3 Best Hotels in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

The region's most elegant and atmospheric lodging option occupies a graceful 1892 redbrick former bank building with nine luxuriously appointed rooms with high ceilings, plush beds with pillow-top mattresses, hidden flat-screen TVs, and spacious bathrooms with glass walk-in showers. The lobby and hallways exude Victorian and Old-West ambience, and the on-site bar and restaurant is both classy and inviting. Attention to detail—chocolate mints and glass stemware on the tray—creates a seamless mix of old-fashioned charm and contemporary comfort. Book early, as this property fills up fast.

On the south side of downtown leading to the Carlsbad Caverns, this well-maintained chain property lies within walking distance of a few restaurants, a gas station, and a Walmart. It offers a full, hot breakfast and contains four stories of clean rooms and suites.

This bland but economical two-story motel just outside the entrance to the national park has spacious rooms that have recently undergone a remodel. There's a kid-friendly water park, open May through September, with two 150-foot waterslides. This is your best bet for proximity to the park—just don't expect many frills.