where to stay to visit mesa verde
 

where would be best place to spend the night if we want to see mesa verde and 4 corners?

any other suggestions on sights to see in the area?

Probably stay in Cortez, but motels are expensive out there.
In Aztec New Mexico there is a national monument misnamed Aztec NM. It has nothing to do with Aztecs.d
Durango of course is the home of the Silverton-Durango train.
The drive over the mountain passes from Durango to Ouray, Colorado, is fantastic.

We stayed at very lovely B&B property just a wee bit down the road for our trip to Mesa Verde, and we would have liked to have stayed longer! Look at:
http://www.sundancebear.com/

The most convenient place to stay for visiting Mesa Verde is the Far View Lodge right on the property.

If you stay in Durango, check the prices for Strater Hotel. It's a fun palace, and Victorian in design. I think Durango is a better place to base yourself than Cortez, although Cortez is probably less expensive.

We stayed at the Comfort Inn in Cortez last year when visiting Mesa Verde and were very pleased. I booked through the Choice Hotel website and got a very good rate. We had a very large room and the hotel provided a nice expanded continental breakfast.

I didn't consider the lodge at Mesa Verde, although it would be convenient as the drive from Cortez is probably 20 miles, but we didn't mind. I'm not impressed with the lodges in the national parks - the ones we have stayed in aren't very nice for the price they charge. We spent the day at Mesa Verde, stayed the evening in Cortez, and then went on to 4 corners. There isn't much to see at 4 corners. It one of those places you go to just to say you have been there. From 4 corners we went to Canyon de Chelly, which we greatly enjoyed. We didn't have time to do both, but if we had I would have also visited Hovenweep.

Hoovenweep is great.

Depending on which route you take from Cody, you can come down thought Utah and hit Flaming Gorge National Recreational Area, Dinosuar National Monuent (near Veral, UT), Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dear Horse State Park (near Moab, UT) Hovenweep National Monument, Monument Valley tribal Park, Canyon de Chelly before you hit 4 corners (which will take all of 15 minutes of your time).

Then after Mesa Verde drive up Hwy 550 the Million Dollar Highway between Durango and Montrose. Near Montrose is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. There are several great routes to Denver before heading home to Ohio.

Utahtea

Stay in Far View at least for the night. It is VERY worth it--not for the lodge but for the location.

I'd also recommend Far View Lodge in the park itself, especially if you're only spending one night in the area. The fact that the lodge is in the middle of the park, several miles off the highway, makes it a great base for exporing MV, but not for exploring the rest of the 4C area.

It depends on how much time you have, and if you want to concentrate more on ancestral puebloan ruins (Hovenweep and Aztec Ruins are also great if you want to do this) or pretty mountain scenery. If you plan to drive around a lot, it's easier just to pick up and move to a new town every day, since the mountains and canyons slow travel down in the 4C.

What route do you plan to take, and how much time will you have?