Welcome to the Land of Enchantment and the Best Western Rio Grande Inn, the finest resting spot in all of Albuquerque. The ambiance reflects the Santa Fe style and architecture of Old Town, conveniently located nearby, placing the Inn among Albuquerque's finest hotels.
|
During your Albuquerque vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Turquoise Museum
Don't be put off by the setting of this little gem of a museum in a strip mall west of Old Town. For those with curiosity, it's a real find that's been featured in Smithsonian Magazine and on 60 Minutes. The passion of father and son Joe P. Lowry and Joe Dan Lowry, it contains "the world's largest collection of turquoise" -- from 60 mines around the world. You start through a tunnel, where turquoise is embedded in the walls, and move on to exhibits that present the blue stone's geology, history, and mythology. You'll see maps showing where turquoise is mined, ranging from Egypt to Kingman, Arizona, and find out how to determine whether the turquoise you're hoping to buy is quality or not. Lowry, Sr., will fill in any details and even tell you more about turquoise you're wearing. There's also a real lapidary shop; jewelry made there is sold in a gift shop that's open until 5pm. If you're lucky, one of Lowry's grandkids will tell a joke like this one she told me: What do you call a sleeping bull? A bulldozer. Plan to spend about 1 hour here.
Coronado State Monument
When the Spanish explorer Coronado traveled through this region in 1540-41 while searching for the Seven Cities of Cíbola, he wintered at a village on the west bank of the Rio Grande -- probably one located on the ruins of the ancient Anasazi Pueblo known as Kuaua. Those excavated ruins have been preserved in this state monument.Hundreds of rooms can be seen, and a kiva has been restored so that visitors can descend a ladder into the enclosed space, once the site of sacred rites. Unique multicolored murals, depicting human and animal forms, were found on successive layers of wall plaster in this and other kivas here; some examples are displayed in the monument's small archaeological museum.
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
These rarely visited ruins provide a unique glimpse into history. The Spanish conquistadors' Salinas Jurisdiction, on the east side of the Manzano Mountains (southeast of Albuquerque), was an important 17th-century trade center because of the salt extracted by the Native Americans from the salt lakes. Franciscan priests, utilizing native labor, constructed missions of Abo red sandstone and blue-gray limestone for the native converts. The ruins of some of the most durable missions -- along with evidence of preexisting Anasazi and Mogollon cultures -- are the highlights of a visit to Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. The monument consists of three separate units: the ruins of Abo, Quarai, and Gran Quivira. They are situated around the quiet town of Mountainair, 75 miles southeast of Albuquerque at the junction of US 60 and NM 55.Abo (tel. 505/847-2400) boasts the 40-foot-high ruins of the Mission of San Gregorio de Abo, a rare example of medieval architecture in the United States. Quarai (tel. 505/847-2290) preserves the largely intact remains of the Mission of La Purísima Concepción de Cuarac (1630). Its vast size, 100 feet long and 40 feet high, contrasts with the modest size of the pueblo mounds. A small museum in the visitor center has a scale model of the original church, along with a selection of artifacts found at the site. Gran Quivira (tel. 505/847-2770) once had a population of 1,500. The pueblo has 300 rooms and seven kivas. Rooms dating back to 1300 can be seen. There are indications that an older village, dating to 800, may have previously stood here. Ruins of two churches (one almost 140 ft. long) and a convento (convent) have been preserved. The visitor center includes a museum with many artifacts from the site and shows a 40-minute movie about the excavation of some 200 rooms, plus a short history video of the pueblo.All three pueblos and the churches that were constructed above them are believed to have been abandoned in the 1670s. Self-guided tour pamphlets can be obtained at the units' respective visitor centers and at the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument Visitor Center in Mountainair, on US 60, 1 block west of the intersection of US 60 and NM 55. The visitor center offers an audiovisual presentation on the region's history, a bookstore, and an art exhibit.
Holiday Inn Express ALBUQUERQUE-AIRPORT
Welcome to New Mexico, the land of enchantment. The place to stay in Albuquerque is the Holiday Inn Express Albuquerque-Airport Hotel. We are conveniently located near the Albuquerque Airport and a mile from Kirtland Air Force base and the University of New Mexico and all that Albuquerque has to offer. Hotel features include complimentary continental breakfast and free wireless high speed Internet and free local phone calls. Visit Albuquerque, NM and stay smart at the Holiday Inn Express ...
Quality Inn & Suites
High-speed Internet available. Hot items on FREE Deluxe Continental Breakfast. Outdoor pool, hot tub and exercise room. FREE cable, 25-inch TV with ESPN and HBO. FREE local calls and newspaper. Meeting room available. Two-room suites available. Restaurant next door with room service available. Restaurant on premises. One mile from convention center. Pet Accomodations: 10.00/stay per pet Pet Accomodations: ...
Nativo Lodge
Nativo Lodge will charm and inspire you with inviting spaces that capture the rich and colorful spirit of New Mexico. Conveniently located in north Albuquerque, the lodge is adjacent to the Journal Business Center just off I-25, minutes to Old Town, Balloon Fiesta Park, Sandia Casino, Albuquerque Airport, and the finest shopping and dining that Albuquerque has offer. Spacious and comfortable guest rooms feature Native American accents, wireless Internet, in-room coffee, dual line phones with ...
|
|
Most recent user reviews
good stay
Anonymous, 2005-10-23
Do not know since I came at 11pm and left at 4am in the morning Thanks
The only negative thing that happened was that I had left my coat there and realized that when I was at the airport. I called immediately and gave them all of my information and they informed me that they will send it to me. I called back two days later and they did not take care of it and I had to call back three times before I got the right person to talk to and they took care of it. It was frustrating since I had given all of this information the minute that I realized. The staff was very courteous and the place was nice and the overall experience was nice Thank you
Great location Good Price
Melody, Kalamazoo, MI, 2005-10-20
Nice shopping district in Old Town.
The Hampton Inn and Suites was everything I hoped for and more. The staff was very friendly, even helping me with restaurants in the area. We had a king suite and it was very spacious and had everything we needed to make our stay as comfortable as possible. I would definitely stay here again if in the area.
My review of Best Western Rio Grande Inn
Anonymous, 2005-10-14
The motel was "OK" for the price, but was somewhat worn. The rooms could use an updating.
My review of Best Western Rio Grande Inn
Jerry, Colorado Springs, CO, 2005-10-14
Old town is a very nice place to shop - my wife loved it! It was a short walk from the motel.
The room was very comfortable and quiet in spite of being close to I-40. Bathtub had a long (very long) black hair in it. Other than this minor issue things were ok.
good place
Peter, Syracuse, NY, 2005-09-03
Old town which gives a good idea of New Mexican products and styles and food is very near.
good food, service. proximity to old town a plus.
Excellent location/amenities
Theresa, Chicago, IL, 2005-07-24
This clean, comfortable hotel is near to historic Old Town Albuquerque and the fabulous Albuquerque Museum of Art and History. Amenities are all you'd expect from Best Western -- lovely pool!
Good location
Anonymous, 2005-07-17
Adequate amenities, very clean, short on charm. Convenient to Old Town and freeways. Good food but no included breakfast.
A good hotel with room for improvement
Robert, New York, NY, 2005-06-28
The hotel is in a good location near the highways, Old Town, Botanical Garden, Aquarium and is not far from other area attractions. This is a solid hotel with only a few problems. Initially upon check in we were assigned to a room with a small window facing a white wall. After complaining we were assigned to a room with a large room looking east into the distance. While we did not go to Albuquerque for the television, we would have liked to have had television more like we have experienced elsewhere. Most channels came in well, however, the CBS reception was poor and when we signed up for the limited pay per view movies we found that the reception for the movie selected was fair to poor. We cancelled the movie after a few minutes. The television system needs to upgraded. I really liked that the hotel had two computers available so that I could check my email and check in for our return flight and even print the boarding pass.
A very pleasant stay
barbara, Madison, WI, 2005-06-23
The hotel was new and felt that way. The room and especially the bathroom was in great condition. There is a nice outdoor courtyard that is seperate from the pool area so you can relax in relative silence. The birds gather there in the morning and evening. Its within walking distance of the Art Gallery and the Old Town area and close to a major highway and the airport - ideal location. The restuarant has a great menu and the food was good. The one weakness was the slowness of the wait staff.
Comfortable hotel close to Old Town
Anonymous, 2005-05-22
We found this to be a good hotel within walking distance of Old Town. The staff was friendly; the room was clean and cool (Albuquerque was experiencing a heat wave); and the food was plentiful. It seemed a bit overpriced for the quality but that may be due to location.
|
|
