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Santa Fe is full of really nice boutique hotels but a lot of them, particularly in the downtown area, can be very pricey (several hundred per night!). Especially in early summertime when everyone wants to travel there.
While you can find much cheaper hotels if you stay outside the city, my friend and I wanted to be downtown so we didn’t have to worry about parking all the time or taking Ubers to and from the downtown area.
Eventually I found a decent deal on Booking.com for The Parador Santa Fe, which is a cute boutique hotel very close to the center of town. In total we paid $1092 for 5 nights, which worked out at roughly $218 per night.
I chose The Parador in particular because the hotel is pet friendly and I wanted to take my little Pomeranian, Luna.
In this Parafor Santa Fe review I’ll show you what the facilities are like and tell you what I thought of our stay.
The Parador Santa Fe Review
About the Parador Santa Fe
The Parador Santa Fe is a boutique hotel with just 17 rooms, housed in a former farmhouse. The adobe building was built in the early 1800s when Santa Fe was still under Spanish rule and functioned as a family home for over a century and a half.
It was remodelled in the early 1900s with Victorian details added to it, and later became a hippie commune in the swinging 60s. The barn and stables were transformed into living quarters and all that were hungry or in need of a place to stay were welcome.
In the 1970s a second storey was added and it began its new life as an inn. Today The Parador is part hotel and part artist-in-residency program and welcomes travelers from around the world.
Where is the Parador Santa Fe?
The Parador is located on West Manhattan Avenue, which is 1 mile walking distance from the Plaza, 10 minutes from Canyon Road and 15 minutes from the Railyard District.
The Rooms
We stayed in one of “The Farmhand” rooms, which are located in the former stables. These rooms feature exposed vigas and Saltillo tiles, art work by David Grey and custom furnishings by Jonathan Boyd of Boyd & Allister.
Our room was very compact and the bathroom small but had everything we needed. The bed was comfy and I loved that the windows let in plenty of light. Bath and products inside the room are made with lavender and come from Los Poblanos Historic Inn And Organic Farm.
My only complaint is that the sink is located outside the bathroom and we didn’t really have anywhere to put our toothbrushes, toothpaste and other belongings. This was just a minor issue, but we had to put our toiletries on the windowsill.
The Parador also has two other types of rooms: The Communer and Hacienda.
Communer rooms open onto the courtyard and have king beds, shower, gas kiva fireplace, exposed vigas, and a generous skylight.
Hacienda suites have plush king beds, kitchenettes, comfortable seating areas, desks, waterworks faucets and kiva fireplaces.
If you need something more spacious there’s also The Moon Suite, which is located in a Victorian-era house adjacent to the main building. This building was originally a coachman’s house owned by the Santa Fe Railroad and is listed on the New Mexico list of Historically Significant Properties. The Suite features a private bathroom with tub/shower, a queen bed, a separate living room with a sofa bed, and a fireplace. It also has its own porch with a backyard.
The Breakfast
The breakfast at The Parador Santa Fe is one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had. The hotel has operated as a bed and breakfast since the 70s and continues to offer a delicious morning meal to this day.
On the menu during my stay was a delicious garlic fried rice with egg and a chocolatey rice pudding. Everything we ate was delicious and a lot better than your typical continental breakfast!
Breakfast is served in a cute little dining room with just a few tables and there’s a selection of teas, coffee and juice available.
The breakfast menu changes regularly according to the seasonal produce that’s available and is designed by Filipino Chef Martin Blanco.
Facilities
The Parador has an outdoor courtyard with tables and chairs, which is nice for having breakfast outside during the summer months. The reception also has a shop that sells lavender products and crafts from local artisans.
It’s a small bed and breakfast, so don’t expect any elaborate facilities like a pool or gym. One nice feature is that the hotel has express check-in and check-out so it took us absolutely no time at all. Front desk hours are 10 till 6, so if you need anything it’s best to ask between these hours.
Overall Experience
Overall we loved our stay at The Parador. I love boutique hotels because of the unique details they offer and The Parador definitely didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed the cozy vibe and waking up to a delicious breakfast every morning. The hotel also has parking, which was a must for us since we drove to Santa Fe from Albuquerque airport. The lane down the side of the B&B was a bit difficult to spot at first but there’s ample parking for guests around the back.
The Parador is located close to the center, so you can leave your car there and just walk the 10 minutes into town.
