Drury Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe

This historic property that was once a hospital has an impressive collection of original art displayed throughout the hotel. Much of it has a Southwestern theme that complements similar design elements in the upscale, two-story lobby, which features fine leather furniture positioned around a limestone fireplace. Striking chandeliers and lots of wood trim enhance the elegant appeal. The hotel’s lovely public spaces both inside and outdoors entice visitors to sit and relax. The rooftop bar and pool area is popular at sunset, where there's a fire pit that guests hang out around until well after dark. The evening reception also draws a hearty crowd. A diverse mix of guests stays at this service-centric hotel, including a good deal of business travelers attending on-site conferences. 

The Drury Plaza Hotel is located in the heart of downtown Santa Fe, next to the landmark Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. It’s a short walk to the Santa Fe Plaza, the cultural and shopping center of the city. Restaurants, art galleries, and shops are around every turn. 

• Five-minute walk to the Plaza and Palace of the Governors
• Six-minute walk to the New Mexico Museum of Art
• Seven-minute walk to Loretto Chapel and Canyon Road
• 12-minute drive to the Santa Fe Opera House
• 20-minute drive to Santa Fe Municipal Airport
• 30-minute drive to Ski Santa Fe
• 85-minute drive to Albuquerque International Airport

These modern guest rooms exude an understated elegance, with quality furniture throughout and a warm and inviting  neutral palette. Expect leather armchairs, padded headboards, and granite-topped desks, dressers, and nightstands. Subtle splashes of color come from rust accent walls and olive and rust stripes on bed throws. The Standard Double Queen we saw was was spacious and equipped with a microwave, mini-fridge, coffeemaker, flat-screen TV, and safe. Some rooms and suites feature fireplaces, sleeper sofas in separate living rooms, and/or private balconies with impressive views of the city and surrounding mountains. Bathrooms are the most upscale aspect of the rooms -- our Double Queen had a granite-topped vanity that separated the soaking tub from the walk-in shower with glass doors. Both were framed by striking slate tile. Some units have showers only, while others feature whirlpool tubs. Rooms are generally quiet, and free Wi-Fi is standard.

Food and drinks are a focus at this historic hotel, which offers a free hot breakfast buffet as well as free evening cocktails and hot food. Elosia restaurant serves creative cuisine with a Latin flair for lunch and dinner, and indoor and outdoor seating is available. The rooftop Bar Alto features craft cocktails, a fire pit, and amazing views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. It shares space with the lap-style heated pool that's open year-round, which has a waterfall at one end, a whirlpool, and plenty of comfy surrounding loungers (some of them covered). The 24-hour fitness center is quite large and well-equipped with free weights, weight-training machines, and several pieces of True cardio equipment with individual video screens. 

The business center has multiple computers and printers and is open 24/7, and there's 20,000 square feet of event space. Valet dry cleaning and laundry are among the concierge services, and there is a guest laundry room. Room service is available, and there's a pantry that sells soft drinks, ice cream, and frozen entrees, along with various sundries. There's also a lobby library stocked with dozens of paperbacks to borrow. Parking is valet-only and costs extra, and the hotel doesn't offer shuttle service to downtown like several other hotels in the area. Pets are welcome with a surcharge, and Wi-Fi is free throughout.