The time has come to finalize our vacation plans for the tail end of October. I am looking for moderately priced, but nice, hotel suggestions....Right now I have my eye on the El Rey Inn or Garrett's for Santa Fe. We plan to spend about 3 nights there and then drive out to Taos for another night or two. Any suggestions?? I do not need the Taj Mahal, but I do want a decent place, perhaps with some local flavor.

Finally, our last night or two will be spent in ABQ before flying home in the a.m. I'd like to have nice relaxing end to our trip, with a nice dinner and a nice hotel...what do people think fit the bill? I have been following multiple posts and the restaurant suggestions are great....what about hotels? I appreciate the input!!

The El Pueblo Lodge in Taos is a nice place and some of the rooms have wood burning fireplaces. It has a true southwest feel to it.

A great place for breakfast is Michael's.

We recently returned to ABQ [where we lived until 6 months ago] and stayed at the Embassy Suites. It has been open less than a year and is in a great location. There is a Doubletree, Hilton, too.

If you want to stay at a really nice hotel, it is just north of ABQ...The Hyatt Tamaya. It is done in SW style and you can get some good deals online.


What type of cuisine do you want for your special dinner? That will help.

Some suggestions for meals...

Garcia's for New Mexican [the one on Mountain and 4th is best].
Weck's for breakfast - several locations
Il Vicino on Central for lunch and dinner [microbrewery with wood oven pizza and other italian delights]
Venezia's for great pizza - Rio Rancho; and on San Mateo near Montgomery
Quarters for BBQ - near Cottonwood mall [on Westside] and on Yale by airport.
Kelly's Brew Pub for lunch and dinner- on central
Bangkok Cafe {Thai} on Central east of San Mateo
Ranchers Club- in the Hilton east of I-25 {beef, of course}
Bien Shur in Sandia Casino {upscale, not buffet, owned by same people as Artichoke Cafe}
Scalo's on Central in Nob Hill { upscale} dinner
Season's near Old Town on Mountain - great grill/ rositesser with music
Ambrozia on Rio Grande for Sunday Brunch or dinner
Zinc Wine Bar for lunch dinner

And a few more...
Dinner: Greek - Yanni's in University District (or a much cheaper less fancy Greek place Olympic Cafe in the same area), Mykonos in the Mountain Run Shopping Center. in Northeast Heights

Continental: Cafe Miché,

American: Articoke Cafe (Central), Gold Street Café (a little bistro type place in the middle of downtown.)

Classic: Frontier (Breakfast Burritos are famous) across the street from the University. Open 24 hours a day.

One last thing...IF you are going to be visiting during the Balloon Fiesta, better make ABQ reservations ASAP. Hotel get filled fast.

Hope this helps!
Debi

Thanks for the quick response - sadly we will be arriving the closing weekend of the Fiesta and will head right out to Santa Fe. We will spend the Thursday - Friday night of our stay- weekend of the 28th - in ABQ.

I love the food with a southwestern flare, but figure by the time we hit ABQ, we may be ready for a change - a good steak, perhaps, or great appetizers and wine... We will not be packing real "dressy" clothes, so something that will accept "nicely dressed" attire...

Your suggestions are awesome and a great variety of flavors!! Thanks so much, especially on the hotel suggestions!

El Rey is very charming and there's a nice free breakfast. I usually stay there, but you do have to drive down to the plaza area, find a place to park, etc.

I've never stayed at Garrett's but am going to this summer because it's so close to the plaza. It's a trade off -- giving up the lovely Santa Fe style for location, location, location.

We stayed at El Farolito in Santa Fe last fall, and would have booked it again for this fall had it not been full for our dates. Definitely has that local flavor, and a great staff as well. It's about a 10 minute walk to the plaza.

We really enjoyed staying at the Inn on the Alameda when we visited Santa Fe. There are several different room choices, from a standard hotel style room to a casita. They have a very nice complimentary breakfast with fritata, fruit, bagels, muffins, cereal. They also have a complimentary afternoon wine and cheese get together.
You can walk to the Plaza and there is also a little riverwalk across from the hotel.

I can only comment on Garrett's and El Rey. Garrett's used to be a decent place to stay -- clean with no frills. BUT things have changed and I really wouldn't recommend it to my friends. If you don't mind a tired, dirty place to stay then you're fine. It is close but it is in such need of renovation and frankly, better maids. Our sheets were dirty on the last two occations with the bath half cleaned and the carpet is very scary.

El Rey, on the other hand, is a very charming and quaint little motel with cute southwest decor in their rooms -- some with a kiva fireplace. The front desk is very helpful and you are just a short 5 minute drive to the plaza. You can park on the street with a coin meter or use the parking garage or parking lot for all day parking.

El Rey would be my choice. And besides, you're just down from "Maria's" where you'll find great margaritas and delicious enchiladas and carne adovada. Yum!

Not to hijack the thread, but Linda, when were you at Inn on the Alameda. That's where we're booked this fall.

We've stayed at the El Rey Innn and have been very happy. It's not as convenient to the mall, but you can't beat the price. It is quaint and clean, and does have the Santa Fe flavor. For Mexican, my parents who lived in Santa Fe turned us onto Tomasita's. Wow! We LOVE the food here, and the marg's are awesome. When we visit SF we eat there at least twice in a 3-4 day trip. Go for lunch or a very early dinner so that you don't have to wait. Then you can sit in the main dining room which we prefer, as they have added on. Have a great time!

Great - I think El Rey is it!!

Now - about Taos....does it make sense to stay out there or can we reasonably do daytrips and just base out of Santa Fe?

It is about an 1.5 to 2 hour drive from Santa Fe to Taos {depending on where you start/stop and time of day}. I would drive up early one morning, head up to Taos and spend the day exploring. Stay in Taos overnight, finish up you Taos visit and then head back down south.

Be sure to Visit Taos Pueblo, it is really special. Drive over the Gorge Bridge too.
Debi

Taos is an easy daytrip, but you might spend a night, depending on what you want to do and see in that area.

Last fall, we left Santa Fe at 9:00am, taking the high road to Taos, with stops at Chimayo and a couple other places along the way. Had lunch in Taos, walked around the town for a short while, then went out to the Pueblo. Heading back to Santa Fe, if we'd wanted to, we'd have had time for a photo stop at Bandelier, and still made our dinner reservation.

Beachbum
We were at the Inn on the Alameda in January.

I agree with pretty much everything DebitNM said. The Embassy Suites on I-25 just south of the Big I is very nice; my sil and her family stayed there last summer.

I haven't seen the Hyatt Tamaya, but I've heard nothing but good things about it.

Weck's is OK, but IMO Perennials (San Mateo and Osuna) or Flying Star (many locations) is better for breakfast.

I don't think the Keenes, who own Artichoke Cafe, are involved with Bien Shur anymore.

You can get a good steak at the Rancher's Club (University and Menaul), or at Paul's Monterey Inn on Juan Tabo, or at Gruet Steakhouse on Central in the Nob Hill area.

Lee Ann

Have you looked at the Hotel Plaza Real? The location is only 1/2 block off the Plaza. You'll have to check the price, but I don't think it's much more than Garrett's. Hotel Plaza Real is not perfect, but I think it's the best room for the $$ close to the Plaza. You might also check out the St. Francis and Inn of the Governors. I would choose all of these over Garrett's.

annieladd

Thanks once again for your practical advice - I will check out the Hotel Plaza Real.

Any Taos hotel suggestions? As we will only be a night or possibly two there, I am less concerned.

For a place to stay in Taos:

The El Pueblo Lodge or Casa de las Chimeneas and be sure to have breakfast at Michael's.

Debi

Annielad, thanks for the tip about the Hotel Plaza Real. I will definitely check that out next year.

Regarding Taos, we've only stayed there once, but we stayed at Hacienda del Sol. It is a b&b, but it's not like you're in someone's house. If I recall, it's like a string of rooms. We're not big on b&b's, but this worked just fine. I don't recall the breakfast being anything memorable. We had a delicious dinner at Joseph's Table. This has been 5 years ago, though.

I would probably just stay in SF the entire time, and just spend a day in Taos, but...

While you're in Taos, be sure to visit the Milicent Rogers museum, it's just lovely.

I am pleased with what I saw on the Plaza Real website. At least I feel like I have some viable choices now. Ths is hte first time I have booked a doestic vacation in a while, and I am amazed that it will probably cost us as much, if not more, than our usual Carribbean vacation!!!

We haven't quite decided what to do about Taos yet, since it is totally do-able in a day trip...