San Mateo Inn image

San Mateo Inn

Hotel

Relaxed rooms with minifridges in an unpretentious hotel featuring an outdoor pool. People often mention room, clean, hotel, stay, rooms, nice, staff, area, felt, desk,


Address

2424 San Mateo Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110

Website

sanmateoinn.com

Contact

(505) 884-3591

Price rating

$70/night

Rating on Google Maps

3.80 (763 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: room (38) clean (34) hotel (23) stay (20) rooms (20) nice (19) staff (15) area (14) felt (12) desk (12)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 julian h. 2 years ago on Google
    Very Pleasantly surprised at this place. Very pleased. This place is definitely worth the stay. I was a bit skeptical but then I booked this place after reading the reviews and it was definitely clean, comfy safe. I was given a parking permit which I thought it was awesome. They also explained that any visitors would need to leave after a certain time which tells me they are looking-after those that are staying here. The room was clean and nice with new paint pillows and accessories. I could tell this place has definitely under new management and it looking GREAT. Keep up the good work. In my 16 years of traveling and staying at many hotels (more the nicer mainstream places) this is the second place I have ever received chocolates on my pillow. It doesn’t sound like much until it happens to you and I’m a Diamond / Platinum member at other properties. Keep up the good work “San Mateo Inn”.
    9 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Sedin “Sedo” I. 1 year ago on Google
    Looks better in pictures than in person. After a very long 14 hour long drive, all I wanted to do was take a shower, but the bathtub was disgusting, like it wasn't washed in days. The shower head was falling apart. The bathroom door had a screw hanging out and can easily cut someone. All night long all I heard was the police siren and cars revving their engine. The room and the location did not feel safe at all. Front staff was decent but very slow. **responding to owner** Actually it is a very fair review. I stayed in 8 hotels in the last 12 days and all others were much much better than this one. I have been very happy staying in the other hotels, which were very clean and felt safe for a change.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Eric A. 2 years ago on Google
    It doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's really quite nice for the price. The rooms are relatively clean and seem like they've been updated. The staff was always friendly and helpful. Unlike a lot of other places these days, they came in the room daily to do the bed and add more towels. They had a booklet in the room with some good recommendations about the area. You can show your room key for a 10% discount at the Denny's adjacent to the property. One downside is that you can only access it from one direction on the main road. The parking is a bit cramped for large vehicles or trailers. I'll be traveling there yearly and would definitely stay there again. They are also very pet friendly.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 T J. 1 year ago on Google
    Driving to this area does not feel safe as homeless abound. Lobby experience was quick and pleasant. Guest room was a total surprise. Seemed like newly renovated and very clean. Nice, big and comfortable bed with refrigerator and chocolates on the bed. Staying in the room felt safe and was quiet. Only the surrounding area felt sketchy. Recommended.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jill M. 1 year ago on Google
    Very nice room, very pretty. Felt like I got way more value for my money here, felt like it was a hotel costing twice as much. I spent 3 nights here and was reluctant to leave. Great fridge and microwave, giant bathroom counter which was nice. I was a bit anxious after reading some older reviews about the homeless situation in the area (I understand this is NOT a reflection of the hotel, the homeless problem is becoming a big problem in almost every city). But it was obvious the hotel owners have stepped up to combat the situation. I FELT SAFE HERE as a female solo traveller as a result, and felt my vehicle was safe here as well. They have erected fencing around the the hotel parking to discourage unauthorized personnel from entering or even approaching the hotel or visitors' vehicles. Dove chocolates on the pillow, beautifully decorated room felt very inviting. Greeted by cheerful desk personnel with nice bottled water.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Luna M. 1 year ago on Google
    We’re on a cross-country trip and we only stayed here for a night. But our stay here was exceptional! Love the front desk (especially the ladies who were there that night), very accommodating. We love the dog who greeted us too! So cute! The room is spacious and bed is so comfortable! The only thing we do not like was the shower - took a while to adjust the temp. Lol
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Jena O. 1 year ago on Google
    This motel is doing great things to update and make it a nice affordable stay. It isn’t fancy but it is clean and well taken care of. The staff are extremely friendly and kind. They leave chocolate on your pillow which is such a nice touch. The noise from the traffic is loud so bring ear plugs but it was very affordable convenient to the airport and car rental place. Great value for a night before heading to the airport.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Skye W. 2 years ago on Google
    I really liked this hotel. The staff were awesome and the service was super great. I loved the rooms themselves. The decor was so themed. It was my first time in Albuquerque, and we were just passing through, and I felt like I got a pretty good Albuquerque experience just from the one night of staying there! It was comfortable and clean as well. The ONLY reason I am giving a 4 instead of a 5 is the noise level. The rooms all open up to outside, as opposed to an indoor hallway, so you can hear traffic and the other people staying there. It wasn’t that bad but did wake me up a couple of times.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lauren M. 1 year ago on Google
    Don’t be thrown off by the few bad ratings on here. I was nervous but then when I got here the front desk was great. The room was clean and updated decor. I was across from the pool but didn’t hear hardly any noise. They leave chocolate for you on your bed :). The bed was clean. Like crispy clean sheets. That is my number one. And the bathroom was huge. They leave you plenty of notes, recs and info. 10/10 recommend. No complaints here. You can tell they are genuinely putting effort into renovating the building.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Travel G. 7 months ago on Google
    The good stuff: We booked through a third party the day of our stay. The staff was very nice and accommodating. The room was newly remodeled and felt clean. Great space for us and our dog. She gave us a room with a space right in front on the bottom floor for convenience with our pet. It’s like an older hotel that’s being renovated. Lol, every hotel with a “dog area“ in New Mexico always has lots of rocks and our dog hates it. We always have to walk her somewhere else where there’s grass. My husband found a vacant lot somewhere kind of close by. Yes, there were homeless people nearby but honestly, that’s really hard to get away from in Albuquerque. We stay in this city a lot and the location was convenient, really close to I-40. As other reviewers have mentioned, the hotel’s a little precarious, to actually pull into, but that’s on purpose to keep the property safe. It has a high fence all the way around it. You can only pull in and get access to their driveway if you’re headed north after exiting I-40. If you are headed to the hotel from the south, you’ll have to cross I-40 and flip a u-turn to get back to the hotel and pull in. THE REASON FOR ONLY 4 stars- as I said, we booked through a third-party and we were charged an extra $78 fee that I couldn’t figure out when I got home. I called the hotel and talked to various people on three different occasions to get an answer on the fee. On the second call, they said they knew what had happened and they would get back to me after they looked into it more. I said, “great. No problem.“ After no response for a few weeks, I called back again and left a message for the manager. I had to call back a fourth time to talk to someone and she assured me I would be refunded within the next five days, which I was. It took us just shy of eight weeks to get the problem resolved, even though the manager or owner said they knew what had happened 4 weeks before that. I realize people are busy, but because this was the hotel’s fault I felt it very unprofessional to take that long to resolve the issue that I had to keep calling about because no one would call me back. My suggestion is that you make sure that you check out the morning you leave at the front desk. I did not do that, assuming everything was fine. If I had taken the extra moment to do that, I’m PRETTY SURE The extra anonymous charge (which had to do with billing the 3rd party and nothing to do with extra room charges) perhaps could have been avoided…? Again, everything was fine as far as our actual stay. Hopefully they’ll learn that resolving issues like ours, in a timely manner, would benefit their business.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Ashley 7 months ago on Google
    The location is sketchy but they put up privacy fencing to help offset that. They also have a fence around the property. We had a little trouble finding out room due to the odd number on the doors. They were renovating the property or something so part of it was blocked off. The dog potty area is super small so this is only a quick night passing through kind of place if you have a dog I’d say. They were super nice about us having pets and were gracious to us in pricing. Someone was above us so I couldn’t sleep at all that night. If you’re a light sleeper try and get the upper floor ones.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ryan S. 6 months ago on Google
    the street was blocked off so the guy at the front desk let us in through the back gate, he was super nice and helpful. very clean room, fridge, hairdryer, microwave. location was very easy to find and get to even through the back gate. parking lot monitored to make sure only people with rooms were in the lot. would definitely recommend this hotel! super affordable as well
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 David Q. 5 months ago on Google
    This is a very great place to stay and also very affordable! I’ve stayed in this hotel on a few different occasions and it’s always been a great experience. I feel safe inside the rooms and I don’t feel like my car would get stolen or anything. The rooms always smell clean and well taken care of. The hotel is in an area of Albuquerque that is a little iffy to some people, but in my opinion, the fences and lighting does enough to keep weird people out. Anyone wanting to find somewhere affordable, safe, and clean, this is the place to go.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 B M. 5 months ago on Google
    We had a rough experience at the San Mateo inn…. Beware that the pictures on their website are VERY misleading. I would NOT recommend to family or friends, especially if traveling solo or with children. Upon arrival, we got to our assigned room and it was dirty…./ honestly disgusting. We called down to the front desk and they moved us to another room. I understand that mistakes can happen and don’t want to be negative, but want others to be aware when spending money on a hotel. Location is sketchy. Lots of homeless people around, felt unsafe in parking lot and was worried about our car. We were in a renovated room and rooms were dirty, bed sheets smelled, and room smelled like smoke. The mini fridge made noises all night long, the beds squeaked and were very hard, the plugs in outlets could not hold any cords, they would just fall right out (we tried all 3 outlets), the bathtub had stains, and the bathroom did not appear to be cleanly. Overall, I was not impressed with the level of care taken on the room and would not recommend. Definitely read reviews if considering staying here to ensure if it’s a good fit for your needs.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Michael B. 9 months ago on Google
    Service was awesome, the front desk took care of me very well. The pictures of the property online are impeccable; the property is not identical. Once I got over that fact, my stay was fairly decent. I WOULD stay here again; for the price it’s a pretty decent deal. Would rate 6/10. Newly renovated property, was done “economically”. The rooms looked like the photos, however my room smelt like years of cigarette smoke from when the hotel was run by different folks. I’m indifferent to that smell, kinda nostalgic to some degree. Water damaged ceiling in the bathroom and found roaches on my bathroom floor in the morning.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 M C. 8 months ago on Google
    One of a few unplanned stops on our trip across the country! We booked in a third party app on the way in, anticipating a stop for the night. The pictures were cute and i thought something different than a chain would be fun. The area is kinda sketch, but it seems to be better than a little further out. It is in a main intersection and very visible, with the hotel not accessible from the street (in a safer, good way). The room was clean and nicely stocked, and easily accessible from the parking lot. What set San Mateo Inn apart for me was the staff. Everyone was so incredibly kind and helpful, but they went above and beyond, in my opinion. Moving from California we had two vehicles, one being a box truck. The staff actually had us park it in front of the desk where cameras and employees would always be in attendance. It was such an incredible gesture that I cant really place into words. The effort to allow me that peace of mind is not something one teaches: true hospitality comes from the heart, and we felt that in our stay at San Mateo Inn. Thank you for being angels on our journey! Much gratitude always!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Chris W. 8 months ago on Google
    Very clean and comfortable for the price. It's a bit aged, but makes up for updates with friendly service, clean rooms, and other small amenities like chocolates, plants and convenient location. The Inn has a fence all the way around it for better security and I was fine parking my boat and motorcycle there. It does have limited oversized parking for very small trailers and small moving box vans. It is pet friendly and does have a pet relief area that doubles as a smoking area. I would certainly stay here again.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Lauren H. 1 year ago on Google
    Got the room because it was cheap enough, but I wish I had researched the area a little more...kind of sketchy. When we checked in at 10:00 pm the person at the desk was polite enough but didn't do our room keys right because we got locked out the next day. The bed was advertised as a queen but it was definitely not! They have done renovations to the rooms, but need to do more. The sitting couch in the room had burn holes and was very dirty on the sides. The furniture looked nice at first glance, so just don't look too close and you won't be bothered. Cleaning really needs to be done better in the bathroom, toilet bowl seemed clean but there was definitely the odor of old pee. The shower never really got hot, good thing there was a small sign above the light switch letting us know to leave the water on for 5 minutes to allow it to get hot. Can't complain too much as this hotel is pretty central to everything we did and the price was right. Just wouldn't stay here again probably.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Atish D. 1 year ago on Google
    This place is stunning! Honestly the best deal for the price, they have a pool and ample parking. Also the rooms are very clean, tidy and neat. The employees are sweet and kind too. I highly recommend this place. This place has become our "regular stop" after just one stay.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Joe V. 1 year ago on Google
    Rooms were super clean. Rooms smell and look amazing. Girls at the desk were nice. Parking is a little packed. If you’re on the first floor you can hear every footstep upstairs. I was surprised how quiet it was in the room despite all the traffic zipping by just about 80 feet from my door. My pre teen was impressed which says it all.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Caleb C. 1 year ago on Google
    If you are looking for a great, clean, and welcoming place to get some rest, this is the hotel for you! There may not be any fancy frills, but the charm of a local hotel with comfortable beds and hospital staff make up all the difference. We arrived late, and Christian met us at the door welcoming us in. He found us the perfect room and even offered to show us it before booking. The room here was newly redone and had all the amenities we would need. Refrigerator, microwave, tv, large bathroom, and a comfortable bed. Our stay here was very relaxing, safe, and just wait we needed. Thank you San Mateo Inn and staff for making our stay so great!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Amy L. 11 months ago on Google
    It is obvious the current owners are working hard to upgrade this long-established motel in the commercial area of Albuquerque. They still have things to address, but overall, we found this motel to be affordable, attractive, and accessible. With multiple eating places and commercial properties within walking distance, you have a broad choice of activities very close at hand. They are located on a major road, so traffic is busy outside your room door, a factor that contributes to the noise. We moved to the back side of the motel, and found it much, much better. They don't offer breakfast, but provide a 10% discount at the Denny's next door. There are better choices for breakfast. They are pet friendly and charge $25/pet/stay. There are several small areas to take your dogs to pee, and pet refuse bags are available, keeping the area (fairly) clean. It was easy to get on the major roads and interstate from the motel, and within 15 minutes you could be just about anywhere in the city.

  • 5/5 laurie b. 10 months ago on Google
    This motel was right off I-40, super easy to get to and leave. The ladies at the front desk were super helpful. The room was very clean and they even left a treat on the bed. They don't serve breakfast but they have coffee and different creamers. Denny's is in the same parking lot and they give 10% off of any meal by showing the room key. I would definitely stay there again.

  • 4/5 KC P. 8 months ago on Google
    This is not the Hilton. Obviously, I can't afford the Hilton or I wouldn't be here. If you live pay check to pay check, this is your place. The beds are nice. The pool is beautiful and clean. Front desk staff was fine. Rooms aren't as clean as you'd get at the Hilton but again, I can't afford the Hilton. I would say bring your sleep mask. There are no black out curtains. Might bring your own pillow as well. Overall, for the price...I would stay here again...unless something changes and/or Hilton drops their prices or I get a raise. Location looks a little sketch but I CAN see the Hilton from here. Just kidding.

  • 4/5 Alessandra A. 9 months ago on Google
    Although the area itself was not the greatest, we had a good comfortable night. We were there just one night for a quick event and just needed somewhere to lay our heads. The lady who led me in was over the top nice and made the check in process simple with good conversation. The room was nice and bed was comfortable, you can tell it has been recently renovated. There was even a cute welcome note with chocolates on the edge of our bed. Rooms were clean and everything was well stocked. We felt safe and had no issues. Would use this facility again. Thank you😊

  • 5/5 Tara O. 8 months ago on Google
    Excellent customer service! I showed up after driving 14 hours and looking horrific and the attitude never altered or was different. Great staff clean facility. The bed was super comfortable and the water pressure for the shower was on point. As some places lack that. It's close to a lot of things, even the freeway!

  • 5/5 Daniel F. 9 months ago on Google
    For a motel this one was great. The rooms were updated, with a unique decor with vintage highlights. The bed was very comfortable but the frame was a loud metallic noise. The bathroom was fine, and the TV worked great. Well worth the price, I'd recommend.

  • 5/5 Tina R. 1 year ago on Google
    Never judge a book by its cover…tired from coming in from a delayed flight…I drove to the inn, and was perplexed by the fencing….I am used to hotels…and was also not sure about the open access of the motel rooms. However, the rooms are fire…well-remodeled, clean, clean and comfortable…I wanted to change rooms because I wanted my room closer to the main office and pool…the management was fantastic and immediately moved me to a new room. Though this room was not completely remodeled, it was clean and organized. The next morning the staff immediately moved to another remodeled room, which I didn’t even ask for. It was such a perk! I am giving this motel my five stars, and I haven’t even stayed a day. The rooms are awesome, the staffing is impeccable, and it’s close to everything you need.

  • 5/5 Karen C. 5 months ago on Google
    This is a lovely motor inn, with a great pool, nice clean rooms, and a wonderful staff. When I checked in, Brandon was so nice and helpful. He gave me tips on where to eat, what to see, and to hydrate as he gave me two water bottles! Ernie was also great. He told me they would open the pool early because I wanted to swim before we started our day. I would definitely stay here again. Our maid was super nice as well!

  • 4/5 W C. 1 year ago on Google
    I understand they recently renovated this hotel. It was very clean and had a decent price considering it was the balloon festival week and we got it at the last moment. However the carpet they used to remodel must have been the cheapest carpet as it already was beginning to have rips. The staff was exceptionally pleasant and accommodating. Again the rooms were very clean. You smelled cleanliness just coming into the room. The furniture was very fitting and decorated nicely.

  • 5/5 Doug M. 1 year ago on Google
    I was so blown away with how nice this place was, particularly at the price point. The exterior looks like any other motel, but the rooms are like a luxury experience. Amazing mattress, quiet rooms, beautiful and tasteful decor, really kind and helpful staff. Very spacious and clean, just so many small touches that places at this price just never, ever seem to have, like wall art, patterned drapes, blackout curtains, and a legit restaurant guide that miraculously included vegetarian and vegan options. The only slight downside was that the satellite TV was a bit on the fritz.


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