Casa Lemus

Like a little price roulette? The menu has no prices, and good luck finding it online ahead of time. The room was dank and smelly with poor lighting, and the staff couldn’t even spell “ambiance.” We waited 45 minutes for our order to be placed, then got room-temperature food that looked like it had been heated by a 15-year-old with a microwave. Enjoy your slop on a visit to America’s saddest town for culinary delights.

We stopped in for a quick lunch and were delighted by how good it was. The spinach enchiladas were amazing, and my husband’s fajitas were wonderful too. Everything is homemade. It’s a nice, clean, very hospitable place to stop for a meal. Highly recommend.

We paid $160 for a room with two beds, though I’m not sure whether we were overcharged. The good reviews led me to accept the rate, expecting a really nice room or an exceptional free breakfast. Both were very mediocre. We’re at a Motel 6 tonight, and it’s much nicer for half the price. I wouldn’t recommend this place unless you can get a much better rate. Update: It was only my mom and me, not a large family, and we weren’t traveling with cats. I don’t even have cats. If I was charged for two cats, that would explain the high price. I’d like a refund for that incorrect charge, and I’m disappointed you’d make something up instead of admitting the mistake.

There are more positives than negatives here. It’s a cute, quiet, family-owned independent place, all on one floor, with friendly staff. The location is convenient, right off I-25 and within walking distance of several food options. The price was competitive for Raton, though we found better bargains elsewhere in New Mexico during the same trip. I’m guessing it costs more because it’s an obvious stop without many other towns nearby competing for travelers. Still cheaper than Trinidad. The room smelled bad until we ran the AC for a few hours. The bathroom area floor, in the corner under the AC near the sink, was squishy, which suggests an ongoing water damage or plumbing problem. The bedding had old-style comforters instead of the white duvet covers that always smell clean. The delicious breakfast pictured online isn’t the free breakfast. That was a very limited, simple spread of things to toast, mediocre apples, oranges, and bananas, plus basic drinks like apple juice and coffee. It really wasn’t great. The room service menu listed items supposedly included free with the room, like pancakes and waffles, but when we asked, that wasn’t the case at all. A huge bummer.