18 Best Hotels in Northwestern New Mexico, New Mexico

This pleasant oasis is made up of log-style cabins, a campground, and a café with a great front porch overlooking a gorgeous valley. The old-time wood-lined café serves homemade pies (apple–green-chile–piñon or tart cherry in season) breakfast and lunch (brisket is smoked on-site, and vegetarian options are available). This would be a find anywhere, but even more so out here on its culinary lonesome between Grants and Zuni on the beautiful Ancient Way Arts Trail. The cabins come in three sizes and provide adequate shelter with private baths, coffeemakers, and refrigerators, and camping (with full hookups and showers) is available for tents and RVs.

The heavenly form of this 7,000-foot-high sandstone formation is visible for miles, but an up-close view is even more rewarding. Get the feel of the canyon rim country and enjoy a hike through badlands formed by an ancient seabed before you pitch your tent. The last 6 mi of road leading to this primitive site are gravel. Wood must be brought in; there are no electrical hookups or water.

The room furnishings here preserve the flavor of the cultural and natural setting, with dark woods, Native American art, and stone fireplaces. The restaurant, the Hill Crest, is a favorite gathering spot for celebration dinners.

Don't confuse this jackpot find with the run-down Best Western in Farmington. Guests here are not only positioned ideally for Chaco access and the rest of the Four Corners' wonders, but can get a good night's sleep in comfortable, mostly quiet quarters, and a nice free breakfast spread to boot. A spacious mural-lined lounge and outdoor patio, plus a well-equipped, if modest, fitness center, Jacuzzi, and lap-style pool complete the scene.

Luxury without pretense is the trademark at this mission-style inn, which stands atop a bluff overlooking Farmington. You can relax in the Southwestern-style den or near the patio's fountain, or watch city lights twinkle from the solarium. One room has a two-person hot tub, another has a fireplace, most have porches that face the lovely gardens, some face the bluffs, and all are beautifully appointed. Breakfast—included—is a gourmet affair, and fresh-baked goodies are served in the afternoon. Business travelers seeking a homey atmosphere make it a point to stay in this little oasis.

Not far from the visitor center is the park-service-operated Gallo Campground. The site's primitiveness is its greatest asset: at night the skies come alive with stars, and the only noises you can hear are those of nature. The primary advantage of staying here is waking up in the canyon and having a full day to explore the ruins and perhaps hike some of the backcountry trails. Camping is limited to seven days; vehicles up to 30 feet can park here. Drinking water is available at the visitor center. Starting in early May it's best to arrive as early in the day as possible; the campground fills quickly. Reservations are not accepted, except for groups.

Rustic Southwestern comfort is the specialty of the house at this B&B on 20 ponderosa-pine-laden acres. Proprietor Sheri McWethy has created a "green" inn, with natural-fiber sheets, no perfumes or dyes in the cleaning products, absolutely no smoking allowed in rooms or anywhere on-site, and a conscientious approach to water use. But Cimarron is lush with amenities and atmosphere, from the discreet private patios and paths winding around the inspired gardens to the detail that makes each suite distinctive and cozy—this is a place you could hole up in and spend your days just wandering the grounds or hiking the nearby trails, or simply dipping into the B&B's library. Full breakfasts are delivered to your door each morning—banana-blue-corn pancakes (with real maple syrup) and Mexican hot chocolate are favorites—and special dietary requests are accommodated with notice. Day packs and picnic baskets are supplied for those wanting to explore the area. Reservations are required.

Everyone from rodeo riders to mining industry suits to mountain-biking tourists stays at this east-side chain property that opened in 2009. High ceilings, a warm taupe and burnt-red color scheme, big flat screens, a cozy couch nook, refrigerators and microwaves in every room, and tea and coffee in the lobby help make this reliable chain outpost appealing.

The park has a primitive campground amid the trees ¼ mile from the visitor center. Tap water is turned off between approximately November and April; at those times camping is free.

For a combination of aging '50s-era nostalgia and Old West glamour, book a night in El Rancho's Katharine Hepburn or Ronald Reagan room. All units at this 1937 National Register historic property are named for vintage movie stars, many of whom stayed here back when Hollywood Westerns were shot in the region (the connection goes deeper—El Rancho was built by R.E. Griffith, D.W. Griffith's brother). Rooms are basic, accented with Western prints and a few other flourishes. The restaurant ($), open all day, is cozy and serves acceptable American and Mexican food. You can browse through the on-site shop for pottery, kachinas, and sand paintings.

Carved into the cliff side 250 feet above the La Plata River and surrounded by distant mountains (on a clear day you can see Shiprock and the Chuskas), this man-made cave's exposed sandstone walls trace 70 million years of erosion history. Blasted out in the 1980s and '90s—and originally intended as a getaway office for a local geologist—the decor is generally modern, with a bit of a 1960s "conversation pit" feel. It's laid out like a home, with a fireplace in the den, full kitchen, and a rustic shower that trickles into a hot tub. Two terraces provide breathtaking views, and a trail on the cliff face runs some 70 vertical feet to the parking area. The cave accommodates up to six people and remains a temperate 72°F year-round. Book at least one month in advance. Note: Guests are instructed to stop at the manager's home to check in before going to the cave. Lindy Poole, the congenial manager, will accompany all visitors on their first time out—and fill them in on some of the antics it took to outfit the place.

At the park's three campgrounds some sites sit among piñon and juniper trees and overlook the lake. Hot showers are available at Sims Mesa and Pine campgrounds but not at Cottonwood Campground.

Red-sandstone formations loom 500 feet over the park's paved campsites, which are surrounded by red sand and shady trees.

Take a deep breath and relax at this red-roof adobe. It's perched on a cottonwood-covered sandstone cliff 30 feet above the junction of the San Juan River and the La Plata. Rough-hewn timbers, fluffy quilts, and complete privacy make this rustic getaway ideal for romance or rumination, though the property and the proprietors are definitely kid-friendly. The proprietors, Diana Ohlson and David Beers, are smart, down-to-earth, and excellent sources of information about adventures and explorations in the area. Organic, home-style breakfasts such as light and puffy Dutch Babies, waffles, crepes, peach clafoutis, pumpkin bread, or Tuscan apple cake are a great start to the day. Those interested in sustainability will appreciate the inn's use of solar collectors and the temperature-balancing adobe construction.

A haven for fly fishers who want casual but upscale accommodations, this lodge houses guests in cabins that are fully furnished, complete with kitchenettes and rod-and-wader racks. You can step out of your cabin to a mile and a half of private river access, or take advantage of the on-site guide service and full fly shop. The food here is excellent, and the location remote, so the package that includes breakfast and dinner is a good choice.

Though technically a standard motor hotel, this Victorian-style clapboard structure on the north edge of Downtown offers a more distinctive experience than you can have at any of the countless chain properties in nearby Farmington, and at similar prices. The public areas are inviting, and individually decorated rooms have a mix of newer pieces and reproduction antiques, floral wallpaper, and cozy chenille bedspreads.

Your only opportunity to stay right in the heart of Zuni, this cheery inn is decorated with handwoven rugs, fine Zuni arts and crafts, and locally made furniture. Six of the rooms have private baths; two share a bath. Outside you can relax in the tree-shaded, enclosed, flagstone courtyard or walk the winding streets that surround Zuni's main plaza. Limited room service is available if you order ahead, or you may purchase ingredients at the tribe-staffed Halona Plaza market next door—which is also where Inn guests must go to check in—and prepare a meal in the communal kitchen. The breakfasts (think blue-corn pancakes, made from scratch) are not to be missed. Between the host (the owners come from a historic trading family), the staff, and the comfortable (if a little overstuffed) rooms laden with Indian blankets and pottery, this is a Southwestern standout.

The Region is plain-Jane from the front, and inside the rooms are a bit dark, but all are updated and comfortable. The three-story motel is independently owned, and the staff's accessibility and responsiveness reflects that. Tequila's restaurant off to the side is quite serviceable and fun for a drink at least.