The Best Moderately Priced Accommodations

By Richard Mahler

Author of "New Mexico's Best"

With the average price of a night's lodging well into three figures, Santa Fe can be an expensive city to visit. As a rule, the closer you are to the Plaza, the more things cost-including hotel rooms. For those with a car (or who don't mind using Santa Fe's efficient bus or taxi services), a move to the outskirts can free up money for other diversios, such as eating and shopping.

Molly Seymour, who worked in hotel marketing for years and is now a professional "B&B sitter" sends her out-of-town friends to any of the following comfortable, well-run and moderately priced establishments. They all are one-of-a-kind (as opposed to chain-owned), and each has its own distinctive Santa Fe flavor.

      * El Rey Inn (1862 Cerrillos Road, 505-982-1931)

• The Santa Fe Motel (510 Cerrillos Road, 505-982-1039)

• The Desert Inn (311 Old Santa Fe Trail, 505-982-1851)

• For the under-30 crowd, Santa Fe Youth Hostel (1412 Cerrillos Road, 505-988-1153)

• For families and groups, Las Brisas (624 Galisteo St., 505-982-5795)

For a full listing of Santa Fe accommodations, please see the Santa Fe Always Online Hotels Page.

Richard Mahler is author of "New Mexico's Best" and several other books. A journalist and photographer as well, he specializes in travel writing, among other subjects. He has contributed to National Public Radio since 1973 and to the Los Angeles Times since 1979. He has written thousands of articles for more than 100 magazines and newspapers, including The New Mexican, New Mexico magazine, and Santa Fean magazine. A longtime resident of New Mexico, he lives in Santa Fe.

For a full listing of Richard Mahler's books, and to place orders for them, visit Amazon.com.

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