Albuquerque has over 16,000 rooms to sleep in, from charming bed-and-breakfast inns to ultrasmart city hotels. There are also two resort hotels listed in this chapter, both owned by local pueblos, which offer not only excellent accommodation but also a taste of Native American culture. As the city receives a good mix of leisure and business visitors, including a healthy dose of convention travelers, most hotels are geared up to serve families coming for fun and folk in town to work. Many business visitors choose one of the local B&Bs for a home away from home to return to after a long day of labor.
The major areas for hotels are Downtown, Old Town, Uptown, Balloon Fiesta Park/North I-25, and of course around the airport. We’ve also added choices in the Midtown/University and North Valley areas and in nearby Corrales, Rio Rancho, and Bernalillo.
You won’t have trouble finding a bed for the night, and there are plenty of chain hotels strung along I-25 and I-40 as you drive in, plus hotel courtesy phones at the airport. The exception is during major events such as Balloon Fiesta in October, when you really might have trouble finding room at the inn if you haven’t planned ahead,
Many older properties have been renovated in recent years, and some are in the process of renovation, with hoteliers upgrading their rooms to keep pace in this competitive market. Still, standards can vary substantially, even among hotels of the same franchise or branded chain in different locations across the city. While there are plenty of terrific hotels and adorable B&Bs to hunt out, there are also a fair number of bland ones. You don’t want to waste your time in New Mexico on anything less than a terrific stay, so the accommodations featured here are selected for factors that take into account amenities, customer service, convenient location, and local character, with choices to suit all price points. On the whole, room rates are very reasonable in Albuquerque, and though the price code is a guide to average rates, there are often specials and discounts available to make them even friendlier on the pocket.
There are definitely some accommodations and small pockets of town where the clientele is less than desirable. We’ve steered you away from those in the following recommendations, of course. But without being alarmist, if you draw up for a pit stop and wonder to yourself if staying here is an entirely wise idea, then trust your instincts and move on. If a hotel or motel room rate is exceptionally cheap, there’s probably a reason for that. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask to see your room—at any price point—before handing over your credit card.
The listings are organized alphabetically by geographical area, showing the hotels, motels, and B&Bs in the most popular areas to stay. Separate sections follow on extended-stay accommodations, resorts, and RV parks and campgrounds.
As in-room coffee/tea makers, iron, ironing board, and hairdryer are standard equipment in the hotels listed here, these items are not specified in the room amenities. Assume free parking, unless otherwise noted here. Most of these are smoke-free hotels. We’ve noted where smoking rooms are offered, although these are sometimes limited to just a handful of rooms. Assume no pets are allowed, except service animals, unless otherwise indicated. Some hotels charge a flat-rate cleaning fee for visiting pets; others charge by the night. We give current free details to help you choose the best option, but policies change, so check ahead. All hotels have wheelchair accessible rooms unless otherwise stated.