El Vado Motel

Overall, it was great. The room was clean, beds comfy, and nice little extras included. The pool was closed for maintenance, which would've been nice to know beforehand. We only booked the room less than 24 hours prior, so I feel that's something that we could've been told about. The motel has a sister hotel next door with a working pool, so they did have an alternative option for us, which was great. The attached food and shops were mostly closed, so we ended up getting food delivered. Still, a good experience and would definitely stay here again.

When we checked in everything went smooth! The location is really awesome and convenient to the aquarium sawmill and a couple of other locations! The room was clean but I noticed there were no additional bed liners beneath the one sheet that you are pretty much sleeping on. The pool was closed. We were advised we could go use the one across the parking lot. Unfortunately Even if it's across the parking lot, it's an inconvenient! The pool was right in front of our room. The food was good. The restaurants that are on the property were delicious! When I did check in I was told I would get to two free drinks and since it was my husband's birthday he would get an additional free drink. When I told the bartender he said no, you get one free drink as long as somebody buys a drink. The music from the area by the tap room and food area. It was loud but once you get into the room I didn't hear anything and they do turn it off after a certain amount of time! The parking was easy! They also have a really cool place to rent if you are having a wedding or something. Extravagant! I am a local from Santa Fe. I would love to come back when the pool is open!

The bed was a 10/10! They use memory foam and I was in heaven. The room was so cute! Loved the southwest decor! I loved the bar they had! They had a good array of ciders, beers, and wines. The little shops that surround the motel are a nice little touch. The pool was small, only about 3 feet maybe? But considering I don't swim, it was a non deal breaker for me. The little lounge areas in the courtyard were perfectly done. |Bonus: it rained a little and we got to hear the little pitter patter of the raindrops on the roof! It was like being apart of nature but still watching TV while under the blankets (because of the awesome A.C.) on the the most comfiest bed ever! |This hotel was an EXPERIENCE! |10/10, we would come here again!

All of the staff were very friendly and accommodating. The rooms were clean and nice. The beds were very comfy. I saw some reviews saying parking was an issue but we never had any trouble finding a parking spot.

What a thoughtful place. The staff called me to tell us that our room was getting new carpet and smells of glue. So the upgraded our room at no cost! There’s a few small restaurants on site. A pizza place, stir fry place and a sandwich shop. Plus the tap room. We got Thai and ate under the canopy in the courtyard. Nice cooling misters. Room was clean and the AC was working great.

Jesica at the front desk, checked us in and made us feel right at home. If not management, she should be, she was that good. |El Vado Motel is located next to the historic district and was wonderful to walk thru and dine.|The property had a Taproom next to check-in and a pool and lounge area just outside. We enjoyed our stay here.

We have had a great and safe time at the El Vado Motel. From checking in to being accommodated with our drinks and food.. it was absolutely seamless. Jesica was the best. She made sure we enjoyed our room and had a great visit. The rooms are updated and clean!

Jessica is AWESOME. Brings a ton of personality to the place and made our experience amazing. Helped us out with any issues we had (very few of them) I've worked in hospitality for 10 years and would hire someone like her in a second. Beds are comfortable and pool is nice to have around.

What a lovely property. Clean. Safe. Friendly. And what a diverse group of happy people. I've stayed all over town. This is a fun and really cool remake of the Route 66 reinvention. I love it !!

Such a great weekend getaway or even a few nights stay! I did not know this motel still had rooms for rent but it was so cute for the price. The location is amazing as it is near the zoo, aquarium, botanical gardens, and old town plaza. The suite (mind you it's not huge) was only $200 a night.

I absolutely love this place. What a great remodel of a Route 66 classic near downtown Albuquerque. The rooms are well done and comfortable, the property is outstanding and safe, the staff are friendly, and there is a tap room in the lobby and several small restaurants in some of the old hotel rooms. Very well done. In the summer there is music outside and I can only imagine that a warm summer stay here would be a great was to spend some quality time in Albuquerque!

Such a cool renovation of a classic Route 66 motor court. They filled in some of the carports to make suites. Converted parts to lease out to restaurants, but kept space for a pool. They also added a small event center. Beds were comfortable and TVs were new and sharp. 41/2 stars

This is a terrible place to stay sorry we will not be coming back to this location again! I am not going into details.

Probably wouldn't stay here again. Room had a bad odor. Not sure if there was a smoker there and they tried to cover up smell. Left door open for a while and it helped a little bit. Tiny bathroom. Can't have shower matt down and open bathroom door. Hotel felt a bit shabby and not super clean. Lots of storage would've been nice to have a small fridge instead of cabinets we didn't use. Cable and Internet were down the day we checked out. Heated pool would've been nice but wasn't expected. Just wasn't satisfied for the price we paid - std king around $380/night.

Very cute stay... I was in town for two nights for work, and overall it was a great experience, and I would stay there again with one caveat, which I'll share later. El Vado Motel is a revamped hotel with mid century interior design but the exterior stays true to New Mexico's small "pueblo" vibes. Check-in is a small office offering coffee, tea, candies, and a warm staff. Onsite is also a cafe and bar, a fireplace area with plenty of tables to work or catch up with company over a drink or latte. There is a courtyard area surrounded by small local busineses, almost in a food court style fashion. There's a stage area, which leaves me to beleive they host events, along with a pool. Motel style rooms with outside faceing doors are only accessibly with a key card to get through the gate.. But this is where I had a bad experience that could have been worse. I got to the property around midnight. The lobby is closed and everything was shut down. There also happened to be a drug-induced 6-foot man raging around the trashcans asking for his phone. He angrily approached me, and thankfully took off. This property needs onsight security to ward off these unpredictable trespassers I'd ONLY stay there again if I was accompanied with my partner, other than that, I wouldn't stay there or any motel-style lodging without security or a 24-hour front desk staff.

This can be summed up as a motel room, with top notch marketing. It was one of our most expensive rooms on our 3 week trip to view the eclipse. Yet it was the worst place we stayed. The desk clerk checking in was okay. But the clerk checking us out was incompetent. Neither possessed customer service skills. The WiFi password didn't work so I called the front desk for assistance. The woman who answered confirmed the password and when it didn't work for the 4th time said, "Well, we're really full tonight so maybe try again in 20 minutes." We tried in 20, 40 and 60 minutes and couldn't log in. however when we left early the next day, when no one else was apparently online, it worked although it was VERY sloooow. When we arrived in the evening, the only option for food was a small stir-fry place across the courtyard run by a couple of very nice men. But the food was barely palatable. Our room was closest to the "Tap Room." It was cramped, but workable. The problem we discovered was that the restroom for the Tap Room was on the other side of our wall. They left the noisy exhaust fan on until after 10:00 p.m. When I walked over to the Tap Room and asked the gentleman cleaning up to turn it off, he said, "I don't know anything about that." After asking for a number for the manager because no one was onsite, he said he would make a call. The fan was turned off about 15 minutes later. After finally falling asleep, we were woken up by either a drunk or mentally ill person on the street screaming at the top of his lungs at 2:30 a.m. That went on for about 30 minutes. The grossest thing about the place was the hair conditioner attached to the shower wall. It smelled like urine. Needless to say, I didn't use it after putting it on my hand, and had to scrub to get rid of the smell.

When I booked this hotel, the rooms look much bigger than they really are. I also thought I would have a room with the couch and a separate area that was on me for not paying more attention to what I booked.. the room is so tiny I keep stubbing my toe on the bed.. also ordered a beverage from the bar. It was supposed to be a lavender blueberry drink and it was from a can which I wasn't anticipating and it taste exactly like cranberry juice I think it cost me $10 not a fan there. Also, the lighting in the room is horrible, and the floors could be cleaner in the corners. for the money I paid for this room is definitely not worth it.

What a fun place to sit outside and eat. Fun choices for food from hamburgers to Central American to New Mexican and even a nice micro brewery/tap room. The pool looked totally inviting and there were lots of people who had walked or risen their bikes.

This is a little gem just west of Old Town. Walking distance to the Botanic Garden, aquarium and Old Town. Love the fact they have bottles of water in the room as well as ceramic mugs and glass wine glasses in the room. Food pods and tap room onsite. We live to do an overnight Staycation at El Vado.

Love this place! Very clean and well maintained property. The kids loved the unique pool and we were lucky enough to have live music in the open air court yard (though some of the songs they choose weren't appropriate for children in the audience). We also love the different restaurants in the court yard. The first one on the right (Ahhh... something) was very good. Another one we tried named Craig's was a bust. This is our new favorites place to stay in ABQ!

This motel was recently remodeled, the rooms are nice, the bed was very comfortable and the property is clean and gated all around so despite the area seeming unsafe, we slept good. The doors to the rooms are all glass pane doors like what you would walk through entering a business, and the shades do bit NOT cover the doors, so there is no privacy, at least not in the suites. We were checked in to one suite but could not enter it due to the key cards not working so they put us in another suite. The next day we had the same issue, my husband was locked out of the room for over an hour because the front desk refused to help him until they got me on the phone. The manager was rude about it. Then the next morning when I went to check out, I showed the manager this picture I took of the shade over the door not covering the door, he said they shades were new and that they would rehang them. When I tried to explain that the shades aren't big enough, so that rehanging them would not help, he said he would address it and walked away. Very rude. Taproom does not serve food, just beverages. Overall, the price we paid was not in line with what the property offered and the staff were rude so we will not stay here again.

Stayed here last night while in town for the Balloon Fiesta. The rate was super reasonable, especially given how much other hotels were charging for the fiesta time. We walked through the lobby, really impressed with how they tied in history into the current lobby. I loved the lobby' the furniture was so chic. The courtyard has plenty of separate seating areas, with a fenced in in-ground swimming pool. Unfortunately, it was too cold to go swimming but it was nice to have the frequently changing colors. Loved the fence going to/from the shopping/restaurant area - definitely felt secure and private. We had drinks and ate at two different restaurants just steps away from our hotel room. However, the room is super quiet! Although we didn't use it, I really appreciated the room QR code for ordering from the nearby the restaurants. Our hotel bed was super comfortable and the shower water pressure was AHmazing. My only complaint is that our bathroom door literally didn't close (room 6). This feels like a basic necessity!

Nah this place ain't it. It looks nice, they present nice pictures but... the taproom doesn't serve food (entourage they say they do on Yelp). Their rooms were left cold (60degrees), they don't serve spirits, only wine they have is from here (oh god, I've been awaiting having a nice Sedona Pinot said nobody), the wifi also doesn't work. Already done with New Mexico, but this is the coup de grace. Good riddance can't wait to leave.

We could not have been happier with our stay. Excellent distance to Old Town, we walked there and had dinner. If we had had more time we would have been able to walk around the plaza and check out some shops. Instead we chose to lounge in the gorgeous room. Before dinner we checked into the hotel I had a couple of drinks at the brewery on site and relaxed. The room was gorgeous a perfect pairing of modern and traditional. We went in the winter so the pool was not open, but the setup made me think it would be perfect for families with children who would want to play in the pool and all the doors could be open so it would feel more communal. Having the delicious restaurants on site is such an added bonus! In the morning we stopped by one of the shops and got a cheesecake, and wish we had had more time to stop and had lunch and sit outside on the benches. Hotel staff was amazingly accommodating. We went to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday and they were gracious to upgrade us to the suite in the photos. They also accepted a delivery so I could pick it up while I was in town. I cannot recommend the hotel highly enough. I would go back in a second and hope everyone else gets a chance to stay there and explore. Next visit I would like to go across the street to the botanical gardens and the aquarium and then further west on Central to try out some of the restaurants.

The pool stayed "closed for cleaning" when we stayed here, and I had planned to swim. It was triple digits and the gates didn't work so we walked the long way around about 5 times. Only one restaurant was open. There was a lot of road noise. Given all that, I would say this was an expensive disappointment on my cross-country drive. However, the ac worked great, the shower was good, the bed was comfortable, and I definitely have stayed in worse places. For the price, though, I don't think I got a good deal, especially not being able to swim.

Quaint motel with a unique vibe. We got one of the suites with the sofabed in the extra room for 4 people. It was absolutely packed and cramped with 4 people in it. However, the king bed in the master was awesome- some kind of memory foam that was extremely comfortable. Staff was nice, and they have a bar on site though it closes early. The pool area looked nice but was not open yet in early April; I bet the place is happening in summer. Convenient to old town and ABQ Park (both walkable). Overall, we enjoyed our stay and I would stay here again.

We had such a wonderful time! Very clean, friendly staff, and delicious food! The Desoto room was so clean and near the pool! Anyone looking to be walking distance to Old Town the walk was easy! We enjoyed the tap room and out door music both nights!!

Vintage feel even with modern updates. Location close to Old Town is nice. A bit noisy being on Central Blvd. Nearby bagel cafe is quality.

We stayed here 2 nights during our Route 66 Road trip. At first my husband thought the exterior looked weird but once he got inside he loved it as much as I did. We especially loved the staff Nicholas and Whitney. In person, the property looks even better in person. You can tell it's pretty new. There's a lit of nice touches which makes it like a boutique hotel. The property was an abandoned building for many years and they redid it. The sign is original from the 1950s or earlier. The location was perfect and quiet. I like the secure courtyard and public areas. Parking was never a problem. I went to the crystal shop in the hotel as well as the Tap Room where we filled up the courtesy hydroflask with beer for only $6. Don't take the hydrflask home or they'll charge you $50. We drank beer by they pool which is only 3' deep. It was too cold for me to go above my knees. We met some nice people there it felt like a social place. There was maid service daily but no refrigerator. There was free coffee in the lobby and event center. The room had a coffee maker we didn't use. Lots of dresser space but only half small tall closet. The only issues we had was the bed was creaky on one side for some reason. So whenever my husband turned over it woke me up. Also the toilet would run sporadically so we shut the door at night. Otherwise I'm happy we stayed here.

We spent one night here while passing through and attending the hot air balloon festival. I booked this hotel because pretty much everything else in town was either booked or super expensive. I was initially hesitant to stay here at first, but it looked ok online so I went for it. Im so glad I did. This place is just dripping cool. It's an old school, retro motel from maybe the 40s right on Route 66 but it was recently redone and is in tip top shape. Everything is clean and new. Beyond that, the property is interesting. The place is U shaped, and part of it is a normal hotel, which has a pool. However, as you get closer to the open side, there are a few small businesses including a bar and a couple restaurants. The open area nearby makes a great place to sit and eat your food. So rather than going out and trying to find a place to eat, we just ate here and it was great. The rooms themselves were pretty nice too. Cool, modern and stylish but in a way that preserves the motel's past. I must say our room was rather small and also our only complaint was that the bathroom door didnt close all the way. Other than that, it was great and I would definitely stay here again.

Excellent experience overall! I trusted the reviews and glad I did! Come for the beds!!! And the sheets, the comforters, the pillows!!! Truly one of the most comfortable beds I've ever slept on. I usually stay in better known large chains, usually 3-4 star hotels, yet this bed set up wins hands down. I later saw their motto online was something like "the only downside is you eventually have to check out" and I chuckled because I didn't want to leave. The whole place was so adorable and so tastefully done and pretty clean. We only stayed for a short night so didn't get to see it during the daytime, but everyone in our party was beyond impressed by this "motel". It's not a 5 stars Ritz, but it IS an EXCELLENT, clean, beautiful/quirky/modern motel. (If anyone is wondering their double queen rooms have a mini fridge, they didn't mention it on their website but it's there in the room).

First a nice hotel. Cool outdoor area and pool. Clean and a comfortqble bed. The toilet and shower area is poorly designed. Very small and the shower door only open on the right. The faucet to turn on is on the left. You have to reach in to turn on so you right away get sprayed with cold water. That was annoying.

Funky little motel right on Route 66 with great staff. Our room was adorable with mid century furnishings, and the bed was super comfortable. We loved the taproom right on the premises along with several food pods serving delicious meals.

Service alone is 5-star! I made the rookie mistake of not checking my reservation 5 times, and sure enough, booked it on the wrong day. We went to check in this Saturday when I learned I accidentally booked for Sunday! OOF! The front desk host was kind enough to book us a room up at the sister property, El Monterey. We went to grab a bite in the cool little food court area near the front of the property while he ran to get the keys for us. A few minutes later, sure enough, he was able to swing us a room at El Vado thanks to an early check out. The room was fantastic and we loved being able to grab a drink & just hang out in out in our room. The Auburn suite was amazing, and very well appointed. I loved having a separate sitting area. The patio area outside was nicely spread out. Only downsides: no coffeemaker in the room & no super clear instructions on check out. The book in the room gave a good rundown of the other rooms but not your usual hotel room insights.

Our stay at El Vado was so great that we decided to stay another night. Besides being regulars at their taproom this staycation in Albuquerque is the spot. The mixed use utilization of this property is unique and modern at the same time. This is such a great use of revitalization for Albuquerque to the old El Vado Motel. Cheers!

This is a perfect place for someone who wants a beautiful place to relax and enjoy Albuquerque! It's a renovated motel - clean, quiet, beautifully landscaped with a pool and places to lounge and eat. Enjoy the brewery on site or one of the many local restaurants. Sean is a great resource who works at brewery and provided us with many local restaurant suggestions - plus has an engaging personality! Across the street is a botanical gardens and many trails if you want to walk and explore. Our room #11 was cozy but had everything we needed, except a small frig. Next time (and there will be a next!), I will reserve a room with a sitting area. Try Kaufman's Coffee and Bagels next door!

I am obsessed with this hotel! We stayed here on our road trip from OKC to Sedona, and the main reason I picked it was because it seemed better to have an individual heating and air conditioning unit than to have shared heating and AC. That's really how I chose it for the first trip. I ended up loving it so much, we added a second a night on our way back home. What made me add a second night? -Amazing mid-century vibe -Helpful and polite staff -Very safe - key card required to enter the courtyard, and the room doors face the courtyard; no access to the rooms without first having access to courtyard, unlike a regular motor court where rooms face parking. It seemed odd at first to have to enter through the events center, but once I was in, it made perfect sense. -Great redevelopment of an existing Route 66 motor court that had been in disuse and disrepair. It looks like they kept as much as they could of the old hotel, but replaced that which had to be redone, in keeping with original style and some building methods. I was sad to see the pool was closed, but I totally understood. I would love to come back when the pool is open (and heated!). We also want to come back sometime when all the food pods are open. Also, I absolutely LOVED reading the little booklet in the room. To learn about the property, the history, the redevelopment, so interesting. I also loved that the furniture was all LOCALLY made, in mid-century style and all the art was local. That is a true commitment to keeping it local and supporting the local artisans. Don't forget to request a late check out as 11A is the standard. I would 100% recommend this motel, COVID or not!

We had an especially underwhelming staycation at the El Vado recently and we're not sure we'll consider another stay. This is really unfortunate because I've been a vocal cheerleader for this revitalized property from the get-go, and I'll still keep returning for the food. I'm just not doing any more sleepovers. Likely the most disappointing aspect of the stay was the sole reason it stood out from most lodging during the pandemic: a three foot deep outdoor pool, advertised as heated well above 100 degrees, perfect for our kiddo and her buddy. It was the opposite of heated. The kids handled it for maybe an hour at best, then shivered back in our room for quite a while. Very cold pool. Not good. The other issue regarded cleanliness, or our perceptions therein. We were on the Plaza -- the shared inner courtyard -- for the better part of a few hours, eating appetizers, dinner, ice cream and sippin' craft brews. We never saw an employee come out to sanitize or clean anything. This is on the Friday of Labor Day weekend. Tables weren't cleaned, trays weren't removed, door handles weren't wiped down. This doesn't square with website advertising where the motel asserts it's adopted a special Safe Stay set of policies: "Cleaning and disinfecting shall be frequent (multiple times per day) with an emphasis on frequent contact with hard non-porous surfaces including, but not limited to, front desk check-in counters, door handles, public bathrooms, ice machines, room keys and locks, and stair handrails, pool seating and surrounding areas, dining surfaces and all seating areas." I'll sign off with props to the front desk, they were immensely friendly and generally professional.

Absolutely love the concept of this place super cute we loved the little shops and restaurants that in the courtyard Delish ish foods this place is very well centrally located directly across the street is the aquarium in botanical gardens where a train will take you to the zoo, along with a short walk to old town with lots of shopping eating and tours. we stayed 3 nights. Customer service on the other hand could use some help they are rude and brash with no customer service skills, and don't bother leaving a message they wont get back to you. we left three messages. Also if you want your room turned over you have to request it or they won't do it. Sad this would have been five stars all the way if they could find good service. We are always looking for fun places to stay not that everyday regular boring chain places. I would recommend you get a king suite it is so worth it trust me.

The area is great to hang out and grab a quick bite. They're are several restaurants to choose from, all really good.

So there I was on my way to my umpteenth trip to the Albuquerque area. I have stayed in ABQ many many times in the past, often staying in hotels that were sanctioned by previous employers. I have stayed by the airport and near highways as usually, my past stays were one night as I was arriving in ABQ or one night as I was leaving ABQ. On this trip, I wanted to see Old Town ABQ as I hadn't been there in a very long time. During my search of hotels in the area, I came across the El Vado Motel on Central Avenue SW, and very close to Old Town. The rate compared to other hotels in the vicinity was very reasonable and upon further review after visiting El Vado's website, I made my choice. The El Vado is a very unique hotel, it was remodelled with Pueblo Revival architecture, with stepped massing, irregular parapets, vigas, and buttressed, stuccoed walls. Which made this hotel very appealing. When I arrived on a Saturday night I took a walk around the property and noticed a well-designed space called The Plaza in the middle of the grounds for guests to chill out, a multitude of small restaurants ( Food Pods) and shops and of course the infamous El Vado Taproom. Upon checking in there was an issue with my room, as my reservation was for that night which my confirmation email confirmed, however, the El Vado's reservation system has me booked the following night. No worries though, as the young lady who checked me in, was very accomodating and fixed the problem and I actually ended up with a very nice King Suite. The lobby and the connecting rooms are very well laid out, the Tap Room is right of the lobby and easily accessible. There is a dining area as well with New Mexico themed paintings, murals and wooden tables where you can enjoy a pint or a meal. Next up was checking into my room. Beware, friends, as parking is limited, and the parking spaces are very close together, I found a great spot to park but there was one of those pimped out pick-up trucks and an SUV on each side, I tried to park in that spot but there was no way to get out of my car. I parked in the condo parking lot and entered through the event space, which is one of the entrances to the rooms at the back of the hotel grounds. I found my room quite easily and went in. Later on, that night as I was unloading the rest on my luggage from my vehicle, a really great parking spot just happened to appear. Note to newbies to the Motel, ASK the front desk where to park. Now to the room!! I was very surprised at how well these rooms are laid out, the rooms themselves are not huge but set up in a way that makes you feel like they are roomier than they really are. The decor of the room is minimalist, with a fine blend of antiques and modern furniture. Historical, New Mexico, and Southwest themes are placed meticulously on the walls, giving the rooms an artistic flair. The furniture is well placed with enough room to move around. My room had a divider separating the living room and work area from the bedroom. There was access to each room from both sides of the divider. Be wary folks as the rooms have large glass walls along the entrance sides of the rooms, so keep those blinds closed and open at your discretion. My suite also had two little alcoves one which housed an antique dresser and a coffee station, the other housed the bathroom sink. Some other noteworthy points about my suite, it had a pull out bed, a desk and chair, a very clean stand-up shower, a large TV, and the wifi even in my room at the outer edges of the hotel had a very strong signal. The courtyard called The Plaza, of this hotel is really something to behold, it looked like something out of a luxury travel magazine. It screams 'be social' as the design of this area is made for hangin out and enjoying time with your friends and family. The former carport has polished concrete sidewalks, rock and cactus gardens, benches, chairs, loungers, tables, firepits, and a splash pool, not deep but just enough to cool off from the hot dry New Mexico heat. This is a place to chill out and have some good times. I myself, on a cool February night watched some Netflix on my phone while enjoying a Santa Fe Brewing Company IPA. I can only imagine what the courtyard is like on a warm summer day. Now for other notable features about the El Vado Motel. The Motel houses a modern luxurious event space, for all kinds of gatherings. Word has it that they can accommodate catered events as well. There is also food and shopping available on the property where you can grab a bite and pick up something really cool for your loved ones. Be warned though that The Tap Room and the Food Pods close earlier in the evening, so get your food and drink during the day. In short, if you're looking for a unique and affordable place to stay, with history, a cool place to chill and has food and drink only steps away then give the El Vado a shot.

Pretty cool place. The city revived and remodeled somewhat the old El Vado Motel. You can choose from like 5 different restaurants and there is a tap house. It's all community seating outside with tables and chairs. Really cool vibe with great music and opportunity to people watch. Good food, drink and something for everyone.

We stayed here while traveling during Covid. It really a perfect choice. I felt so much safer walking through an open air location versus an Inclosed hotel. The suite that we stayed in was perfect for a family of 4 with young children. The pool was lovely. The restaurant courtyard is such a plus! The only reason I'm not doing 5 stars in their severe lack of shade? They have a beautiful inner courtyard and not a single shade umbrella. It makes the whole area unusable. Their pool only has 2 umbrellas? Shade would make this place perfect.

I used to live in ABQ and was always intrigued with Route 66 and all of the old motels that at one time were very prominent there. Well when I had the chance to go back and visit for a few days the first place I looked to see if any of these old motels had been fixed up and were open for business, this one was, and was basically right around the corner from Old Town. Seemed like a good location, booked my stay. I didnt have any problems with check in or check out, both people that had helped me were very nice and not rude in any way, and seemed overly accommodating. Plenty of super hot water. The couple downsides for me were no mini fridge in the room, there was plenty of room to put one in, and no fault of the hotel, but it seemed that end of Central Ave on a Sunday night had turned into Central Ave Raceway, loud cars taking off from the stop light or burning rubber which kept me awake. I would stay here again though.

What a great choice for a quick stop in Albuquerque! This place is a little slice of Route 66 history. Staff were welcoming, room was small but well appointed, and the shaded courtyard with tap room and food onsite was perfect. My only recommendations would be for more lighting - one lamp wasn't enough. And while the place was immaculately clean, scuffs on the chalk white walls made it seem less than. Other than that, a perfect stay. The fact that it's walking distance to Old Town one direction and the Rio Grande in the other was a bonus. Be sure to hit Kaufman's Bagels next door for breakfast before heading on your way!

I am so impressed with what they've created here....really outstanding job. I love this patio space, kid friendly, dog friendly. The food options are awesome, definitely something for everyone. Burgers, chicken, tacos, pizza, costa rican/latin american cuisine, coffee....Such a great spot to meet friends...I must say the tap room is an excellent touch. Retail vendors, and an event space!!! The remodel on the rooms is well done, the staff is fun and willing to give tours any time. The pool area looks great!!!! I am so happy to have a space like this, there needs to be dozens more of these types of nooks around town, well done!!!!

Great historic motel, perfectly representative of the area and situated in a nice part of Albuquerque. Courtyard is large with fireplace and very cool swimming pool. It was empty in March when we were there but looks like it will be great when opened. Friendly staff, comfy bed, nice shower. All around great place. Arrive early next door at Kaufman's bagels for a great breakfast sandwich on the go, too! We will stay here again for sure.

El Vado is a true treasure on Central Ave in Albuquerque.... The owner has taken a motel from 1937 and turned it into a charming, totally updated motel with wonderful outdoor space, including heated pool the rooms are cleverly renovated using carports and old time rooms to make for A very special place to not only stay, but for entertainment Unique little spaces that offer a variety of foods from pizza to sliders to cuban chicken Pretzels, quesadillas homemade tater tots, coffee and even a tap room featuring an original fireplace Located near Old Town and the Bio park I cannot say enough about this new "old" gem

I want to start out by saying this review is not for the restaurants at El Vado, they are fantastic, this review is for the El Vado staff. We like to come on Friday nights to the eating area to have a good meal and a few drinks. We ordered our food and ate but we had a lot left over so we boxed them up. On Friday's, they have a market with vendors so we left our food and a few personal belongings at our table to go browse the vendors only to come back and see that they threw our food away and sat someone at our table with our belongings sitting on the table!! The El Vado Staff member said "I'm sorry, I didn't see your stuff until it was too late"!! How about this??? Tell the person you just sat "I'm sorry, I didn't realize this table was taken" and move them!! And maybe get a manager to comp us for our food we planned to take with us!!! Absolutely horrible and to make it worse, there were easily over a dozen open tables!!! So what's the point of having a "market" if your customers can't get up to browse without fear of an el Vado staff member snatching up their table?!! I am a very loyal customer to establishments that provide good experiences and unfortunately The el Vado staff missed the mark big time. I can think of plenty other places that deserve my business other than El Vado. It's very disappointing because I truly enjoyed this place but the fact that this happened and nothing was done about it really turns me off to return.

This place was fixed up and renovated over a year ago and a great stop. The shops are cool. The misters flowing and the food choices I like no other place in town. My personal experience was a five-star experience. There aren't really that many great words I can find to describe it except go check it out and have your own experience it's worth the drive. Prices are reasonable and it's clean. I love that it is on Route66. In the evening as you're enjoying a beer in the taproom or food on the plaza you can watch the city traffic drive-by and listen to the noise. If you don't like noise I don't know what to say but I love the noise of the city in the evening. The beer is ponderosa brewing I believe. Bomb!

This motel is a smart and well done transformation. With small businesses on the exterior and beautiful rooms on the interior this is a great place to stay. Location wise you are a short walk or drive to Old Town. Bed was super comfortable and room interiors were small but very cozy and well designed.

We loved this amazing motel! So much so that we came back from Santa Fe to stay here another night. The staff is amazing and super helpful, the rooms are immaculately clean and the taproom has the best beers on draft. This is definitely one of the best places to stay in Albuquerque!

I just love the new El Vado! I have not been a paying guest at the Motel, but last night I attended an event at the events center and was fortunate enough to tour one of the motel rooms. The pool is BEAUTIFUL. Three & a half feet deep and heated salt water, so it's a relaxing soak day or night. The rooms are big and comfy; the suites are the old carports converted with king bed + queen pull-out couch. Rooms start at $137. I've visited the shops and courtyard restaurants multiple times now. Saturday nights and Sunday brunches have free musical entertainment, and there are lots of special events. For the summer they've installed misters around the courtyard seating. BE CAREFUL walking between tables - the sidewalks are a bit "artsy" and it's impossible to see the slight step up; I've seen several people trip on them. The courtyard is shared among on the food vendors, so you typically order at a counter, take a table marker, and the food is brought out to you. The trashcans have a washtub to leave your dishes. Another thing to be wary of is parking. The parking lot immediately east of the shops is quite tiny, so consider instead driving into the neighborhood on Rio Grande and walking over. Or, park elsewhere and bike or scooter over!

Two words. Stay. Here. El Vado has been part of Route 66 since the 1930s so the fact that they have maintained the integrity of the property but have upgraded was a smart move. History is important and we are too quick to tear things down with how little history we have. Kudos El Vado. This is a little oasis. The rooms are well decorated and the beds are super cozy. There is a salt water pool for guests to enjoy in the warmer months. The best part for me is the outdoor courtyard that houses all your food needs. A tap room, burger joint, tacos, coffee, just to name a few. There are also shops on the outer perimeter that are worth dropping into and dropping some dough. This place has charm and they definitely make you feel like home. The businesses can be visited by anyone so this is also a great spot to come hang out if you're a local too. It would be a wonderful staycation spot that's great for the whole family. I already want to come back and stay here. It's close to Old Town as well. Check out my pics if you're interested in staying. It's definitely a gem that won't be hidden for long.

The place is infested with cockroaches. When I brought it to the attention of the front desk, the reply was "Tis the season!" Wrong answer for the hospitality industry. I have made MULTIPLE attempts to contact management and have been met with no response. I have confirmation that they have read my messages, which means they have actively chosen to not respond and send the message that they don't care about their patrons. If I could give this place negative stars, I would. Save your money and go elsewhere. This place is a waste. Oh, and my husband picked up some weird infection from there.

This place is adorable! My mom, kids, and I were driving home to Colorado from Arizona. Needless to say it's quite the drive! We decided to stop in ABQ and found this little gem online. Believe me when I say, it is everything it's cracked up to be! The rate was very reasonable, the rooms have been renovated with a soft contemporary southwest design with local artist touches. Most importantly the rooms are clean and the beds are comfortable! The service at the front desk was phenomenal as she gave us a breakdown of the property. The pool is heated to about 85 degrees and there are towels provided in the bins right inside the gated pool area! Last time I saw this was at an expensive resort and spa! Aside from the adorable rooms and awesome pool, there are food pods, aka tiny little food stations, with a variety from pizza(delish, btw), burgers, and Costa Rican cuisine to coffee and jumbo soft pretzels (mmmm). There's also a few other shops, a tap room, event centers, larger suites, and a spa all on the same property! They have a live band on the weekends, as well! I can only imagine this place in the summer as we went during March, which is a little more chilly. If you are looking to stay for a couple days, they are right across the street from the aquarium and botanical gardens. One more thing, for all you SW natives and history nerds, check out the history of the property as this is a motel from 1937 built on Route 66. Yes, I read the entire background after I arrived. I don't really have a reason to visit ABQ, but my mom and I are considering coming back for a girls weekend!

Cannot say enough good things about our stay at the very awesome El Vado in Albuquerque. Friendly service from the ENTIRE STAFF, a super comfy suite (the "Delahaye") with outstanding touches throughout the room, the best motel bed I've ever slept on AND the best shower I've ever had in a hotel room... a super fun taproom next to the lobby with a great selection of beers... we honestly can't wait to stay here again! I'm actually a native of the city and remember when this stretch of the old Route 66 was completely dead, so it's just so great to see and experience its profound transformation with the El Vado. CONGRATS, TEAM.