Albuquerque hotels

The smell of lavender hits you as soon as you step out of your car at Los Poblanos, an elegant boutique hotel in Albuquerque locally known as “the lavender farm.” The hotel gained a worldwide reputation for its restaurant, which has won James Beard awards for its farm-fresh approach to southwestern cuisine.

So even when I’m staying at Los Poblanos, I always make a point to come here for at least one meal while I’m in town. The restaurant somehow overshadows one of the best hotels in Albuquerque, which even without the renowned restaurant is spectacular. The 45 rooms and restaurant are all on a working farm, set in a preserved 1932 farmhouse.

The rooms feel like early 20th-century country escapes, and lend themselves perfectly to Los Poblanos’ farm-to-table ethos. It’s the perfect Albuquerque hotel for couples, honeymoons or a romantic getaway.

This Old Town high-rise combines accommodation, food and entertainment better than any of the best hotels in Albuquerque. From the outside, the Hotel Albuquerque looks like a modern high-rise with a territorial-style makeover. The colonial accents help it fit in perfectly with its Old Town neighbours, and though it lacks the neighbourhood’s history its amenities make it the best hotel near Old Town Albuquerque.

The swimming pool is massive, with an elevated view and cocktails served poolside for some vacation vibes. Downstairs, I’m a huge fan of the margaritas at Gardunos Old Town, as are a lot of locals who stop by here at Happy Hour. For a little culture, I highly recommend the flamenco show, which comes with a four-course dinner on weekends.

For an immersive, New Mexico ranch house style experience, the Loba Luna is one of the best hotels in Albuquerque. I love this bed and breakfast for its intimate environs, the kind of place where you feel more like you’re staying at your wealthy, western friend’s house than a hotel. The proprietors are immensely helpful and welcoming, a big part of why the place feels so homey.

The two common living rooms are often filled with guests, where you’ll learn people’s unusual histories over chess and evening cocktails. The Loba Luna is adorned in all the traditional southwestern motifs, with terracotta bricks, large wood beam ceilings and colourful decorative tiles covering the walls.

This small property has just five bedrooms, and only four come with private baths. So make sure to book well in advance.

The El Vado might be the coolest hotel in Albuquerque, transforming a Route 66 relic to a thriving local hotspot. It fell into disrepair by the late 1990’s, then in 2018 reopened as a modern boutique hotel, with most of the historic structure still intact.

Its newest iteration isn’t just one of the best hotels in Albuquerque, though. With rotating food pods and a tap room pouring local beer, it’s turned into an evening hangout spot for locals. So, you’ll feel like part of the city while staying in a hotel.

I love to wander out of my room and grab a beer at the taproom, chatting to locals and getting the inside scoop on ABQ. If you’re travelling solo, the El Vado is the best hotel in Albuquerque, both for its history and the ease with which it integrates you into the city.

One thing I love about Albuquerque is how it’s preserved the roadside motels of its Route 66 heyday. Among the newest preservation projects is the Monterey, which takes the concept of housing the long-distance traveller and updates it for the 2020’s.

Its modernity is evident as soon as you arrive: instead of a lengthy queue and tedious check-in process, you’re invited to relax with a drink at the Momo Lounge. The server checks you in, and your road-weary nerves are calmed before your bags leave the car.

Monterey’s other cool concept is its Stayat program, where you can reserve a bed in a common room. Admittedly, I haven’t tried the Stayats, but people I’ve met in the bar who do are intrepid, adventurous travellers and make for interesting happy hour conversations. For road trips or single travellers on a budget, this is the best hotel in Albuquerque.

The best business hotel in Albuquerque is this former Hyatt Regency, which was rebranded as The Clyde a few years ago. It's inside one of the tallest buildings in Albuquerque, making it instantly recognizable, and convenient to anything you’d want to do downtown. A major facelift is forthcoming, but for now, it’s a perfect place if you’re in town on business, or working remotely from the Land of Enchantment.

I love how the rooms are set up for people who need to work, with large desks, fast Wi-Fi and views out over the city when you need to take a break from staring at your screen. The hotel hits all the right corporate notes, with a 24-hour gym in case you get in late and want to squeeze in a workout, and a sunny atrium where I like to work if I’m tired of my room.

The story behind Nob Hill’s Hotel Zazz is one of my favourites. The current owner’s parents owned the motel back when it was the University Lodge, and she grew up using its hallways and courtyards as her own personal playground. That colourful, childlike spirit is now everywhere at the Hotel Zazz, where local artists have teamed with designers to make it the best art hotel in Albuquerque.

Playfulness is the overriding theme of the Hotel Zazz, whether you’re indulging in the nightly popsicle happy hour or playing with the oversized chess set outside. Every room in the hotel is a little different, too, though they all smell slightly like vanilla and bananas.

I bought a copy of the hotel’s children’s book as a gift for my niece, and was delighted to find the purchase gets you a discount on your room. So now I buy a copy for someone else every time I stay.

When it comes to luxury hotels in Albuquerque, you don’t get any better than the Hotel Andaluz. The historic building was the fourth hotel New Mexico native Conrad Hilton ever built and was the state’s tallest building for decades. It maintains much of its historic significance today, but has added touches of Spanish influence as well. Like the tapas bar on the ground floor and the rooftop bar, Ibiza!

If you’re looking for a business hotel, this is one of the best hotels in Albuquerque, too. While you can find regular meeting space, I highly suggest having smaller meetings in the Casbahs. These little nooks off the big main lobby feel more like VIP tables at a club, but are large enough to accommodate small work groups. I find them to be a stimulating work environment whilst being surrounded by intriguing art and custom furniture.

Once upon a time, this hilltop hotel was a railroad hospital, built in the 1920’s. Like a lot of the best hotels in Albuquerque, it pays tribute to its past with railroad artefacts and old travelling cases, giving you a little history lesson with your stay. I love the place for the history alone, as most of the facades and fixtures have either been restored or replaced so it still keeps a cool, 1920’s vibe.

The prohibition-era theme continues at the rooftop bar Apothecary, where a one-time nurse’s station has been converted into a rooftop bar. The view over the city is incredible, and I find it an ideal place to meet up with people to kick off the night. You’ll also find post-shift hospital workers hanging out up there, and loads of locals who generally consider it Albuquerque’s best rooftop bar.

For a more modern hotel, check out the Hotel Chaco, one of the top fancy hotels in Albuquerque. The Old Town Hotel modelled itself after the nearby Chaco Canyon architectural site, and you’ll learn more about the canyon staying one night here than you probably ever did in school. Beyond the education, the rooms are decorated in earth tones with hand woven native blankets, evoking the feeling of staying inside an ancient pueblo.

The hotel’s rooftop restaurant and bar, Level 5, has some fantastic views of the Sandia mountains, especially at sunset. The food is some of the most creative in Albuquerque, too, mixing local game with traditional spices to offer dishes you’ve probably never tried. Even if I’m not staying here, I like to stop in and see what new art they’ve added, whether on the hotel’s walls or in the on-site contemporary gallery Hozho.