Hacienda Antigua Bed and Breakfast

The Hacienda Antigua Bed and Breakfast is one of the oldest inns in New Mexico. Built in 1790, the Hacienda was originally a trading post serving Spanish settlers traveling along the El Camino Real (a long road connecting Mexico and the Southwest). The building was made of silt blocks cut from the Rio Grande’s banks. Today the old ranch house houses the bed and breakfast, with the aged Spanish colonial look imitated by newer boutique hotels across the state.

The tall outer wall was originally built to stave off raids; today, it provides privacy to guests. A heavy wood door leads into the inn and a pretty courtyard that opens up within the old walls. This unique space features a large cottonwood tree, works of Southwestern art, a brick pool deck with a seasonal pool and Jacuzzi, and extensive gardens. It also offers a pretty lawn with good mountain views that is used as a wedding area.

Inside, a homey space known as the great room is decorated in the traditional New Mexico style, with Native American rugs, antiques, adobe fireplaces, and red brick floors. An assortment of board games and books can be borrowed here, and there is plenty of seating throughout. The free hot breakfast is served at a hand-carved wood table, and guests have access to the adjacent full-service kitchen.

The Hacienda Antigua Bed and Breakfast is located in a quiet residential neighborhood of north Albuquerque, near the Los Ranchos district. It is about a mile west of I-25, but there are no businesses within walking distance. Self-parking is free. No shuttle service is offered.

Sitting along the Rio Grande at an elevation of 5,312 feet, Albuquerque occupies a high desert environment. The city was founded in 1706 by the Spanish as a colonial outpost in the New World. Today, Albuquerque is home to more than 530,000 people of over 70 different ethnicities, including Native Americans, Latinos, and Anglos, making it the largest city in New Mexico. Albuquerque retains connections to the past and its culture in the architecture, artwork, and cuisine to be found throughout the city.

Albuquerque is known as a center of high-tech industry and research. The Sandia National Laboratory, General Electric, and Kirtland Air Force Base all call the city home. It’s also the ballooning capital of the world. Albuquerque hosts the International Balloon Fiesta each October, an event that might be the most photographed in the world. Local hot air balloon companies offer rides to visitors year-round.

As a four-season city with 300 sunny days a year, Albuquerque has an active community of golfers, hikers, skiers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, and fishermen. The Sandia Mountains just to the east provide a high-altitude respite from the summer heat and many miles of forested trails, and a winter playground featuring Sandia Peak Ski Area. Any visit to Albuquerque is incomplete without a ride on the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, the longest tram in the world, ascending 2.7 miles from the outskirts of the city to the Sandia Mountains at 10,378 feet.

Whatever you do in the outdoors here, be sure to stay well-hydrated -- mild temperatures can be deceiving and the high elevation can take its toll on the fittest adventurers.

• 15-minute drive from Albuquerque International Airport
• 15-minute drive to the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course
• 15-minute drive to downtown Albuquerque
• 15-minute drive to historic Old Town Albuquerque
• 15-minute drive to Albuquerque Uptown (shopping area)
• 15-minute drive to BioPark (including the Zoo, Aquarium, Botanic Garden, and Tingley Beach)
• 15-minute drive to National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
• 15-minute drive to Balloon Fiesta Park
• 15-minute drive to Petroglyph National Monument
• 15-minute drive to Sandia Peak Tramway
• 90-minute drive to Santa Fe

These charming rooms feel steeped in history, with wood beam ceilings, thick earth walls, and antique wood furnishings. Decorative light fixtures, area rugs, and rustic handicrafts (including carved wood figurines known as santos) add a homey touch. Most rooms also have adobe fireplaces that add a cheery warmth on cold winter nights.

• Free Wi-Fi
• Tube TVs
• Historic decor and vibe, with antique furniture, wood beam ceilings, and rustic handicrafts
• Coffeemakers with free coffee
• Adobe fireplaces and claw-foot tubs in some rooms
• Mini-fridges are available with some rooms
• No in-room safes, a safety deposit box is available instead

• Landscaped courtyard with pretty gardens
• Charming brick pool deck with a heated pool (seasonal) and Jacuzzi
• Lawn with good views of the Sandia Mountains can be reserved for weddings
• Free self-parking
• Free Wi-Fi
• Access to full-service kitchen
• Antiques and regional art on display
• Guest laundry
• No fitness center
• View Full List of Amenities

• The hotel provides a free hot breakfast daily served in the great room.
• Snacks are available in the evenings.
• Several restaurants are available within a short drive.
• Room service is not available.