Most Santa Fe hotels, motels and B&Bs are in one of two areas: downtown (near the Palace of the Governors and Plaza) or on Cerrillos Road, the commercial main drag. The distance of the Cerrillos Road hotels from the downtown attractions isn't significant from a purely physical point of view; the most distant ones (near Villa Linda Mall) are still within a couple miles of the downtown area, which can be reached quickly by car or shuttle bus. However, the atmospheric distance is enormous. Downtown has the fabled Santa Fe ambience of a sleepy old Western village frozen in time and transported to the 21st century (with, of course, a few modern amenities and nuisances added, like cars), while Cerrillos Road has the "ambience" of a shopping district in a suburb of a major city. In compensation, hotels on Cerrillos Road tend to be less expensive on an amenity-for-amenity basis. When deciding where to stay in Santa Fe, give particular thought to the balance of ambience and economy that fits your needs.

A warning on the "Budget" and "Mid-range" classifications: Santa Fe hotels and motels are prone to very substantial seasonal variations in availability and price. A hotel that may look like "Mid-range" during off season (spring, fall exclusive of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta week, usually in early October) may be "Splurge" material during ski season and the summer, particularly around significant events such as the Santa Fe Indian Market, Fiesta, opening weekend of the Santa Fe Opera, etc. Check carefully on rates when booking; most of the more important hotels/motels have informative web pages. All phone numbers are area code 505 unless otherwise noted.

Budget

Budget hotels and motels in Santa Fe are few and far between. The economy-rate chains Holiday Inn Express, Motel 6 and Ramada Limited all have franchises in town, but it's not clear that any can really be considered "budget" lodging. Try one and write a review.

Mid-range

 • There are a number of bed and breakfast establishments beyond the ones shown here. For more information, try Bed & Breakfast Accommodations, (800) 632-2627.

 • Dancing Ground of the Sun Bed and Breakfast, 711 Paseo de Peralta, 986-9797 - One of several B&Bs relatively close to the downtown area. Try it and write a review.
 • Pueblo Bonito, 138 W. Manhattan, 984-8001 - Another downtown B&B.
 • Water Street Inn, 427 West Water Street, 984-1193 - And another.
 • Dunshee's B&B and Casita, (505) 982-0988 - A small B&B near the Canyon Road art district.
 • El Farolito Bed and Breakfast, 514 Galisteo Street,(888)634- 8782 - An award-winning bed and breakfast in easy walking distance of downtown and the Plaza. Authentically furnished casitas and great gourmet breakfasts. You can check the availability of rooms online and also see special packages that they offer.
 • Alexander's Inn, 529 E. Palace Ave., 986-1431 -

 • Most major hotel chains have franchises in Santa Fe, mainly located outside the main tourist areas. A few on Cerrillos Road removed from downtown, hence better value-for-dollar if you don't mind the distance:

 • Hampton Inn, 3625 Cerrillos Rd., 474-3900. Notable for accepting (attended) pets.
 • Holiday Inn, 4048 Cerrillos Rd., 473-4646
 • Quality Inn, 3011 Cerrillos Rd., 471-1211. They claim to offer free transportation to the train station, which is no small distance away. Check it out.

There are many others on Cerrillos Road; try one and describe it here.

 • Several of the classic downtown hotels/lodges (Inn at Loretto, La Fonda, Inn of the Governors, St. Francis Hotel, the latter a funky old place that evokes the 19th century rather than the resort-like atmosphere of the others) approach "Splurge" status, particularly during peak periods. A couple of the more reasonably priced ones:

 • Inn on the Alameda, 303 E. Alameda (near the Plaza and Canyon Road), 984-2121 - Singles from $110 or so.
 • Hotel Santa Fe, 1501 Paseo de Peralta, 982-1200. A little more distant from the Plaza than some of the others, hence a little less expensive (singles from $99 depending on season), and still within comfortable walking distance of most of the good stuff.
 • Hilton of Santa Fe, 100 Sandoval St., 988-2811. An old standard, one of the few downtown hotels that doesn't raise its rates during the tourist season (singles from $129). No longer an "elegant" hotel, but not bad at all.

Splurge

 • Eldorado Hotel, 309 W. San Francisco (2 blocks west of the Plaza), 988-4455, . A large and spectacular property convenient to the downtown attractions. Expensive (singles start at over $170) but well done and atmospheric, with a decent restaurant, lively lounge with frequent live entertainment, and many amenities. The parking fee for guests is annoying, but nobody's perfect.
 • Sunrise Springs Inn and Retreat, outside town on Los Pinos Rd., (800) 955-0028, . Has spiritual gatherings, spa and conference facilities in a far more rural, rustic setting than most Santa Fe lodging.
 • Bishop's Lodge Resort, on Bishop's Lodge Road north of town, 983-6377. A full-service resort (tennis courts, summer children's program, etc.) in a peaceful setting away from the hubbub of the Plaza, but not so far away as to be inconvenient. Extreme seasonal variations (factor of 2!) in room rates; summer is seriously expensive, with singles possibly starting at over $300.

Camping

There are several commercial campgrounds in town (Rancheros de Santa Fe, Santa Fe KOA, Santa Fe Skies RV Park), but the camping is much more rewarding along the road to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. There are several campgrounds in Santa Fe National Forest on this road, and there is also good camping at the very pretty Hyde Memorial State Park between forest and city. If you're planning on using the national-forest or Hyde Park campsites, make sure you have enough clothing and bedding to stay warm; they're in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and get cold at night.