Garrett's Desert Inn in Santa Fe, a 7 Hotels in 7 Days Review
December 17, 2012
The Desert Inn is a short 3 block walk from the historic central plaza in Santa Fe and is the closest traditional motel to the plaza. Like the sign out front says this is probably the best deal for an accommodation this close to the plaza. It is especially good for travelers with kids and lots of stuff.
Since the "M" in motel stands for "Motor", as in a hotel designed for motorists, it is odd that they charge you extra to park your car. But then again due to its great location they must get lots of tourists who arrive by shuttle and explore the area on foot.
For the most part room #211 is a very standard motel room. However the bathroom area is very retro mid-century modern and well maintained for an older property. Click Here for the Inns website.
The bed was comfortable but the air conditioner was a bit loud. The furniture gave no indication you were in Santa Fe, one of New Mexico's most historic towns.
The last standard definition TV I'd seen was over a year ago in an old room at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. I'm not that surprised to see a non-HD TV here at Garrett's Desert Inn since it is a hotel for the budget-sensitive traveler. However the old fashioned TV does cheapen the experience.
WiFi speeds were slow and at one point it was offline for a few hours. When working the speed was OK: Download: 2.50, Upload: 2.59. I did not try the small breakfast / lunch spot located just next to the Garrett's Desert Inn. There was no in-room refrigerator.
Plenty of closet space and lots of room for suitcases and gear. Room was large and clean. Learn more about vacationing in New Mexico.
I suspect the retro style of the bathroom dates back to the origins of this hotel. It is clean and the fixtures were well maintained. Minimal amenities were provided.
Since this is more of a family hotel the pool was active with kids who appeared to be having a great time. I suspect their parents were out seeing the sights of Santa Fe while the kids did belly flops into the water.