Best Albuquerque Hotels

The Andaluz dates from 1939, when it was the jewel in the crown of budding hotelier Conrad Hilton, who grew up in New Mexico. Seventy years later, the hotel got a top-to-bottom makeover, preserving historic murals and carved wood in the lobby and installing every environmentally friendly feature possible, from solar hot water panels on the roof down to composting in the restaurant. The owner's eclectic art collection punctuates the lobby and halls, and the rooms have a subdued, modernized Moorish theme, with quirky details like lime-green sinks. The prime suite is the top-floor penthouse, where Hilton stayed with his new wife, Zsa Zsa Gabor, but even standard rooms are carefully designed, even in more humdrum details like the sleek bank of power ports to accommodate all manner of gadgets.

In what has proved an excellent partnership, San Juan Pueblo provides the space, beautiful setting and aesthetic inspiration for this resort, while Hyatt provides the expertise. The resort has consistently been rated one of the best places to stay in New Mexico, for its excellent service and the way it works in the native culture, from the fragrant piñon smoke in the air to nighttime storytelling programs with pueblo members. The drawback is that it’s far from the center of Albuquerque—about 45 minutes on the freeway, though you could take the scenic route through Corrales. It’s also just a little bit too enthralling—once you’re here, staring at the mountains from your private patio and considering which of the three pools you want to dip in first, you might not want to go out. But then again, many travelers come here to do just that.

Set on the largest patch of farmland in the Albuquerque metro area, Los Poblanos feels like a rural retreat. The core buildings of the inn were built in the WPA era by celebrated architect John Gaw Meem (who also designed the University of New Mexico), with adobe walls, brick floors and beautifully carved wood throughout. Guests reap the benefits of the surrounding farmland, with fresh organic eggs at breakfast (the farm operates as a CSA--Community Supported Agriculture) and the scent of lavender from the fields in front of the house. You could easily spend a good part of your vacation just wandering the gardens and public rooms, decorated by some of the state’s finest artists in the 1930s.

Built around a huge outdoor kitchen, Cinnamon Morning is set right in the Rio Grande Valley, a temperate zone where you usually can enjoy your breakfast out in the fresh cool air. The main house has four cozy rooms, each with a private bath. If you want more space, you’ll need to upgrade to either the guest house or the casita across the yard—here you have the option of a kitchenette and a private patio. The look throughout is hip Southwestern: minimalist wood furniture against a bright turquoise wall, for instance, with a cow skull accent. You definitely get a sense of place, without the boring desert palette that plagues less-cool lodging in town.

Two neighboring houses in the hip EDo (East Downtown) area make up this meticulously maintained B&B. The four rooms in the Heritage House have a Victorian feel, to go with the vintage of the house, complete with a turret. The details are applied with a light hand, so rooms still feel spacious and light, rather than spooky dark—but even so, if you prefer a sparer aesthetic, opt for Spy House next door, an Arts and Crafts bungalow where the rooms have more a 1940s look. Most rooms have private baths; two in the Heritage House adjoin a single bathroom, which can be handy for families. There are perks like fridges stocked with free drinks, and the location is great—residential without being out of the loop, so you can still walk to restaurants in the evening.

The Hotel Albuquerque is a modern hotel with a New Mexican makeover. It was built as a cookie-cutter Sheraton, but a local chain bought it in 2005 and gave it a tasteful overhaul. Glossy tile floors, bone-white stucco and sturdy Spanish-look furniture set the tone in the lobby, and the 200 or so rooms are done in a similar but more contemporary style, with rich reds and golds. There’s a nice outdoor pool in the courtyard, too. The location is an easy walk from central Old Town and the Albuquerque Museum, and there's plenty of parking and direct freeway access for people with cars. Request a mountain-view room if you can.

Out amid the rambling fields of Corrales, this old adobe house has just one guest room, plus a larger guest house that’s good for a family. But it gives you a fine sense of place, starting with the warm welcome you get from host Alfred. He’s happy to show you the American Indian ruins on the property, as well as the nearby acequia, or irrigation ditch—part of the system set up by early Spanish settlers, using technology they’d learned from the Arabs. The glassed-in patio is a wonderful place to take breakfast, especially on a clear winter day.

Don't mind the overly clinical name—this is actually one of the more charming places to stay in Albuquerque if you're keen on soaking up what’s left of the vibe of historic Route 66. The tidy little motor court retains its layout from the Mother Road's heyday, which means relatively small rooms with thick walls. It’s simple and not at all flashy, but considering the sorry state of all the other motels on Central, it’s a relief. The meticulous owners keep the place exceptionally tidy—and, yes, free of cigarette smoke.

Owned by the same group that runs the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, the Nativo Lodge is a similarly transformed chain hotel. Here, the atrium has been done in cool black-and-primary-color totemic carvings, and the rooms have the same cushy pillow-top beds as at their sister property. But because this is in a weird part of town (on the north side, near the balloon fiesta park and Gruet Winery, but little else), the rates are dramatically lower. It’s a good option if you’ll have a rental car and are planning trips out of the city, because it’s just by Interstate 25—you get a head start to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks (currently closed) and it’s a quick shot up to the foothills and the Sandia Peak Tramway. Ask for a room in the back for a mountain view, rather than one of the freeway.