Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Albuquerque Airport

For a chain hotel, this Holiday Inn Express exceeds expectations. Not in terms of the decor or style -- though it is contemporary and sleek for the price -- but rather in the bevy of free amenities and overall cleanliness. From the outside it appears like any other midrange airport hotel, but inside the rooms are spacious, modern, and sparkling. There's a bit of artwork displaying images of Route 66 and other New Mexico landmarks, but the emphasis here is on convenience and service, whether it's the extra outlets at the work desks or the indoor heated pool. A free hot breakfast and newspaper make it easy to start the day, and a free shuttle will take guests within a 3-mile radius. A 24-hour fitness center and small business center are available. Although similar amenities can be found at a comparable price point at other nearby airport hotels, the Holiday Inn Express is a good value.

The Holiday Inn Express Albuquerque Airport sits one mile from the Albuquerque Airport. The hotel offers free self-parking and shuttle service to the airport as well as to anywhere within a three-mile radius. The airport area is marked by chain hotels and gas stations but farther-flung restaurants and other attractions are within the shuttle's range.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 more than 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 found throughout the city.Less known to some, Albuquerque is also 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 is arguably one of 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 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 even on the fittest adventurers.- 5-minute drive to Albuquerque International Airport

• 5-minute drive to University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course
• 10-minute drive to the New Mexico Museum of natural History
• 10-minute drive to Albuquerque Convention Center
• 10-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
• 20-minute drive to Balloon Fiesta Park
• 20-minute drive to Petroglyph National Monument
• 25-minute drive to Sandia Peak Tramway
• 1.5-hour drive to Santa Fe

The hotel was built in 2009, so the rooms feel and look new, and are kept clean. Decor is minimal -- but with dark wood furniture, blue and white bedding, and counter-top sinks in the bathrooms, the rooms have a pleasing contemporary look.- Flat-screen TVs with premium cable and satellite channels

• Shower/tub combos
• Coffee makers, microwaves, and mini-fridges
• Spacious work-desk area and free Wi-Fi

• Free self-parking
• Free Wi-Fi
• Free shuttle within a 3-mile radius
• Business center
• 24-hour fitness center
• Indoor pool and Jacuzzi
• Guest laundry and same-day dry cleaning
• Free hot breakfast