Frommer's Review
If you're in the mood to stay in a little New Mexico adobe village, you'll enjoy this luxury hotel just 3 blocks from the plaza. The main building is an odd mix of architecture. The original part was a Victorian mansion built in 1882 by Abraham Staab, a German immigrant, for his bride, Julia. Later it was adobeized -- an adobe structure was literally built around it -- so that now the Victorian presence is only within the charming bar (which was refurbished in 2006) and four rooms, which still maintain the original brick and high ceilings. It is said that Julia Staab, who died in 1896, continues to haunt the place. Mischievous but good-natured, she is Santa Fe's best-known and most frequently witnessed ghost. If you like Victorian interiors more than Santa Fe style, these rooms are a good bet.
The rest of the hotel follows in the pueblo-style construction and is quaint; it's especially nice in the summer, when surrounded by acres of green grass. Here, you get to experience squeaky maple floors, vigas and latillas, and, in many rooms, kiva fireplaces. Be aware that unless you've secured a suite, most rooms tend to be fairly small. Fortunately, the hotel benefited from a $23-million face-lift completed in 1999, and all the bathrooms in historic rooms were renovated in 2004. Last summer, the hotel invested $1.5 million to improve its soft goods. Most notable are the Zen-Southwestern-style Avanyu spa and pool and spacious spa rooms, as well as a few "gallery suites," appointed with original artwork from some of the region's most prestigious artists. Travelers who are reluctant to trust the whims of older adobe construction should reserve one of the spa rooms or any of the other 40 new rooms. The hotel attracts travelers and a fair number of families, though it is pushing for more convention business. Most rooms don't have views but have outdoor patios, and most are tucked back into the quiet compound. The top-notch onsite restaurant, Fuego, serves artfully prepared international cuisine in a romantic, Spanish-colonial dining room.
Facilities:
2 restaurants; bar; outdoor pool; exercise room; spa with full treatments; Jacuzzi; conference center; bike rental; concierge; salon; room service; in-room massage; babysitting; dry cleaning
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
