La Fonda on the Plaza

La Fonda is housed in a pueblo-inspired building dating to 1922. In fact, the hotel's history goes even further back: The location has hosted an inn since 1610 in the city's Spanish colonial days. The hotel reflects this rich New Mexican history and character in its interiors, with hand-painted windows in the restaurant, Southwestern and Native American art in the tiled lobby, and painted headboards and bathroom tile murals in rooms. A 2013 renovation retained the property's original features while adding a contemporary touch. La Fonda is a gathering spot for locals and tourists alike, and the lobby, restaurant, and rooftop bar have a vibrant and energetic feel. Note that rates here are higher than at comparable properties because of the incredibly central location.    

La Fonda offers a superb location at the southeast corner of Santa Fe Plaza, the heart of the city and host to markets, public gatherings, and annual events. Top Santa Fe sights are a short walk away. The Museum of Contemporary Native Arts is north across the street, while the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and Cathedral Park are just a block east. Loretto Chapel is a quick stroll south, the Palace of the Governors is a block north, and the New Mexico Museum of Art is two blocks northwest. Art lovers can also take a six-minute stroll northwest to reach the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. The hotel is a five-minute drive or 15-minute walk northeast of Santa Fe Depot commuter rail station, and a 20-minute drive northeast of Santa Fe Municipal Airport. 

Housed in a five-floor building, the 180 rooms at La Fonda are deeply evocative of historic New Mexico, with handcrafted furniture, original art, headboards painted by local artists, bathroom tile murals, and rugs with colonial New Mexico-styled colcha embroidery. Many rooms have views of St. Francis Cathedral Basilica or Loretto Chapel. Rooms all come with safes, coffeemakers, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with premium cable. Plush beds feature Serta pillow-top mattresses dressed in Egyptian cotton sheets and receive nightly turndown service. Bathrooms are big and come with terrycloth robes. Some rooms also offer combinations of fireplaces, sitting areas, and balconies. There are 14 exclusive luxury units arranged around a rooftop terrace with a dedicated workout area and hot tub, with additional perks like free snack trays on arrival and free room service breakfast. 

Rooms look spacious but I hesitate to call them that because I can't find square footage

La Fonda offers an excellent array of on-site facilities, highlighted by its outdoor heated swimming pool and hot tub, both set in a fairly nondescript courtyard and open all year long. The fitness center is small for such a high-end hotel but it does have steam rooms. The spa offers a wide range of massages and treatments for a fee. 

Still, the hotel really shines with its dining and drinking venues. La Plazuela restaurant is set in an impressive atrium-style dining space with hand-painted windows and Southwestern furniture. The menu features innovative American cuisine and updates of Northern New Mexico classic dishes with local ingredients. La Fiesta Lounge -- a local hot spot -- has signature margaritas and martinis, a New Mexican buffet, and live music (jazz, blues, soul, country, and rock) six nights a week with dancing. Situated at the top of the hotel, Bell Tower Bar offers topnotch cocktails accompanied by city, mountain, and sunset views. The boutique Shops at La Fonda includes handmade local gifts like paintings, photos, and crafts. Other on-site shops sell French pastries, cutlery, Native American jewelry, olive oil, candles, chocolates, and more. The hotel also has a dedicated multilingual concierge, a small 24-hour business center, room service, and garage parking (for a fee).