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Vacations spent at a downtown Santa Fe hotel are the most relaxing way to see the city. I love to seek out spots where I can arrive at the hotel, park my car and just walk to explore. I stroll and window shop, I scout a sunflower that has popped up beside the pavement, I notice how beautiful the sky changes colors as sunset, I take deep breaths, I unwind and I know that I am on vacation.
Many visitors to Santa Fe, prefer to stay in hotels that are within walking distance of downtown– an area defined by the street Paseo de Peralta that encircles the area. Santa Fe’s downtown is so easy to navigate on foot with many interesting shops, galleries and restaurants through out the city that entertained me as I crossed from one area to the next - the historic Santa Fe Plaza, Canyon Road Art Galleries and the Guadalupe Shopping District.
Two Santa Fe hotels offer great proximity to downtown. The Sage Inn is uniquely positioned as an affordable hotel located downtown at the edge of the Guadalupe Shopping District on Cerrillos Road. From this hotel, I found it easy to navigate, starting off my day by walking down Guadalupe Street for shopping and lunch. From the Sage Inn, I also headed down Paseo de Peralta to Canyon Road to take in the world-renown art galleries – an incredible experience that makes this city quite unique.
Inn of Governors is an excellent full service Santa Fe hotel just a block away from the plaza square. I joined a guided walking tour which provided great history of the city and led me to St. Francis Cathedral, the Miracle Staircase, and Palace of the Governors. Inn of the Governors has an on site restaurant and bar, so at the end of the day I was able to mingle with other guests and several Santa Fe locals and only had few steps back to my room.
My vacation from these downtown Santa Fe hotels allowed me to see and experience Santa Fe’s charm. Walking through the city provided a look at living history – homes constructed of 100-year-old adobe, beautiful doors in natural wood or painted shades of turquoise blue, portals strung with chili pepper ristras and ornate wrought iron gates. I felt leisurely and engaged in conversations with local shop keepers.
And the best part about walking around downtown from a Santa Fe hotel – I felt no guilt in rewarding myself with a morning Mexican hot chocolate, after lunch sopapilla, and an end-of-the-day scoop of pinon ice cream!
Michelle Oldershaw
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