Four Seasons Santa Fe recently announced a multimillion-dollar room revitalization. Photo by David Courbit
March 29, 2024
New Mexico’s heritage and culture is special, from Hatch green chile–smothered everything to adobe-adorned towns. Several hotels in the Land of Enchantment embrace the state’s uniqueness and offer amenities with a local spin for travelers.
Here are some of the coolest, most unusual amenities at hotels throughout New Mexico that are worth checking out.
El Vado's taproom has craft beer from Ponderosa Brewing Co. Photo courtesy El Vado Motel
Beer lovers, rejoice! Each guest room at Albuquerque’s El Vado Motel, stylishly renovated with a midcentury influence, comes with a custom-made growler that you can fill at the on-site taproom with beer from the Ponderosa Brewing Company.
El Vado Motel has been a stop for Route 66 drivers since 1937. Photo courtesy El Vado Motel
El Vado Motel opened in 1937 beside the New Mexico stretch of Route 66. It continues to host generations of weary road warriors and proudly embodies its independent brand, boasting on its website, “We’re not corporate enough to have a corporate rate.” Growler fill, $8. Rates start at $159; AAA discount available.
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Watch puppies play during Ojo Santa Fe's Puppy Patch program. Photo courtesy Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort
Guests missing their furry friends back home can nuzzle sweet puppies at Ojo Santa Fe. Partnering with local rescue organization Española Humane, this hotel offers its Puppy Patch program twice each day. All puppies are available for adoption, so you might end up taking the world’s most adorable souvenir home.
In the on-site sweat lodge, an Indigenous ceremonial leader guides you in the Temazcal Renewal Ceremony, where you engage with Earth's four elements.
Another noteworthy guest program is the Temazcal Renewal Ceremony. It is offered each Friday evening, guided by an Indigenous ceremonial leader in the on-site sweat lodge.
One- and 2-bedroom casitas are appointed with gas fireplaces and have a calming, neutral palette. Guests have free unlimited access to the outdoor communal soaking pools. Casita rates start at $405.
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Enjoy a private s'mores session in your casita at the Four Seasons. Photo courtesy Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantando Santa Fe
Though some hotels and resorts offer s’mores, the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe takes it up a notch. With a simple phone call, staff at the AAA Four Diamond property will light your kiva fireplace and deliver a s’mores kit free of charge so you can roast gooey marshmallows in the privacy of your casita.
A Four Seasons guide leads hikes through Bandelier National Monument. Photo by Kristina Blokhin/stock.adobe.com
This experience is especially delicious after a daylong adventure outside, which you can arrange ahead of time based on your interests. One option is a hike through nearby Bandelier National Monument with a knowledgeable guide, who also packs a lunch for you to enjoy along the way.
Call the front desk for a staff member to light the kiva fireplace in your casita. Photo by David Courbit
Each casita offers a private patio or balcony and heated floors. Wind down with a cup of fresh herbal tea and a bath in the soaking tub, and find slippers laid out at your bedside after the evening turndown service. Four Seasons Santa Fe recently announced a multimillion-dollar revitalization, the first room renewal in the resort’s history. Rates start at $1,265.
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Pecos Trail Inn is the perfect place for bike enthusiasts to stay for the night. Photo by Herschel Mair
Santa Fe’s Pecos Trail Inn, a roadside motor lodge that received a fresh glow-up from its new owners, now offers a bike tuning and washing station. Rooms are simply furnished with Saltillo tile floors and Southwestern touches.
A 20-minute bike ride takes you from the inn to downtown Santa Fe or to the Railyard Arts District, so you can take your time meandering around town and finding your own adventures.
The Inn’s beloved restaurant, the Pecos Trail Cafe, also had a makeover of its own. On the new-and-improved front porch, you can take in some of the best sunset views of Santa Fe while sipping on a margarita and noshing on carne adovada. Rates start at $129.
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In Bishop Lodge's spa, cozy up next to the kiva fireplace or take in sweeping views from the soaking tub. Photo courtesy Auberge Resorts Collection.
Bishop’s Lodge, an Auberge resort in Santa Fe, anchors guests to New Mexico’s Indigenous roots. A welcome amenity snack tray is thoughtfully arranged with the 3 sisters: corn, beans, and squash. Popcorn, crunchy black beans, and seed brittle made with pumpkin seeds represent these crops, which are a backbone of Native American agriculture and foodways.
The AAA Five Diamond luxury property includes kiva-style in-room fireplaces, wood beam ceilings, and woven Navajo rugs. An on-site spa offers vibrational sound healing treatments. Rates start at $719, plus a $55 daily resort fee; AAA discount available.
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Los Poblanos Inn's many bath products are all made with lavender harvested on-site. Photo by Douglas Merriam
Lavender fans, you won’t find any fresher bath products than at Los Poblanos Inn in Albuquerque. Each room is supplied with soap and lotions made with lavender essential oils distilled from plants harvested on-site.
The farm suites have views of the lavender garden and lotus pond. Photo by Elizabeth Wells
Rooms here have a fresh modern farm aesthetic. The Territorial Revival style of the property’s historic hacienda pays tribute to legendary New Mexico architect John Gaw Meem.
Enjoy a lavender-infused cocktail at Campo, the hotel's restaurant. Photo courtesy Los Poblanos
Elsewhere on the farm, you can say hello to alpacas and sheep, and enjoy lavender-themed dinners and lavender cocktails. Check the events calendar for upcoming classes, special dining events, and teas. Rates start at $340, plus a $24 farm fee.
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Sierra Grande has private hot spring–fed tubs for guests to soak in. Photo courtesy Ted Turner Reserves
At Sierra Grande in Truth or Consequences, guests can enjoy a complimentary 30-minute soak in one of the private tubs, which are fed by geothermal hot springs and reach up to 104 degrees.
Sierra Grande is a 17-room hotel that offers holistic wellness services, like Native American healing traditions. Photo courtesy Ted Turner Reserves
New Mexico is known for its hot springs, and you can find several around T or C. This Ted Turner property offers a 17-room lodge and an adjacent private 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom casita located in downtown.
Rooms are brightly decorated with Southwestern decor, and 2 have in-room hot springs access. You can also book custom eco-tour excursions such as hiking, birding, or exploring a bat cave. Rates start at $175; AAA discount available.
Cynthia J. Drake is a Texas-based writer whose favorite hotel amenity is a simple one: fresh water and ice to fill her reusable water bottle for the day's adventures.
