Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
291
A gift shop carries a wide selection of books on New Mexico history and women's
history, and frontier military books. Camping is not available at the monument, but
facilities are available in nearby Las Vegas.
For more information on the monument, contact Fort Union National Monument,
P.O. Box 127, Watrous, NM 87753 ( & 505/425-8025; www.nps.gov/foun).
WHERE TO STAY IN LAS VEGAS
Most motels are on US 85 (Grand Ave.), the main north-south highway through down-
town Las Vegas. (An exception is the Plaza Hotel, below.)
Inn on the Santa Fe Trail Built in the 1920s as a court motel, this inn has been
remodeled in a hacienda style, with all rooms looking out onto the central courtyard,
creating a quiet retreat just off busy Grand Avenue. Although it's not as historical as the
Plaza Hotel (see below), the rooms are a bit more up-to-date and functional, and you can
park your car right outside. Rooms are medium size with nice accents, such as hand-
crafted iron light fixtures and hand-carved pine furniture—including trasteros (armoires)
to conceal the televisions. The beds are comfortably firm, and each room has a table with
two chairs and a desk. The bathrooms are small but very clean. Suites have sofa beds and
minifridges. Blackjack's Grill (see below) is a great spot for dinner. The heated outdoor
pool, open seasonally, is lovely.
1133 Grand Ave., Las Vegas, NM 87701. & 888/448-8438 or 505/425-6791. www.innonthesantafetrail.
com. 42 units. $82 double. Rates include continental breakfast. Extra person $5. AE, DISC, MC, V. Pets
permitted for $5 fee. Amenities: Restaurant; outdoor heated pool. In room: A/C, TV, fridge (in suites),
Wi-Fi.
Plaza Hotel A stay in this hotel offers a romantic peek into the past, with a view
of the plaza. The inn was built in Italianate bracketed style in 1882, in the days when
Western towns vied with one another in constructing fancy “railroad hotels.” Considered
the finest hotel in the New Mexico Territory when it was built, it underwent a $2-million
renovation exactly 100 years later. Stately walnut staircases frame the lobby and conserva-
tory (with its piano); throughout the hotel, the architecture is true to its era. Don't expect
to see the elegance of the Ritz. Instead, expect a more frontier style, with Old West
antiques. Rooms vary in size, but most are average size, with elegantly high ceilings,
antique furnishings, comfortably firm beds, and armoires concealing the televisions. The
bathrooms also range in size; most are small, with lots of original tile but up-to-date
fixtures. The rooms either have windows facing outward toward the plaza and surround-
ing streets or inward toward an atrium. The inward-facing rooms are quieter but a bit
claustrophobic. All rooms open onto spacious hallways with casual seating areas.
The hotel offers three meals daily and limited room service from its Landmark Grill
(see below). Byron T's 19th-century saloon often features live music on Friday eve-
nings.
230 Plaza, Las Vegas, NM 87701. & 800/328-1882 or 505/425-3591. Fax 505/425-9659. www.plazahotel-
nm.com. 36 units. $109-$130 double; $154-$180 suite. Rates include cooked-to-order breakfast. AE, DC,
DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar. In room: A/C, TV, Wi-Fi.
Camping
There's plenty of camping available in and around Las Vegas. I recommend the Las Vegas
KOA ( & 800/562-3423 or 505/454-0180; www.koa.com), which has 65 sites, 15 with
full hookups, 26 with water and electricity. Laundry, grocery, ice, and recreational facili-
ties (including a pool) are available, as is a large gift shop. Seasonal cookouts are offered.
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