I’ve been to Santa Fe New Mexico a few times over the years, but not in awhile, so was curious to see how it had changed since my last visit. While the last two times I had stayed in the center of town, making it easy to explore by foot, this time it appeared that mostly everything was booked up. A major event? Six weddings? Hard to to be sure, but what was clear is that the place was busier than I had remembered.
We ended up at a charming hotel a 10-15 minute drive from the city center called Inn at Santa Fe, a boutique hotel with 98 guestrooms on three floors. The weather was cool when we were there since it was winter, but not so cool, we couldn’t take advantage of their outdoor hot tub and sauna, two features that were a significant plus for me given how much driving we had been doing. They also have outside fire pits, table style, you can enjoy a glass of wine in the evening and the pool is heated year round.
Their guestrooms and mini-suites, albeit in a standard sized space, were more creative than your typical hotel room. We opted for a Deluxe Sunset Vista, which has an oversized headboard with a queen bed and a small seating element facing the armoire, done in a very New Mexico motif. The rooms have flat screen TVs of course and also free HBO, although we were out and about too much to take in the movie selection. I love old world style, so the dark wood headboard and desk were a plus for my eyes.
The more standard rooms are a little more modern with granite counter tops and vanities but also with a great desk space, which is a godsend for us as writers.
What’s nice if you were traveling the way we were, or with a family, the rooms have microwave and refrigerators with a freezer, free high speed internet access and a complimentary breakfast in the morning — cereal, muffins, toast, eggs and more. What’s lovely is the seating area where you can relax anytime of day, but if you love fireplaces as much as I do, you’ll gravitate towards the comfy sitting area in front of the fire for breakfast, drinks or just to relax and read a book.
Dog lovers will know that not all hotels accept pets or some that do will charge you significant surcharges to do so. The Inn at Santa Fe is pet friendly, another great plus if traveling with your entire family, dog or cat included.
In addition to full American breakfast, which they proudly display a sign for as you enter the parking lot (easy parking btw, which may have been trickier in town), they offer Happy Hour specials on appetizers, beer and wine by the glass. Since it’s on the outskirts, you’d have your car of course, but they do offer a complimentary shuttle service into town seven days a week if you don’t want to deal with in-town parking or simply want to relax and not think about your car.
There’s a 24 hour fitness center also, which is the way it should be at hotels. It’s astonishing to me how many hotels have a fitness center but have it open at odd hours, making it inconvenient for business travelers or those of us who are night owls like myself.
You have easy access here for Santa Fe Plaza, Canyon Road, shopping, restaurants, museums, parks, skiing, and golf. Also, adjacent to the hotel are the Fashion Outlets of Santa Fe, where you can get bargains on chic brands like Polo Ralph Lauren, Merrell, Nike, Sunglass Hut, Brooks Brothers, Coach, Aeropostale, Chico’s, Levi’s, Under Armour and Tommy Hilfiger.
Another great feature for family travelers and worth noting is that they have mobility accessible rooms, which include an accessible tub or Roll-in shower, accessible peephole and Visual Alarm Alert. Hearing Accessible kits are also available upon request with reservation.
Victoria Bruneni, the general manager of the hotel was overly gracious and while it may be true, she knew we were there covering Santa Fe from a myriad of perspectives, hospitality is part of her DNA — it was evident from how she handled situations and the proactive approach she took with every situation, big or small. She also made recommendations for great cafes and bars and passed along names of pals at nearby vineyards and restaurants to help facilitate our planning. Two thumbs up! We would definitely return.
8376 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe, NM 87507
(505) 474-9500
Note: we were hosted at the Inn but all opinions expressed are my own.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
