Hotel El Rancho

This is a fun place if you enjoy nostalgia. I slept on the most comfortable bed of my whole week, and the rooms have ceiling fans. The historic hotel is picturesque, and the old-fashioned elevator was fun for us, though it could be a drawback for someone else. Just know there's only one elevator. The rooms are tiny, and the bathrooms are even smaller. The faucets take a little getting used to. Service at the attached restaurant was incredibly slow, so plan on at least two hours. Breakfast isn't free, but you can prepay for a meal voucher or pay when you eat.

I'd lived in the area for a couple of years but had never stayed here until this latest visit. El Rancho is beautiful inside as well as out, and it's much more than a Southwestern themed hotel. It feels like a time capsule, with vintage details, art, books, murals, and stories of New Mexico from the era of the conquistadors, cowboys, and pueblo Native Americans, along with Hollywood's take on them. The colorful Southwestern style feels homey, plush, and rugged all at once. The rooms are cozy and adorable without feeling crowded. I was lucky to get a room on the hotel side facing Historic Route 66 with a working window. It felt like watching a moving picture of Gallup, New Mexico. The bathrooms and showers were gorgeous, easily as nice as those in any 4-star chain property. The restaurant was excellent for both breakfast and dinner. I'm sure the motel side is comfortable too. The gift shop feels as authentic as the trading posts I used to visit as a local, so make sure to stop in and pick something up. Locals say the place is haunted. The spirits I encountered either looked like someone I know or seemed as friendly as the locals walking around Gallup. Well done, Ortega family. I hope some of the business and reputation that make El Rancho feel like the center of Gallup rub off on our beautiful town in the years ahead. The potential is still there, just as it was in the 1890s. I'll be back to visit my friends in Zuni, and I'll stay here every time. Thank you.

I was nervous about booking because it's such an old hotel and the reviews were all over the place. It turned out to be my favorite stop of the whole Route 66 road trip. The place has done a great job preserving its history, and you can feel that everywhere. Our room was spotless and the beds were so comfortable. The bathroom was on the small side, but it had been renovated and was very clean. Everyone on staff was friendly and helpful. We ate dinner at the restaurant and really enjoyed it, with prices that were actually reasonable. I just wish we'd stayed more than one night. If you're in Gallup, stay here.

The main hotel is a cute, nostalgic place to wander around. I enjoyed the log-cabin-style decor and seeing photos signed by famous visitors. The gift shop has lots of neat souvenirs. Dinner and breakfast at the diner were just okay. Our booking caused the biggest problem. We thought we'd reserved the Marx brothers family suite, but what we'd actually booked was a 'family suite' in the motel next door. It had the same setup, a king bed in one room and two queens in an adjoining one. I went back through several travel sites to check, and none seemed to say where the room would be. The only way I could find to book a room INSIDE the hotel, with a celebrity name, was on the official website. The motel room was cute, but it's RIGHT by the main road and the door seals aren't good. We heard ALL the cars, ALL the trains, and people talking outside, including lots of trains through the night. I'd suggest calling or booking through their site if you want a room inside the hotel with a door that doesn't face outside. Otherwise, it was a good stay.