Far View Lodge, Mesa Verde National Park, CO

Visitors to Mesa Verde National Park will find the Far View Lodge located next to the Far View Visitors Center. The lodge is fifteen miles within the boundaries of the park and is the only lodge in the park. The d,cor is southwestern elegance with private balconies with exceptional views of the countryside. They have casual or fine dining and several gift shops. Visitors to the Far View Lodge won't find any televisions, nightclubs or water beds although there is free wireless Internet service in the lobby for business guests. Cell phones do not work in the hotel or surrounding area.

Standard hotel rooms include one queen or two double beds, a private bath, private balcony, am /fm clock radio, refrigerator, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, ironing board, telephone; however, there is no air conditioning or TV. Kiva rooms have handcrafted furniture, one king or two double beds, pillow top mattresses and the same amenities as the standard rooms.

Check in at the Far View Lodge is at 3:00 pm and check out is at 10:00 am. The front desk is manned twenty four hours a day. All of the rooms have a no smoking policy and pets are allowed in standard rooms only. A $50.00 deposit is refundable if there is no pet damage or excessive cleaning needed. There is also a charge of $10.00 per pet per night.

There are four places to get food while staying at Far View Lodge. The Metate Room Restaurant is open daily from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm. April through mid October they open for breakfast from 7:00 am to 10:00 am. The contemporary menu includes regional heritage foods. The Puebloans that lived in the region raised corn, squash, beans and herbs as well as gathered nuts. They ate wild game and visitors will find many of these same foods on the menu.

Spruce Tree Caf,is open year round from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm. They feature patio dining in warmer weather with exceptional views. They serve American classic cuisine and Southwest specialties. The food is served cafeteria style.

Far View Terrace opens daily from May to mid October. The hours are 11:00 am to 3:00 pm for lunch and 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm for dinner. This restaurant features casual self service dining with hot and cold foods with a southwestern flavor. Guests of the lodge will find salads, soups, burgers, desserts and drinks. Visitors are encouraged to build their own picnics. The Mesa Mocha Espresso Bar is open daily from May to mid October from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Besides espresso there are sandwiches and wraps. The view from Mesa Mocha allows guests to watch the sunrise and set along with Mesa Verde's wildlife.

The gift stores offer Native American crafts, jewelry, souvenirs, Navajo rugs, handmade flutes by David Nighteagle, dolls, woven baskets, pottery, and drums. Silver and turquoise jewelry is available from many of the Southwest tribes. Gift shops are located in Spruce Tree Terrace, Far View Terrace, Far View Lodge, and Morefield Campground.