SANTA FE, N.M.– Choices, choices. In Santa Fe, where Spanish colonial culture and pueblo architecture meet and join hands, there are as many kinds of hotels as there as types of hot chiles. To savor the flavor, try one of these hot spots. Prices vary dramatically depending on when you go.
THE INN ON THE ALAMEDA
The Inn on the Alameda, a small Spanish colonial-style hotel tucked away behind adobe walls on three secluded acres, is my first choice for historic ambiance and casual luxury.
The 69-room inn, with 10 suites in individual casitas and 59 rooms in three rambling adobe buildings, has the quiet charm of a rural hacienda, with private courtyards and flowering vines.
With a tree-shaded park next door, there’s plenty of space to stretch your legs. Yet the inn is just three blocks from the Plaza, the historic center of old Santa Fe, and 10 minutes from art galleries, antique shops, the Governor’s Palace and a dozen first-class restaurants.
“We’re unique because we’re small and privately owned,” said spokeswoman Judith Moir. “We can make changes on the spot, so the hotel is always in tip-top condition.”
The decor at the inn is pure Southwest, with tans, browns, brick reds and apple green. Native American designs enliven painted chests and chairs. The suites have kiva fireplaces and private patios. And the self-service laundry room ranks high on my list.
A lavish breakfast is included, as is the daily “wine and cheese” gathering, a chance to wind down at the end of the day.
Standard double rooms start at about $180. Call (888) 984-2124, (505)984-2121, or visit www.innonthealameda.com.
THE LA FONDA HOTEL
To steep yourself in history, stay at the La Fonda Hotel, on the Plaza, at the end of the Old Santa Fe Trail. Santa Fe’s most famous hotel, it was built in 1925 by the Atcheson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, and managed by Fred Harvey.
With 136 rooms, it was the first, largest and most colorful of the city’s hotels, the natural watering hole for anyone with a reputation to uphold.
And the hotel is still marvelously colorful, with tile floors, Indian pottery, an art collection, open-beam ceilings, and the sense that as it ages, it looks more venerable. Periodic renovations have renewed the rooms, using old photographs to re-create the original furniture and a look that’s sensibly comfortable.
This, too, is part of the hotel’s charm. At La Fonda, you have a brief opportunity to revisit the optimistic years of American at mid-century, when travelers came by car or train and stayed at least two weeks.
Because it is a designated historic structure, La Fonda’s exterior can’t be altered. But the interior has been reshaped recently, to add a spa and 14 luxury suites on the third floor. The hotel also has a restaurant, swimming pool, beauty salon, sundries shop and art and antique stores. Parking for guests is in the adjacent structure.
Double rooms start as low as $159 for weekdays, or $279 on weekends. Call (800) 523-5002, or visit www.lafondasantafe.com.
FORT MARCY HOTELS SUITES
Fort Marcy Hotel Suites isn’t a fort or a hotel, but rather a pleasant 100-unit condominium complex built in a modified pueblo style on nine hilltop acres six blocks from the Plaza.
Perfect for families or couples traveling together, the one- to three-bedroom condos are all different, but decorated with Southwestern colors, furniture and art. Most have kiva fireplaces and starter bundles of wood.
The property, landscaped with grass and pinon pines, offers plenty of room for children to run around outdoors; there’s no charge to use the indoor pool. Most units have views of the distant Sangre De Cristo mountains. The kitchens are fully equipped.
The guest laundromat is free, and so is the daily continental breakfast, a simple affair of cold cereal, pastry, juice and coffee. For a small fee you can use the tennis courts and workout room in the sports complex, a half-block away.
It’s an easy walk downhill into town and a steep climb back up. But Fort Marcy’s free shuttle goes both ways, a pleasant sight after a day of sightseeing.
On weekdays, one-bedroom condominiums start as low as $127 per night; three- bedroom condos start at $410. Prices rise steeply during high season. Call (800) 745-9910, or visit www.fortmarcy.com.
