Thumbs down. Everything closes fairly early. (2pm) Even on weekends. The shops aren't in a part of town palatable for most shoppers, especially tourists. Parking is not easily accessible. Unusual assortment of wares/ food. High turnover of local businesses. On the plus side, there is plenty of seating. (Probably because there is little to no foot traffic) And there is a mister /spray and some shade to stave off the sweltering desert heat.

Fantastic place to eat if you're visiting the aquarium, botanic garden, or River of Lights. You can avoid the River of Lights traffic nightmare if you show up early and have dinner/drinks here. It is across the street from the main parking lot. The food selection is nicely varied from juicy burgers to fresh sushi to pizza. We had a large group of picky eaters and there was something for everyone. The large group table with outdoor heaters was especially nice next to the taproom. Going to River of Lights early, avoiding traffic, and having a fantastic meal that everyone loved was definitely the way to go.

There is not enough parking for hotel guests. I had to park half a mile away and drag all of my belongings. Once I got checked in I had to drag all of my items through the crowd of customers for the shops and restaurants. The manager this night then came and knocked on my door to inform me that they were charging an additional $150 per night fee for my emotional support animal. The room itself was $248 for one night. I then called the front desk no answer so again I walked through the crowd and asked a manager if i could use a corkscrew to open my bottle of wine in my room. I was met with rude and unfriendly attitude “no hotel will let you do that” has never been my case but after the experience I had endured so far I was upset. One of the bar workers actually opened my bottle for me and she was compensated for doing so, she was the only nice person working. Then all night there was a leak dripping from the ceiling and soaking the bedroom carpet. It looked like there was mold growing from the carpet onto the wall where the leak was. Needless to say I will never stay here again

First off- it's not a motel nor hotel. It's a nice place to grab a bite now with a nice atmosphere and great svc AND you can take your dog! It's kind of new with only 3 food vendors (hence the 4 stars) but there is a great beer and wine vendor too. Once they get more food vendors, it'll be REALLY cool!

The good: our suite was clean and cute, and the whole facility has been nicely renovated. The bad: - beds were uncomfortable - tap room closed early and staff were rude about recommendations ("you can try Walgreens to get a drink to take back to your room") - linens and towels were scratchy and uncomfortable - heat system was noisy and inconsistent, we were alternately hot and cold every 30 minutes all night - pool was closed - TV did not work - lobby is difficult to find and parking is not well marked, the spaces in front of the motel are marked expressly NOT for motel guests This was our last and most expensive room on a 4-night trip, and the least comfortable.

Really enjoyed staying here! I'm pumping and needed a fridge. When we saw our room didn't have one, they were nice enough to upgrade us to a room that did. You're walkable to Old Town and the BioPark. They also have a nice hangout area outside with a bar and some restaurants. Would definitely stay here again!

Had a great stay during the Biopark's River of Lights. For our stay it was perfect and very walkable to the event. Rooms were super nice and clean, courtyard with pool is super cute. The only bummer was that due to the holidays all the restaurants in the food court were closed.

Immaculate vibes! When did motels become so fancy? Our one night stay here was phenomenal. Here are some of our highlights: 1. Accommodation: This property bent over backwards to get us checked in four hours early! The lady at the front desk was one of the friendliest folks I’ve ever encountered… she was full of genuine compliments. 2. Vibes: Great style while maintaining great comfort. Our room was clean, well decorated, and felt cozy and comfortable. The bathroom area including the shower was perfect, too. 2. Fun: From the beautiful pool area to the several restaurants and bar on property, we could spend all evening here and have a great time. The food was delicious and they had out-of-this-world micheladas. Next time we are in Albuquerque, this will be our TOP pick of places to stay. Thank you for the great time, El Vado.

The staff was very friendly and helpful. The room was clean and well designed. The whole place has great atmosphere full with a central lounging area with a food pod on the street and shops around the outside of the building. Easy to walk to historic downtown from your room. You can't go wrong choosing El Vado. I've already recommended it to friends and will make it my stay next time I am in Albuquerque.

El Vado is a small, cute motel right on the old Route 66 (Central Ave.) in Albuquerque. Be aware that parking is on the back of the building and you must leave your car there and walk towards the lobby, which door is facing Central Ave. Once you register, you can use your card key to enter the building using the back door, near the parking lot. Rooms are small, but with a vintage look that makes them cozy and comfortable. No fridge or microwave, and breakfast isn’t included. The pool area is great as well, and around the lobby, outside, there are a couple of restaurants with great food and you also can have drinks at the bar of the hotel while you listen to local artists performing at the stage area. It’s about 10 min walk to Old Town. Note: I took pictures before we left (too tired to do it upon arrival), but everything looked clean and pretty when we first arrived. 😁

Route 66 experience here at El Vado was just fantastic. This is a very nicely rennovated relic of a great part of American history. The staff here were very helpful and kind. It was very clean and safe. Lots of options for food and fun all close to the motel. It is easy to find and get in and out of without any problems. We discovered this place on Google Maps and were very impressed.

This place is a motel in name only. The rooms were well furnished, the bathroom spotless, and the front desk gave great service. The only problem we had was that we couldn’t check in initially because we came before the night desk arrived for their shift. We only stayed a night but this made me want to stay longer. 10/10 Would Recommend and will stay again.

Clean, cute, and well-located motel. Great for a quick stop in town and close to everything in the Old Town. I love that the motel is also in a bit of a food hall, where you have access to lots of options within a 1 min walk.

Goldilocks never had it this good! Best room on Route 66 trip (including Marriott’s and other vintage motels). Most comfortable bed! Room temp exactly right with quiet air conditioner (so not waking me up all night), bedding just perfect. Room decor so cute. Pool and grounds so inviting. Walked to dinner in Old Town. So glad this old girl is alive and thriving. Makes me want to take a trip back to Albuquerque just to stay a few days.

Honestly I did not stay there. Actually it seems the motel has no rooms. They have been converted into small retail shops and resturants. I stopped in with cycling buddy for coffee and or a beer for lunch break. We ended up with local brews, not coffee. Watched fountain. Riding mate said food from cafe was good. As from others in this "motel." I would recommend solely on how well they improved a dive motel. The white and blue really work well here.

I did not stay at the hotel, but ate at one of the shops (5 Star Burgers) and had a drink at the bar. The food was delicious. The service was very good. There was live entertainment, which was nice. Seating is mostly outside only, but there were heating lamps that helped. The only bummer was that all the food shops closed at 7 and the bar closed earlier than expected, too.

Super douche-y to jack up prices to $759 a night for a busy travel weekend. I was considering this place, but it isn't THAT special, and I don't like to support businesses that price gauge so blatantly. Plenty of nicer places nearby charging regular, and reasonable rates. Greedy🤑🤮

Loved, loved, loved, this little gem of a place!!! I can't say enough! Wonderfully refurbished old Route 66 motel that kept the architectural elements. 4 tiny restaurants on site, local beer pub onsite, a free, short bus ride to Old Town (although close enough to walk) boutique shops on-site, and best of all, it is directly across from the wonderful aquarium! You can see it from the covered patio eating area in the courtyard of the motel. Misters blowing under the canopy to cool off. And a run-through sprinkle area for the kids!!! If you don't require posh accommodations, stay here. Very clean tile floors in the rooms. Shallow 3-4 ft. Pool enough to have a drink and cool off. Wonderful desert landscape plants. All well maintained. STAY HERE!

El Vado was a pleasant surprise. The rooms were simple,but comfortable. The grounds were lovely the pool was a nice place to escape the heat. We stayed 4 nights and had the opportunity to enjoy the outdoor space a lot. Staff was a bit cold. During our stay we had much difficulty getting our room cleaned which never happened even after asking the housekeeping department, front desk and the manger. It appears to be a motel people only stay 1-2 nights, we were super disappointed after 4 night no housekeeping. We also hoped we would have been able to walk more, but did not feel safe walking after dark.

Fun, chic place to stay, but pricy, poor internet, and apathetic staff*. This is a really cool place with a fun layout and the rooms are artsy and unique. The buildings are thematically New Mexico and it’s very close to all the fun stuff to do in Old town. Beds were comfy, good water pressure, and everything was very clean. We also appreciated that all of the outside doors were safely within a gated area. That said, it’s the most expensive place we stayed on our entire trip. There are no luggage carts and no drive ups, so plan on making several trips, particularly if traveling with young kids. We ended up in a suite due to limited availability, which said it slept 4, but didn’t realize that was with a foldout bed. The pool was drained (likely because of the cold), but it looked like it’s probably awesome other times of the year. The signals in all of ABQ are pretty weak, so put yourself in a concrete building and plan to only have wifi by the window. *I tried to ask the staff about the wifi and they just kind of shrugged it off and more or less just said that was just part of the experience. I’m traveling with work, so I asked if we could get out of our second night reservation and they said they would have the manager call me, and she never did. If you sit right at the desk by a window you can get 10 mp download speeds (during the day if no one else is on it, but be warned anywhere else in the room is likely to get no signal; cell phone or wifi.

Stayed here a few nights for work, and everything was amazing. The bed and room were spacious and comfortable, and the atmosphere of the courtyard was perfect after a long day. Live music, local vendors, and lots of food options. The bartender was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Great spot to explore and enjoy Albuquerque.

The room was clean, I'll give them that. The small room had nothing in amenities to speak of. The coffee maker was broken and in response I was told "the lobby coffee is better." The hotel bar wouldn't serve us because "we're trying to close" before 8:30. Enjoy your stay in Albuquerque, but do it from a different hotel. Handicap parking doesn't matter when the rooms are such a long distance from the parking lot. I strongly regret that I wasted a night here.

From the time we checked in The Staff was Courteous and Helpful. You felt like they Actually wanted to help. The music was good, too bad it was only until 8pm. The rooms were nice and clean, the restaurants were tasty and the beer was cold. Parking is a little scarce, but other than that, Come and Enjoy. The Mexican restaurant across the street was Delicious. The Bagel shop on the property was good. The Staff at the “Sister” Property bar The Monterrey, were Rude but the Staff at El Vado made up for it. The pool was Very clean and there were quite a few Adults and Children enjoying it😃 It was a hidden gem that’s for sure.

How do I say eno.ugh good things about this place? We stayed here while traveling through for a night. What a beautiful job on renovating this motel. Rooms are very modern with every need considered: soap, lotion, shower stuff, robe, steamer, coffee maker, waters, even a growler to fill at the nearby taproom. Bed and pillows were top notch. The room is modest in size but plenty of places to put your suitcase and tons of drawers if you need to fully unpack. We visiting in January so of course the pool wasn't enjoyed but what an adorable space. We were also there in "low season" so the eateries closed super early and we didn't get to enjoy.

This motel had a cool vibe. It was cold while we were here so there was no one outside at the pool or at the food court-like area next to the pool. I can imagine in warm weather a lot of people hang out in these areas and it would add a whole additional positive aspect to the motel. It felt like the motel was recently renovated and all the fixtures felt high quality. A couple of amenities I missed: refrigerator, microwave, and hot tub. Note:it is a motel so there is no hotel lobby to speak of.... just a check in desk in a separate part of the motel FYI el Vado is Spanish for "the Ford". The hotel is within walking distance of the Rio Grande with some nice biking, walking, and scenic views. Maybe in the old days, this was in an area where you could ford the river when the water was low... This was a very enjoyable stay for us and I would recommend it as a unique and fun place to stay in Albuquerque.

We really enjoyed the El Vado for a quick stay. We’re so pleased with the renovations, options at the hotel, and the friendliness of the staff. Our only major complaint is the parking. 😮‍💨 parking seems to be a huge issue and there is not enough parking for hotel guests or the apartments next door. We drove around for an hour in the lot waiting. After further research on this hotel, it turns out the apartment residents next door never can find parking either & the apartments have terrible reviews. As NM locals - we would like to see residents of our state be treated better than tourism which is a constant battle. 😵‍💫 Our only other complaint is the room card/hotel entrance situation. It seems as though roomcards don’t work in the back at the event center entrance for anyone. This is a great stay as long as they start to address the strain of parking on EVERYONE!

A wonderful experience. The bed and sheets were very comfortable. Great towels too! I enjoyed a beer in the taproom before heading out for dinner. The door to my room was in the gated, key access, courtyard so I felt very safe. I will be recommending this to my friends.

The motel has been redone nicely, comfortable and beautiful area. As others have said, it’s disappointing that for the price paid and getting help on an issue is non-existent. There’s no phone number nor email that anyone will answer. There’s a real absence of customer service. So disappointing, when visiting Albuquerque this motel will not be my choice again. But, I’m sure they don’t care….

Space is great, clean and stylish. Downsides are the restaurant scene is minimal. In addition, I had to stay in the Imperial(to stay in one room for 2 nights) and if you are sensitive to noise, look elsewhere. The music outside plays til 9 and though they say they are soundproof, they aren’t!

Disrespectful employee. I was having a good time on my birthday at this establishment until one of the maintenance crew had the nerve to tell me that my hat was on backwards. If I'm not mistaken, the maintenance people are there to clean not to critique people's apparel. I forgive you on this Good Friday.

They have updated and very clean rooms. By which the head house keeper seen in the picture below. she was amazing. She was on top of people needs. she made sure I had my needs during my stay and helped me find the things I wanted and help me discover the beautiful of the hotel. As for the rest of the staff... The 2 guys were awesome very helpful, fun, and enjoyable bunch to get to know. They were very accommodating and knowledgeable

Quirky place. Rooms have been nicely remodeled. Unfortunately our toilet was leaking at the base. Pool looked nice but it was very busy. We were there on a Saturday night so there was a lot of people partying around the pool until about 11:00pm. We didn't eat at any of the small venues but the food looked good. Only drawback is the parking can be scarce. Great Mexican food restaurant across the street.

Spotlessly clean, wonderfully quiet rooms. Beautiful and sympathetic renovation - such a cool and historic motel. The suite we stayed in was stylish and roomy. Good shower, nice free coffee. Stunning pool - with lovely flowers and hummingbirds. Great food court with excellent live music. Friendly service from everyone we met. Unbeatable spot on Route 66.

El Vado motel definitely exceeded our expectation! The rooms and swimming pool are fenced in so only guests can access. The room was huge with very comfortable queen bed. Bathroom was clean and supplementary shampoo, conditioner, and body wash was placed inside the shower booth. Overall very satisfying experience!