My .02.
Are you staying at other hotels during the trip? If so, then don't stress about two nights at Far View Lodge. Let everything balance out. It's really worth the simplicity of lodging to be IN the park. Keep your booking, relax and enjoy. If you DO change to another locaton outside the park they may gripe about the long drive into the park
On one trip with my parents, we alternated the Canadian Railroad hotels (Empress in Victoria, Chateau Lake Louise in Banff, etc.) with Kamping Kabins in between. It was a hoot! We enjoyed both types of accomodations - for different reasons.
Keep your res at Far View. My .02.
May 2nd, 2007, 04:00 AM
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We stayed in Far View in fall 05 and truly enjoyed it. The road into Mesa Verde is long and would be a real pain having to drive it each day to get to the park. The Lodge is just fine - nothing special other than the location. We brought a small propane canister stove so we could make our own coffee on the balcony each morning - we're early risers and enjoy really good coffee!
The Metate Room offers great dining too. Don't cancel your reservations. If you can request rooms in the front building, do so. Then you won't be viewing the parking lot.
The Metate Room offers great dining too. Don't cancel your reservations. If you can request rooms in the front building, do so. Then you won't be viewing the parking lot.
May 2nd, 2007, 06:18 AM
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According to OP, she IS planning on spending 1 night at Far View; so she is just questioning whether they should 2 nights.
IF she stays just 1 night, she will be able to have 2 full days at MV and will only have to drive in and out once; arrive from Moab to Cortez mid to late afternoon; checkin and have dinner. Next morning, she would drive to MV and spend the day; stay the night at FV and spend second day at MV and leave MV that evening. This is what I thought she was going to do.
IF she plans on doing 3 full days at MV, she would indeed have to drive in and out first day, go to Cortez and stay the night, and then drive back the second day & spend the day; stay at FV and spend her last day at MV and then drive out. SO yes, one extra trip. That extra trip will take 1 hour each way, but will allow them to eat dinner and breakfast in Cortez.
Now 2 full days at MV will get you quite a bit of sights and if this is a repeat trip maybe enough. If this is first trip, 3rd full day would of course add more.
1 day could be spent visiting The Visitor Center, Spruce tree House, Cliff House and Balacony House. This is the busiest, most visited areas.
Second day should be to drive Wetherill Mesa Road. Most folks never go on it as it is another long road to get to ruins. But once you are there - - WOW! Step House, Badger House are amazing! You actually get to walk into ruins and gaze out from the ruins seeing the land the same way as the Ancestral Puebloans
did! At the other ruins, you look from the outside in, lovely, but quite different.
IMHO 2 days will be sufficeint for a visit, but you WILL want to come back.
If possible, try to go on weekday for less people. Go to visitor center FIRST to get your tickets. IF you are staying at FV, I believe you can get next day tickets in late afternoon or early evening [ not 100% sure]. YOU MAY even be able to do this if you are not staying at FV, but are at the park at these times.
I hope all of this helps! So many decisions with so many opinions.
Debi
http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisi...7tosep3_07.pdf
IF she stays just 1 night, she will be able to have 2 full days at MV and will only have to drive in and out once; arrive from Moab to Cortez mid to late afternoon; checkin and have dinner. Next morning, she would drive to MV and spend the day; stay the night at FV and spend second day at MV and leave MV that evening. This is what I thought she was going to do.
IF she plans on doing 3 full days at MV, she would indeed have to drive in and out first day, go to Cortez and stay the night, and then drive back the second day & spend the day; stay at FV and spend her last day at MV and then drive out. SO yes, one extra trip. That extra trip will take 1 hour each way, but will allow them to eat dinner and breakfast in Cortez.
Now 2 full days at MV will get you quite a bit of sights and if this is a repeat trip maybe enough. If this is first trip, 3rd full day would of course add more.
1 day could be spent visiting The Visitor Center, Spruce tree House, Cliff House and Balacony House. This is the busiest, most visited areas.
Second day should be to drive Wetherill Mesa Road. Most folks never go on it as it is another long road to get to ruins. But once you are there - - WOW! Step House, Badger House are amazing! You actually get to walk into ruins and gaze out from the ruins seeing the land the same way as the Ancestral Puebloans
did! At the other ruins, you look from the outside in, lovely, but quite different.
IMHO 2 days will be sufficeint for a visit, but you WILL want to come back.
If possible, try to go on weekday for less people. Go to visitor center FIRST to get your tickets. IF you are staying at FV, I believe you can get next day tickets in late afternoon or early evening [ not 100% sure]. YOU MAY even be able to do this if you are not staying at FV, but are at the park at these times.
I hope all of this helps! So many decisions with so many opinions.
Debi
http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisi...7tosep3_07.pdf
May 2nd, 2007, 10:54 AM
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First of all, I would like to thank all of you for your helping me make our lodging decision.
Koop thank you for your updated review of the rooms. We are also staying in one of their deluxe rooms, hopefully with a view.
Debi thank you for all your valuable information, which I will print out and take with us on our trip. You have helped me several times in planning this trip.
After all the reviews, I think we will keep our reservation for two nights at the Far View Lodge. We will be coming from Torrey and Moab and then on to several days of relaxation in Durango and on up to Glenwood Springs for several days, over to Park City, Utah for several days and then head back to California. All and all, our trip will be about two and one-half weeks, by motorcycle. Since, I was put in charge, which is fun for me to plan trips, I hope it all works out. Again, thank you all for your very helpful information.
Koop thank you for your updated review of the rooms. We are also staying in one of their deluxe rooms, hopefully with a view.
Debi thank you for all your valuable information, which I will print out and take with us on our trip. You have helped me several times in planning this trip.
After all the reviews, I think we will keep our reservation for two nights at the Far View Lodge. We will be coming from Torrey and Moab and then on to several days of relaxation in Durango and on up to Glenwood Springs for several days, over to Park City, Utah for several days and then head back to California. All and all, our trip will be about two and one-half weeks, by motorcycle. Since, I was put in charge
, which is fun for me to plan trips, I hope it all works out. Again, thank you all for your very helpful information.
May 2nd, 2007, 01:27 PM
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I applaud your decision to stay both nights at Far View Lodge. Being inside the park is definitely worthwhile and I loved, loved Mesa Verde.
A couple of comments which, admittedly, might be outdated since my stay there was 4 or so years ago. I remember that the rooms did not have hair dryers so if that is something you need you should be sure to take one. Also, the walk from the dining room back to our room was quite dark and I was happy to have a small flashlight with me in my purse.
Our dinner in the dining room was very good. I think breakfast was much more casual.
While I would definitely stay at Far View again should the opportunity arise, it is very, very basic. Not as nice as a Comfort Inn. But the location is superb, which is, after all, why you are there, yes?
A couple of comments which, admittedly, might be outdated since my stay there was 4 or so years ago. I remember that the rooms did not have hair dryers so if that is something you need you should be sure to take one. Also, the walk from the dining room back to our room was quite dark and I was happy to have a small flashlight with me in my purse.
Our dinner in the dining room was very good. I think breakfast was much more casual.
While I would definitely stay at Far View again should the opportunity arise, it is very, very basic. Not as nice as a Comfort Inn. But the location is superb, which is, after all, why you are there, yes?
May 2nd, 2007, 01:39 PM
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If it's in your budget, I recommend eating at the Metate Room for dinner and also for breakfast.
In another post up above, I mentioned the elk. Let me tell you, this was so delicious! DH had the buffalo, Dad said his trout was the best ever (Rocky Mountain Trout, if I recall), and Mom just had a burger.
For breakfast, we were going to just go to the coffee shop, but with our good meal the previous night, we gave the Metate Room a try for breakfast. Good choice! The biggest berries we've ever seen, fresh croissants, so nice and flaky, and so much more (cereals, breads, cheeses, fresh oj, etc. etc.) Well worth it. If memory serves, it was about $9/per person, buffet style.
If you do eat there, be sure to wait for a window seat, especially if you plan it right to be there for sunset. Superb views!
Oh my, guess it's time for me to start planning another trip there!
Happy travels!
In another post up above, I mentioned the elk. Let me tell you, this was so delicious! DH had the buffalo, Dad said his trout was the best ever (Rocky Mountain Trout, if I recall), and Mom just had a burger.
For breakfast, we were going to just go to the coffee shop, but with our good meal the previous night, we gave the Metate Room a try for breakfast. Good choice! The biggest berries we've ever seen, fresh croissants, so nice and flaky, and so much more (cereals, breads, cheeses, fresh oj, etc. etc.) Well worth it. If memory serves, it was about $9/per person, buffet style.
If you do eat there, be sure to wait for a window seat, especially if you plan it right to be there for sunset. Superb views!
Oh my, guess it's time for me to start planning another trip there!
Happy travels!
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