Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces

A striking, contemporary hotel high on a bluff on the east side of town channels a gracious hacienda with its colorful common spaces and restaurants. Rooms are furnished in a dark Spanish Colonial motif, with a number of period-style pieces. The large outdoor pool offers respite during the hot months. Mezcla serves creative Southwestern food in an elegant space with tile floors and beam ceilings, and there's a fun indoor-outdoor bar, Azul.