101 W. Alameda, Santa Fe, NM, 87501. 505-982-4333
Rates: Standard rooms with one king or two double beds start at $109 a night. Parking, full breakfast, afternoon tea and sherry with bizcochitos, Internet access and a mini-fridge are included. Through the end of April, ask about special “Economic Relief” rates. We paid $80 a night in February for a three-night stay.
Stay here if you: want a hotel with an ideal location that leaves you enough cash to enjoy some of Santa Fe’s many other offerings.
It’s close to: everything. Three blocks off the plaza, Inn of the Governors is an easy walk from downtown restaurants, shopping and museums, and a comfortable walk to the galleries on Canyon Road.
The rooms are: atmospheric. Superior rooms feature a kiva fireplace, which can be tricky to light, even when your chambermaid lays the fire and includes a packet of starter. If you don’t enjoy the smell of smoke, skip this amenity.
They put all of the money into: furnishings, artwork and appointments in the newly renovated rooms. (The Navajo-blanket wall hangings and throw pillows are Indian as opposed to American Indian — we found “Made in India” tags on the pillows — but they’re beautiful nonetheless.) From the punched-tin bathroom accessories to the baskets and paintings on display in the halls, the Inn reminds you where you are.
The bottom line: You’ll pay three or four times as much for an equivalent stay at many of the high-end properties around the Plaza and not find friendlier people or a more convenient location. Add a free hot breakfast, and you’ve taken much of the financial sting out of a trip to Santa Fe.
Lisa Greim
