Top 10 hotels in Santa Fe, New Mexico

La Posada de Santa Fe

A legendary Santa Fe property, La Posada is an intimate hotel, sitting on six beautiful acres located stumbling distance from the plaza. Great service and elegantly decorated adobe casitas are the signature draws, but the more historic (though smaller) rooms, some with excellent views, provide the same amenities at a lower price. Locals like to gather for single malt and cigars in the Staab House Lounge, and the onsite Avanyu Spa is regarded as one of Santa Fe's top five.
330 East Palace Avenue, +1 505 986 0000, laposadadesantafe.com. Doubles $215

Silver Saddle Motel

For an infusion of vintage 1950s Americana motor-lodge style at seriously budget prices, it is hard to beat the Silver Saddle. It was featured in the 1988 documentary film Motel, and sleeping here is a trip. Rooms are individually decorated, full of character and well maintained – the faded glory look is by design, to reconstruct the heyday of motoring down Main Street America. Management is super-friendly, and the included continental breakfast more generous than most. It's a five-minute drive from the downtown plaza area, where parking can be tricky.
2810 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 471 7663, santafesilversaddlemotel.com. Doubles from $45

El Rey Hotel

The main section of this historic courtyard hotel - just a five-minute drive from the plaza - dates back to the 1930s. Decor is distinctly New Mexican, as are the exposed wood support beams, ceilings and tiled floors. There is a pool and hot tub and a playground, in five acres of manicured grounds. El Rey also strives to be eco friendly, with recycling and other green initiatives.
1862 Cerrillos Road, +1 800 521 1349, elrayinnsantafe.com. Doubles from $100

Old Santa Fe Inn

The location of this mid-range motel is perfect – just a few blocks' walk from the plaza. So is the included make-your-own breakfast burrito bar, featuring Santa Fe's famous red and green chilli. The cosy rooms are decorated with locally-crafted artisan furniture and hand-woven rugs, many of which are exact replicas of original pieces displayed in the Museum of New Mexico. Walls are decorated with wood-block prints by Willard Clark, depicting Santa Fe in the 1930s. The public areas are equally alluring.
320 Galisteo Street, +1 800 745 9910, oldsantafeinn.com. Doubles from $149

Inn of the Governors

Elegant and cosy, with hand-painted folk art, feather pillows and bedspreads, and south-western-style windows and doors. The inn is often a favourite with visiting dignitaries and is located right across the street from the Santa Fe river, and just a few blocks' walk in either direction from the famous Canyon Road gallery district and the central plaza. The adjoining Del Charro Saloon serves some of the tastiest cheap New Mexican cooking and giant margaritas downtown, and is popular with locals and guests alike.
101 West Alameda, +1 505 982 4333, innofthegovernors.com. Doubles $149

Sunrise Springs Inn & Spa

Located 15 minutes from downtown, this destination spa resort has an artsy feel: guests are encouraged to participate in pottery classes and tea ceremonies, t'ai chi and yoga. Rooms are Asian-meets-south-western-Zen, with high ceilings and minimalist furnishings, while the grounds are an alluring mixture of gardens, ponds and woodlands. There is also a large pool, spa, restaurant and al fresco bar.
242 Los Pinos Road, +1 800 955 0028/ 1 505 471 3600, sunrisesprings.com. Doubles $149

Hotel Santa Fe Hacienda & Spa

Santa Fe's only Native American-owned hotel is in the heart of the revitalised Guadalupe Railyard district, which is home to hipster restaurants, cowboy boutiques and gallery spaces. This family-friendly hotel has a variety of spacious rooms in neutral colour tones – beds are sink-into-me comfortable, with down duvets. The in-house restaurant, Amayo, serves innovative nouveau Native American fare, and you can eat in a traditional teepee – great for kids.
1501 Paseo de Peralta, +1 855 825 9876, hotelsantafe.com. Doubles $149

Ten Thousand Waves Japanese Resort & Spa

Nestled in the piñon- and juniper-scented mountains about 10 minutes' drive north of downtown, this is a hip day spa designed to resemble a Japanese hot spring resort. It's also a secluded getaway, with just 12 Zen-inspired freestanding guesthouses, so you'll need to book well in advance. Each is within walking distance of the main spa and the public and private hot mineral tubs that guests have special access to. Nightly chocolates on the pillow and a healthy breakfast are added bonuses.
3451 Hyde Park Road, +1 505 982 9304, tenthousandwaves.com. Doubles $199

La Fonda

Right on the plaza, La Fonda is one of Santa Fe's most respected luxury hotels. It claims to have been in operation since 1610, when it was considered "the original inn at the end of the Santa Fe trail". Today, it is equally famous for its folk-art character. Staff artist Ernest Martinez has painted thousands of windows and other fixtures around the hotel since 1954, and the property also features south-west murals and paintings commissioned in the 1920s and 30s. If you can afford it, book one of the top-floor luxury suites in La Terraza, with killer views. If you can't, head up to the rooftop Bell Tower bar for sunset drinks.
100 East San Francisco Street, +1 505 982 5511, lafondasantafe.com. Doubles $185

Inn & Spa at Loretto

Inspired by the architecture of Taos Pueblo, this old hotel with a prime downtown spot was renovated a few years ago. Rooms are larger than average, with luxurious Native American-style decor, including woven Navajo rugs and crimson walls hung with local art; iPod docking stations, huge TVs and swanky bathrooms add to the four-diamond hotel's appeal. Ask for a high floor with a balcony for the best views. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating, and the spa some of Santa Fe's best pampering.
211 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 988 5531, hotelloretto.com. Doubles $215

Note: prices do not include local tax

Becca Blond is an award-winning travel journalist from Denver who regularly visits her family in Santa Fe. She has written more than 30 Lonely Planet guides and is a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times. planetblond.wordpress.com