Santa Fe - American Southwest - page 147

Hotel St. Francis If you long for the rich fabrics, fine antiques, and slow pace of
a European hotel, this is your place. The building was first constructed in the 1880s; it
became fairly dilapidated but was renovated in 1986. Now elegantly redecorated, the
lobby is crowned by a Victorian fireplace with hovering cherubs, a theme repeated
throughout the hotel. The small rooms continue the European decor, each with its own
unique bent. You'll find a fishing room, a golf room, a garden room, and a music room,
with each motif evoked by the furnishings: a vintage set of golf clubs here, a sheet of
music in a dry-flower arrangement there. The hotel, which attracts individual travelers as
well as families and many Europeans, is well cared for by a concierge who speaks six
languages. Enjoy high tea in the lobby from 3 to 5:30pm daily. Request a room facing
east, and you'll wake each day to a view of the mountains, seen through lovely lace.
210 Don Gaspar Ave., Santa Fe, NM 87501. & 800/529-5700 or 505/983-5700. Fax [phone]. www.
hotelstfrancis.com. 82 units. $99-$349 all rooms, depending on the season. Children 11 and under stay
free in parent's room. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking $5 per day. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; concierge;
health club; room service. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, hair dryer (in some), Wi-Fi.
Hotel Santa Fe Finds About a 10-minute walk south of the plaza you'll find this
newer three-story establishment, the only Native American-owned hotel in Santa Fe. It
is a good choice for consistent, well-planned lodgings. Picuris Pueblo is the majority
stockholder here, and part of the pleasure of staying here is the culture the Picuris bring
to your visit. This is not to say that you'll get any sense of the rusticity of a pueblo in
your accommodations—this sophisticated hotel, built in the late 1980s, is decorated in
Southwestern style, with a few novel aspects such as an Allan Houser bronze buffalo
dancer watching over the front desk and a fireplace surrounded by comfortable furniture
in the lobby. The rooms are medium size, with clean lines and comfortable beds, the
decor accented with pine Taos-style furniture. Rooms on the north side get less street
noise from Cerrillos Road and have better views of the mountains, but they don't have
the sun shining onto their balconies. You will get a strong sense of the Native American
presence on the patio during the summer, when Picuris dancers come to perform and
bread bakers uncover the horno (oven) and prepare loaves for sale. Wireless Internet
access is available in the lobby.
1501 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501. & 800/825-9876 or 505/982-1200. Fax [phone]. www.
hotelsantafe.com. 163 units. $129-$199 double; $239-$459 suite, depending on the season. Hacienda
rooms and suites $199-$459. Additional person $20. Children 17 and under stay free in parent's room.
AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Free parking. Pets accepted with $20 fee. Amenities: Restaurant; babysitting; con-
cierge; Jacuzzi; outdoor pool; room service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi.

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Inn on the Alameda Just across the street from the bosk-shaded Santa Fe River
sits the Inn on the Alameda, a cozy stop for those who like the services of a hotel with
the intimacy of an inn. Built in 1986, with additions over the years, it's now a little like
a village, with a number of buildings and casitas. All are Pueblo-style adobe, ranging in
age, but most were built in the late 1980s. The owner, Joe Schepps, appreciates tradi-
tional Southwestern style; he's used red brick in the dining area and Mexican equipae
(wicker) furniture in the lobby, as well as thick vigas and shiny latillas in a sitting area set
around a grand fireplace. The rooms follow a similar good taste, some with refrigerators,
CD players, and kiva fireplaces. All rooms have comfortable beds, good linens, robes, and
well-planned bathrooms with tile. The trees surrounding the inn—cottonwoods and
aspens—add a bit of a rural feel to the property. If you're an art shopper, this is an ideal
spot because it's a quick walk to Canyon Road. A full-service bar is open nightly. Break-
fast is delicious, with bakery items and always a hot dish.