317 Kit Carson Rd, Taos, New Mexico, United States | 575-758-3502
Upscale Southwestern property features chic decor and artwork
Stylish rooms offer flat-screen TVs, fireplaces, and balconies or patios
Hotel within walking distance of Taos Plaza
Modern gym offers large windows and fresh towels
Spa with vaulted glass ceilings, fireplace, and nail station
Library with flat-screen TV and pool table
Indoor pool with hot tub
Large, elegant restaurant, stylish bar, and tropical garden lounge
Two PCs and printers/copy machines at business corner
Extensive meeting rooms and grand ballroom
Fee for Wi-Fi
Some room furnishings and common areas showing wear
Guests complain that hotel’s computers are commonly down
Hotel only offers valet parking (for a fee)
The 84-room El Monte Sagrado, Autograph
Collection is an upscale pueblo escape decorated in posh Southwestern designs
and art, with lush gardens and chic lounges. The hotel is a desert retreat for
couples, with a spa, indoor pool, and stylish restaurant and bar. Rooms
have unique adobe architecture, fireplaces, and lovely courtyard views. They are starting to show their age, though, and could use a refresh. Still, this is the only four-pearl option in Taos, so those looking for more luxury will have to look in Santa Fe (over an hour's drive away).
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Upscale Taos hotel and spa with tropical gardens
El Monte Sagrado, a
Marriott hotel, stands out from the competition as the only upscale
hotel in Taos. The property’s exterior is a modernized take on traditional
pueblo architecture. Cottonwood trees, ponds, and waterfalls make this desert
oasis a popular pick among couples and families. Lawns are stylishly manicured and chic antler chandeliers bring Southwestern charm to the outdoor hallways. The
Living Machine -- an outdoor water recycling system -- has a pond and lush foliage while a space coined as the hotel's Biolarium is bursting
with greenery.New Mexican paintings are in the Grand Bohemian Gallery and in the
lobby, which is outfitted with stylish leather furniture, a fireplace, and
stone wall accents. A billiards table reputedly used by pool player
Minnesota Fats can be found in the library along with elegant chess tables. The
indoor pool and hot tub have a breathtaking skylight ceiling and stylish red-cushioned
lounge chairs. A wheelchair lift is on the deck.
Location
On Kit Carson Road, in the historic town of Taos
Located on a residential street, El Monte
Sagrado is near an array of area sights. Taos Plaza -- with its restaurants,
bars, and galleries -- is a 10-minute walk northwest while it’s a 15-minute
walk to the The Harwood Museum of Art in the same general direction. Driving to
Taos Pueblo, a famed Native-American historical landmark, takes eight minutes.
Hiking trails are available at Carson National Forest, more than
an hour’s drive west. Other nearby destinations include Taos Indian Horse
Ranch, which offers horseback riding, and Taos Mountain Casino.
Rooms
Attractive Southwestern rooms feature kiva fireplaces, viga ceilings, and balconies or patios
The hotel offers a variety of suites along with Casitas and Taos
Mountain Rooms. Guest units feature artwork and unique Southwestern decor, such as mohair
armoires, kiva fireplaces, and viga ceilings. Coffeemakers with Starbucks
products, flat-screen TVs, safes, and mini-fridges are standard features, while
Global Suites have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, living rooms, hot tubs, and wet bars. Serene garden views are also available from patios or balconies.
Bathrooms have modern accents, offering shower/tub combos, separate showers,
or whirlpool tubs. Some fixtures, though, are showing wear -- we saw plenty of nicks on the furniture. Pet-friendly rooms
(for a fee) are available as well.
Features
Elegant meeting rooms, two modern restaurants, and a garden bar
The on-site spa offers kiva fireplace
treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room, and a manicure/pedicure station. A brightgym is equipped with cardio equipment and weights. The hotel’s six meeting
spaces -- including a grand ballroom -- are modern and elegant, appealing to both
couples planning weddings and business travelers. Meeting rooms can fit up to
250 people.De La Tierra serves breakfast,
lunch, and dinner in a contemporary setting with a casual dress code; a private wine
room is also on the premises. In contrast, The Gardens is a tropical atrium
restaurant with classic furniture, trees, and a small waterfall. And the AnacondaBar features a gold snake sculpture, a saltwater aquarium, and liveentertainment.
