El Vado Motel

Staff was great, the rooms were in excellent shape and very comfortable. The tokens for free beer at their bar was a nice touch. I love the way the hotel was set up with the beautiful courtyard and restaurants, shops surrounding them. My only complaint? I had to circle several times to figure out where to park. If you’re facing the hotel, it’s on the left side. If you check in at night, park at the “retail parking only “. If it’s earlier, the area that says “parking permits only”. You think you can’t at either, but it’s the only place you can park. Besides that minor blip, it will be my go to in Albuquerque from now on.

Loved the property - hip, renovated motel with great on-site amenities and several restaurants and a bar immediately adjacent. Fun vibe, live music, fire pits.

The hotel was great but the property was not easy to park when full. Liked that you have choices for evening dining. Unfortunately the pool was closed for cleaning. The hotel was pretty. Wr would stay again.

Unfortunately the pool was closed, we had been looking forward to using it :-(

Beautiful and historic. Thick quiet walls. Nice room details. Free drink included w room. Room and bathroom quite small, and pool was closed. Parking isn’t obvious, and there appears to be a single worker managing front desk and bar. Overall somewhat overpriced for the experience.

Great, renovated historic property. About the only issue is that due to how the property has been renovated, you might not be able to park right next to the motel. Loved some of the restaurants on property.

Great Route 66 motel. Clean and modern with an on-site microbrewery, restaurants and shallow pool. Walking distance to many great spots in Albuquerque

Hotel had a great vibe. Grounds were nice with native plants and lots of hummingbirds. Pool and fire-pit area were nice to relax in. Brew pub/bar had a nice atmosphere. Complimentary beer at check in was a nice surprise. You could walk to the botanical gardens across the street- which was also great.

Disappointed in the condition of the pool (it was filled with leaves and dead bugs that I had to remove myself with their skimming tool), but the room was clean and comfortable.

Beautifully renovated, spotlessly clean, retro style hotel. The El Vado is a few blocks from Old Town Albuquerque. It has a lovely pool area that the rooms look onto, but the pool perhaps needs to be cleaned more regularly. The patio area was very inviting.

The hotel was cute. You need your room key to get anywhere in the hotel. The room was a bit small and the fan in the bathroom wouldn't stop rattling. Our daughter's room had large ants/termites which was a bit disturbing. The pool was dirty and they do not provide towels for the pool. Good location.

Stayed here for the night and thought it was a very unique and neat stay. Keep in mind that the rooms are older and it shows in a few minor areas. We had some issues with a dirty towel in the bathroom, but we typically travel with our own bedding and some towels (been there/done that in cheaper motels) just in case so we used those instead of asking for new ones as we got there kind of late.

The property is very unique and beautifully restored. They have food pods and boutique shops on site that were not open while I was there but I love the concept, there is a small taproom that was open and I did buy a couple of canned hard ciders. My room was beautiful, clean as a whistle, the bed and linens were super comfortable. The bathroom was tiny and the shampoo and conditioner dispensers were clogged up so none would dispense and the body wash took about a dozen or so pumps to get an adequate amount so I recommend to bring your own. Also, the toilet is super low, like training potty low, and since I’d injured my knee hiking made using the restroom was tough. While the room is beautiful and comfortable, getting some sleep was another story. During my 1 night stay (March 3) I was awakened just before 11 pm by loud noises outside which sounded like a generator and pressure washer and other loud equipment. I thought at first it was street cleaners right next to the room or something but it just went on and on. I tried going back to sleep but by midnight it was going so I went outside to find that a crew was on the roof above the food pod area across from my room (which is pretty close) doing some kind of work. I eventually fell asleep around 1 am and they were still going. Why schedule maintenance in the middle of the night like that?? And then I was awakened again early in the morning (5/6 ish?) by someone walking on the roof of my room.

The property has a retro adobe style look.The lobby is in front of a main road with no parking or pull up like most hotels. No visible signs that show lobby when you pull in. Where hotel guest park is at the end of the building. During the check in we were offered a free welcome drink, which we got it later in the evening and it was for one person. I also found out during check in that the pool did not work but I could use their sister property behind them. The main reason I booked them was to have a pool right outside my room. I did not want to walk out of one property across a parking lot and into another property tell them I was with the other property and get a key for that pool. I would have stayed their for half the price. We did enjoy the court yard after the sun was going down. There is a food court but during the week all but one was closed. The room was spacious, I went to plug my phone in and that plug did not work, I was drying my hair and the smoke alarm went off. There is a fridge but no microwave. The room has two separate air-conditioning units which is a plus. Overall a nice place but not for the price.

Newer property but rooms had bad chemical smell

A/c above bed was not working and it took us a few requests before it was fixed. The dresser fell over as we were putting close in. Staff came and fixed it, securing it to the wall.

We stayed at the hotel for 10 nights on our vacation and the motel was amazing. It was hard to believe that it was built in the 1930's. Staff were very friendly. Rooms are well furnished and stocked. and in a great location. Only have two negatives about our stay. The first one is is that the walls could use a wipe and had some paint chipping off them. The second was one of their cleaning staff choose not to clean our room one day. However, we believe that the manager was aware of the problem as the next day there was a new house cleaner and our room was cleaned from top to bottom. We would definitely stay her again.

Great friendly staff, room was fun and kids loved the vibe. Room just needed a bit of deep cleaning. But if was fun for the family!

This was my second stay here. Everything was great as before, except for a smell in the room. I was given a room around 2PM. Another guest that checked in around 6PM brought up getting a headache from the smell. I brought up the same concern to the night staff. The other patron was moved to a new room and I was told there wasn't another room available for me. I spent the next 5 days recovering from a headache.

Some linens had mildew as if not dri d properly.

We enjoyed our stay at El Vado. The bed was very comfortable and the shower had great pressure and was nice. The room is small. We were here for one night and it was perfect. We woulto return in the summer so we can enjoy the pool and outdoor amenities.

Cute rooms and a very fun atmosphere with restaurants and a brewery at the hotel. The room did not have a fridge but we made do. Friendly staff. Parking was a ways from the room but the hotel is small so not the end of the world. The bed was exceptionally comfortable

Fantastic place to stay in ABQ. Not far from downtown. The units have a very cool retro vibe clustered around the cute pool. Nice bar and friendly service. Only small feedback is that the rooms are a little dark and could do with some overhead lighting. Overall very comfy :)

A tight room and not a lot of wiggle room, very small bathroom. The courtyard is amazing, the rooms are very secured. Close to Old Town but otherwise not the greatest neighborhood. We still felt safe walking around and comfortable in the courtyard at night. Although a tight room, the bed was very comfortable and except for the crazy traffic going by the rooms were quiet.

Friendly staff. Clean room and overall motel grounds. Very comfortable bed. Spacious room. Great quality free coffee. Great location. Internet was intermittent or not working, especially at night. Poor Verizon cellular service.

The El Vado is super cute and a place we’d stay again in a pinch. But our room smelled like mildew water the entire time we were there. You walked in and it would destroy your nose. You eventually would get used to it but it was pretty putrid. We would leave the door open for fresh air. Also the internet was pretty bad. I think we got what I call the “Expedia” room which is the cheapest, worst room on property because you pay the cheap Expedia price. Room 8. Avoid!

Lovely stay at revived historic motel. Very comfy beds.

This little motel has quite a bit of charm and wasn't expensive relative to other "boutique" options. The front desk and cleaning service were both great. The little taproom was also excellent. In terms of function, the room was between poor and average. The bathroom area is large and wheelchair-friendly. This normally wouldn't have been a problem except the shower area had no shower curtain and the shower nozzle barely put out any water so we were perpetually cold. The room is also naturally quite dim. Even during the day, with the curtains pulled open, the room will not get bright, so if you like to sleep in, this may be the room for you! Lighting in the morning and evening is equally as challenging. There is only one ceiling light in the room and it's a task light over the bar, so if you're making coffee or getting something in/out of the fridge, you'll be fine. It's also the only light controlled by a wall switch. The other lights were lamps controlled at the lamp. The last thing that I felt was lacking was a microwave. With Los Compadres right across the road, it would have been nice to have some way to reheat the green chile queso for Round #2. Finally, I don't know if it's normal, but the room lost power at one point for about 15-20 minutes.

I was surprised at how poorly this property turned out. The road noise is horrific and woke me several times. I was told there are a lot of people that cruise the 66 and have no muffler. The curtains in the room are not blackout and lots of light start coming in at 5:30 AM. There were no extra bath towels available and no pool towels. The staff were very nice but they were obviously short handed on Sunday. The pool was absolutely filthy. There was so much dirt in the pool as well as leaves and an umbrella. The tile grout was flaking off in spots. Not a big deal but the property looks worn. The place was running on fumes on a Sunday. I found a pube hair on the sheets but I just brushed it off. It was late an I needed to sleep. But overall I think this property does not care if you sleep well. How do they not have ear plugs or noise machines or both and no blackout curtains? The curtains are darkening but not blackout.

It’s a really charming vintage motel that has been renovated really well. It’s got a fun vibe and good food and drink options on site. The staff was friendly and we enjoyed our stay. The only downside is the shaky internet connection. If they fix that I would say the place is perfect!

We called ahead to confirm our reservation and they told us our reservation did not exist. After asking them to check again, they continued to tell us we were booked for the previous day (which we had revised our reservation). After several attempts, they finally found our reservation but then while checking in, they sent us to the wrong room (standard) despite having us pay for a King Suite. Since this was a repeated mistake, we asked to speak with the property manager who shrugged it off and said “oh well.” When we explained that we have a toddler traveling with us and it was a hassle switching rooms after settling in, he said “it’s not that hard,” which given that this person has no idea what challenges us or any parent may be dealing with is extremely insensitive. To which, he said “you got your room,” and continued to mock our difficulties. We are not upset by the room mix up, it was inconvenient but an understandable mistake. However, we felt the manager’s crude approach to our issue was over the top.

Ana at the front desk was absolutely amazing

Well, I had to wait a long time for the front desk person to greet me, which was awkward. She was somewhere on the property and couldn’t be found. Once that was taken care of and I got my room, I noticed the shade covering the door didn’t block the lights out. It kept waking me up in the middle of the night. I had to rig a chair against the shade so it would keep the gap at a minimum. The place is adorable though. I loved all the desert flowers. The bed was, by far, the most comfortable I have experienced. I would definitely recommend. I ended up having to stay an extra night and tried to rebook, but they were sold out. Whomp-whomp.

The El Vado property is fun and functional with a comfortable bar area and multitasking bartender/front desk attendant, Jessica, nice outdoor area, and nicely remodeled rooms. George was helpful and gave great info. Housekeeping staff deserve an extra star as they were kind, thorough, and attentive.

I specifically requested that the front desk charge one card for my stay and a separate for the incidentals, and went back a second time because it appeared they charged both to one card and was assured by the front desk lady that it was fixed. Lo and behold, they charged everything to one card. This is HIGHLY inconvenient as I am dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. The stay was just okay, it was a bed to sleep in.

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. The property had a Taproom next to check-in and a pool and lounge area just outside. We enjoyed our stay here.

They didn't have our room reservation ready and wanted to give us a room with only one bed. Then the toilet did not work. They tried to provide us with a key to another room where we could use the bathroom or move to another bedroom. Then, at 9 p.m., they closed the bar of on-tap beer. The girl at the check-in had to call someone to assist her in doing everything. Needless to say, we checked out and asked for a refund.

We arrived late due to flight scheduling and were warmly greeted with suggestions for locations for dinner. The third night we were awakened at 6am by some loud music from the courtyard which is central to all the rooms. I discussed this with the staff, and they graciously offered to credit us for the night!

Great stay for two nights on cross country trip. Only issue was no WiFi in the rooms. Staff was awesome.

Great service from Kimberley who made us drinks and even fresh popcorn. Really enjoyed the hospitality and the room was nice and comfortable.

A tight room and not a lot of wiggle room, very small bathroom. The courtyard is amazing, the rooms are very secured. Close to Old Town but otherwise not the greatest neighborhood. We still felt safe walking around and comfortable in the courtyard at night. Although a tight room, the bed was very comfortable and except for the crazy traffic going by the rooms were quiet.

Wonderfully restored old motel. Walking distance to old town.

Nicely remodeled, close to zoo, old town Albuquerque.

Beautifully decorated and comfortable bed; the staff was super friendly. There was a delightful sense of the history of the area situated as it is on Route 66. Local eateries were convenient to the site as was the Albuquerque Biological Park.

Walkable to Old Town and great food around. Awesome redo of a motor lodge.

Staff was wonderful, convenient location with restaurants and old town within walking distance

PROS: The place is adorable and they provide great amenities for guests. They had a market on Saturday with local small businesses and foods. The pool and private area for guests was well maintained and a wonderful place to lounge during down time. CONS: We did have a gap in our door that let in a slight breeze and quite a bit of light. With that, I wish there was a chain lock along with the deadbolt. The street noise was a lot (loud cars and pedestrian). On our last night, we heard what we believe to have been gunshots a few blocks away. Despite those cons, we really enjoyed our stay and would return, maybe try a suite.

El Vado is a fantastic classic roadside motel that has been updated for modern amenities and comfort. Our room was very comfortable and quiet. There is a taproom on site and the complex also has restaurants and other shops to check out. It is an easy, convenient walk right across the street from the ABQ BioPark Aquarium and Botanical Gardens and is just a short walk away from Old Town Albuquerque. I would recommend staying at El Vado Motel when visiting Albuquerque!

The property is excellent and the room was wonderful. Unfortunately, We heard 3 gunshots while falling asleep.

The room we stayed in was perfect. So cute. Just enough room. It was very clean and the bed was wonderful. There was live music and the on site restaurants and shops were very convenient. And, it is literally across the street from the aquarium and botanical gardens. It is a very good location for a “stay” cation.

El Vado exceeded our expectations. The room and facilities were top notch. The staff was friendly and offered good suggestions on places to eat. Would highly recommend.

Loved the property - hip, renovated motel with great on-site amenities and several restaurants and a bar immediately adjacent. Fun vibe, live music, fire pits.

Such a cute motel with food and drink options on the property!

Love this unique little hotel! Good walking distance to Old Town, BEAUTIFUL grounds and dipping pool, great live band on Friday evening, played until about 8:15pm. Lots of traffic noise from central Ave until about 10:30 pm. So if you’re sensitive to noise, maybe bring earplugs. Parking was a little scarce, but I got a spot when I arrived at 5 pm. I would definitely stay here again!!

We liked the tap room service and good coffee in the office in the morning. The Costa Rican restaurant right on the circle the tap room guy recommended was amazing!

Out of all the food choices located at El Vado listed on the website, not one was open on Tuesday. You would think they would stagger their days off so something was available for guests.

Hotel is very nicely renovated. It did advertise food vendors on property but did not say what days. We happen to get there when none of them were open on that day.

Great location with some small restaurants almost on-site. Parking can be limited at times but each time we had a need to park we could find a spot. There is also a small bar that is part of the Hotel that we got one free drink per night

Great Route 66 motel. Clean and modern with an on-site microbrewery, restaurants and shallow pool. Walking distance to many great spots in Albuquerque

Hotel had a great vibe. Grounds were nice with native plants and lots of hummingbirds. Pool and fire-pit area were nice to relax in. Brew pub/bar had a nice atmosphere. Complimentary beer at check in was a nice surprise. You could walk to the botanical gardens across the street- which was also great.