Let it snow ... let it snow

It's only been a week and I already want to be back in the Caribbean! I'm sitting in my office, looking out over about 6" of snow that has fallen today; and it is predicted to continue. Cruise memories of sun and sand are fading away and thoughts of a white Christmas are pushing forward.

So let me take some time, while I'm sitting at my computer, to tell you about a hotel tour I had last week. Christi from the Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque showed me around this wonderful little downtown hotel. The pictures here are from their web site.

From the Hotel's fact sheet:

The historic La Posada de Albuquerque Hotel reopened October 1, 2009 as Hotel Andaluz, following a $30 million renovation. The hotel boasts 107 rooms and suites, with meeting space for a variety of corporate booking needs. The hotel’s décor incorporates Moroccan and Spanish colonial influences reflective of the original design of the lobby, and features a mezzanine-level cultural center honoring New Mexico’s museums, cultural institutions, performing arts groups, and other culturally significant organizations.

We began our tour in the lobby, into which the renovation incorporated "casbah's" ... small, intimate seating areas, which can be curtained off. These areas can be reserved for small get togethers ... think drinks with friends before dinner. Two of them can have the connecting wall removed for slightly larger groups ... like an intimate birthday party or anniversary celebration for about 10-15 folks. Here's a picture

We had a great New Mexican breakfast at their restaurant, Lucia. I can't speak for dinner or lunch menus, but if they have items half as great at the red chili, hash browns, and eggs I had, the dining experience will be wonderful. Christi had huevos rancheros that must have tasted as good as they looked if her expression was any indication! You can check out pictures, and all the menus and other info here.

Next we went on a tour of the rooms. She started me in one of the suites. This one had a king-sized bed in a bedroom that could be closed off from the sitting area. A convertible sofa in the sitting area added to the capacity for the room. Best of all was the bathroom ... totally renovated and modern ... and beautiful! Notice the huge antique tub in this picture:

They took great pains to restore many of the original cast iron soaking tubs, and then housed them in a bathroom with all the modern amenities. The shower just begs you to get in and take your time, while the bathtub is big enough for a really relaxing soak! Because the hotel's owner is very environmentally conscious, all the upscale toiletries are dispensed from wall mounted bottles that are refilled as needed, dramatically cutting down on the waste of all those little plastic bottles!

The next suite I visited was similar, but without the wall dividing the bedroom and sitting room. Even though it was slightly smaller in square footage, it seemed bigger due to the lack of wall. So you can have your choice of privacy with a wall or a more open feeling without. Here's a sample of the open floor plan:

Notice the arch that leads into the entryway. One of the most charming thing about the hotel is the manner in which they renovated, leaving the original architecture as much as possible, while completely updating and modernising the decor.

I HAVE to talk about the desks! I travel some (duh!) and one of my pet peeves is the ridiculous placement of power outlets for computers, cell phone chargers, etc. Andaluz has solved the problem. Every desk, in every room, is equipped with a pop-up power strip. Now, why don't others think of that!?! Built right into the desk! Oh, another pet peeve of mine is that the more upscale the hotel, the more they charge for Internet access ... want free access ... go to a Holiday Inn. Not so the Andaluz! Internet access is complimentary. Hooray!!!

I could go on, but let me point you to the hotel web site instead. There is all the info you will need about this charming hotel in the heart of downtown Albuquerque.

Oh, and stay tuned ... I will be putting together a package with the hotel for the 2012 Balloon Fiesta. Let me know if you are interested!