Santa Fe Hotels--Need Help
 

Okay, we are headed to Santa FE in Sept and have narrowed our hotel choice down to 4: Alameda, Hacienda, El Dorado, and Bishops.
We are going there to celebrate our 10th anniversary and it's our first extended stay without our children!
We are looking for luxury accomadations under $300, with a patio or balcony.
Any thoughts/experience with the above mentioned hotels? Any to stay away from?

I forgot to add, has anyone done a Jeep Tour around Santa Fe?

Hi justmel, Congrats on your 10th Anniversary! We've been visiting Santa Fe for 17 years and September/October is the most beautiful time of year to visit.

First, Hacienda isn't <i>in</i> Santa Fe. Its outside Santa Fe about 30+ minutes so I would eliminate this choice unless you weren't going into Santa Fe every day.

Of your four choices, Alameda fits the bill. Its very quaint, has charming patios, its close to the plaza so you can walk most anywhere and its close to Canyon Road for the galleries as well as restaurants. Very charming and can stay under $300/night. Also, has a great breakfast with freshly baked muffins (or used to anyway).

El Dorado is nice and has had a recent face lift. It can be quite busy with conventions so I would ask before making reservations. Parking is also expensive -- $16/day last we stayed. It's just ok and reminds me of any hotel catering to business groups. I would not recommend it unless you got a super rate.

Bishops Lodge<i> used</i> to be our lodging choice. Its set in the hills with lots of outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, skeet shooting, tennis and outdoor pool. However, when it sold a few years back the new owners have pushed to make it a corporate retreat facility. It has been overrun with huge groups and they ruin the serene atmosphere Bishop's once had so I cannot recommend Bishop's to anyone wanting an enjoyable, romantic weekend.

Another choice you may be interested in is El Farolito. It is quite charming and also close to the plaza. Similar to Inn on the Alameda.

www.farolito.com

September is a beautiful time and can be busy so book very quickly.

I can't help with the jeep tour as we never took it.

I would be happy to recommend restaurants as well if you would like.

Thank you Beach Girl 247! Sorry for not being more specific, but I meant the Hacienda at the Hotel Santa Fe.
Farolito was my first choice but they are full for our dates, darn it! I think we will definitely lean towards the Alameda it sounds wonderful.

Restaurant recs would be great as well. We are pretty easy to please, so post away! This is our first time in SF, we've talked about it for a long time and we are finally doing it this time!

Some spa time might interest us as well. We have never done this so we wouldn't even know where to begin????

We stayed at the Alameda a few years ago and liked it a lot. Our room was spacious and included a gas kiva (fireplace) and a patio, and the breakfast was excellent--hot stuff, cold stuff, fruit salad, very nice. And as BeachGirl pointed out, the location is great, we walked to the Plaza most days. Have fun!

My husband and I stayed at the Hacienda at the Hotel Santa Fe. The suite was gorgeous with lovely furnishings, high end linens, a fireplace. There is a spa at the Hacienda--which we did not make use of. We do prefer 10,000 Waves for massages, private hot tubs (reserve now if you want to go there). http://www.tenthousandwaves.com/

The hotel less than a 10 minute walk from either the Plaza or Canyon Road.
Current favorite restaurants--Trattoria Nostrani for exquisite Italian-http://www.trattorianostrani.com/;
La Boca for tapas and wine-http://www.santafe.com/sfrestaurants/110/;
Geronimo for southwestern inspired food http://www.geronimorestaurant.com/ and 315--French food-tiny place http://www.315santafe.com/ .