At the junction of Interstate 25 and Interstate 40, this hotel sits across from the inferior Holiday Inn, one mile north of the University of New Mexico. It may not have Hotel Albuquerque's better location near Old Town attractions, but it lacks little else, offering fine regional dining, a copious ballroom, indoor and outdoor pools, and two large courtyards.
It bests Hotel Albuquerque as the most substantial of Albuquerque's commercial chain hotels and constant updating keeps it in top shape. At inspection, renovations had just commenced in the guest rooms, with work in the public areas slated for fall 2008.
Inside the main 13-story building, the lobby exhibits Western adobe decor of sculpted walls, with desert colors providing a subtle backdrop to the bright, hand-painted flourishes around doors and ceilings. The restaurants rank among the finest in town. Casa Chaco may look like a coffee shop by day, but at dinner, it serves nouvelle-Southwestern fare, with indigenous ingredients dished up in classic style.
For guests seeking large tasty portions of meat, the Ranchers Club serves venison, bison and pheasant as well as rib-eye and sirloin steaks amid appropriate cattle-baron decor. The steaks are considered some of the best in the state (and are priced accordingly). The lounge, done in fun Mexican folk-art style, mixes its margaritas with mariachis (mariachi music is piped in when the real ones are missing). Entertainment is also offered in the Rancher's Lounge fronting the restaurant.
A long promenade stretches past function space for 1,000 to the two- and three-story wings. Besides the well-equipped gym, there is an Olympic-sized outdoor plunge, saunas and a whirlpool. The indoor pool was being renovated at inspection, but the tennis courts have been resurfaced and are ready for play. Self-parking is free, though valet parking exacts around US$7 per day.
Currently all guest rooms meet standard Hilton specs and show well-maintained carpeting in hallways and guest rooms. The new rooms will be fitted with fresh carpeting, beds, bedding furnishings and flat-screen TVs.
The more conservative Tower rooms complement the family-oriented Cabana units, though all currently show touches of Southwestern design. All rooms have good beds, thoughtful lighting, sparse sitting areas with single side chairs, big-screen TVs, minibars, coffeemakers, phones with data ports and voice mail and average storage space with irons and ironing boards.
Rooms facing the freeway are subject to noise from passing semis, though good soundproofing keeps most rooms quiet. The rooms' biggest flaws are their small baths and lack of exhaust fans.
Cabana rooms in the two-story courtyard section in back are dormant during the slower winter months, but in summer these are the recommended accommodations, proving quieter and allied with pool views. The rooms in the main tower are geared more toward business travelers. Executive rooms on the top two floors come with upgraded toiletries, robes, larger towels and keyed access.
Room service stops at 11 pm. Pets are not permitted.
The Hyatt Regency may be more polished, and the Hotel Albuquerque in a better location, but neither offers such a well-rounded assemblage of facilities. In fact, this hotel sets the benchmark in terms of price and value, to which the other chain hotels are compared.
