"Charm of Yesterday, Convenience of Tomorrow"…read more I visited this hotel a couple of times during my stops in Gallup over the past year. I have yet to stay here, but I have eaten at the restaurant and toured the lobby area. El Rancho Hotel opened in 1937 and was built to be a place for people in the film industry to stay at while filming movies in Gallup. Several western movies were filmed in the surrounding area during the 1940s and 1950s. There is a lot of history in this hotel. Many movie stars have stayed here including John Wayne, Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Gregory Peck and Ronald Reagan. In the lobby area are several photographs and memorabilia that pay tribute to El Rancho's rich past. Historic El Rancho Hotel is located on historic Route 66. You can't miss its neon sign out front. In addition to rooms, it has a restaurant with a bar and a large gift shop. We came here one night to explore the hotel and walk through the gift shop. A gentleman welcomed us and shared with us his many stories about this hotel. We enjoyed his company and he mentioned to us that there is a secret hidden room upstairs. We eventually figured out how to access the room and enjoyed all the cool stuff in there that pay homage to the past. The courtyard area in front of Historic El Rancho Hotel has chairs to sit and relax on. The upstairs balcony also has chairs. The lobby is my personal favorite place in this hotel because of its grand staircase and the many black and white photos on the wall. We ate at the restaurant one time and enjoyed some delicious New Mexican cuisine. Someday I will stay here. But if not, exploring this place is still fun and a nice throwback to the old days of Hollywood.

As a quick stop on your Route 66 journey from Chicago to Santa Monica, the El Rancho Hotel was…read moreexceptional. However, be aware we did not stay in the hotel or dine in the restaurant. It certainly did not disappoint when it comes to a point-of-interest. Cool looking exterior and interior with lots of reference to the years gone by. They really play-up their ties to celebrities such as John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Lucille Ball and many more. Tons of framed and many autographed photos line the wall. Good luck finding and figuring out how to enter the hidden room. :) We got our Route 66 Passport stamped and enjoyed taking photos as we walked the property.

August 23, 2026 - Gallup, NM…read more We stayed here for an overnight stop and were really impressed. This is a large, clean, well-kept RV park. They do have some long-term residents, but they limit the number, so most of the sites are for short-term stays. The owner is super friendly and welcoming. The gift shop has a surprisingly nice selection of gifts, along with camping essentials. The laundry and showers were clean, and there are two buildings with laundry and showers, which was really convenient since our site was toward the back of the park. We were also near the fenced dog park. The pool was a great way to cool off. They really embrace the USA theme, with a flag painted on the bottom of the pool, a Statue of Liberty, and even a pond shaped like the USA. Active military stay free, which is a nice touch. The rates were reasonable, and we took advantage of pretty much everything the park had to offer. The only thing we missed was the Cowboy Cookout/Texas BBQ. Unfortunately, we arrived on Sunday--the one day they don't offer the BBQ dinner. This was our second stay, and I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

We stayed here for two nights as we make our journey back to Arizona…read more This time, we asked for a non-buddy site so we have our own picnic table and rig facing the opposite direction for privacy. They also put us in the last row, site 108 so our view is of the Desert scrub, it's very quiet back here. They did offer a barbecue dinner. I will post that menu, but we did not partake as we're trying to finish the food in the camper before we get home. We paid $66 per night for full hook up pull through site. This park is just a few miles from downtown Gallup and there are plenty of little restaurants and art galleries and such. There is also an Anytime Fitness about 5 1/2 miles away that will do a day pass. I did a separate review on that. I noted two different laundry areas and the price is very reasonable at $1.50 for a wash and $.75 for the dry. We did not need to do laundry while here so I cannot come on the effectiveness of the machine I noted that they have refreshed the pool very nicely! As well as I don't recall the water feature being there last time, but they have a cute bear fountain. There is also a dog park in the back corner. Our utilities worked great, staff was friendly, and we will always request a private site.

Worth a stop in to plan activities, and see the great Navajo Code Talkers exhibit. The staff was…read morefriendly and helpful, and there are many flyers available for the area for things to do.

This is the most beautiful and welcoming visitor information I've ever seen. The building is round…read moreand constructed of a mixture of materials including light red local brick. Ceilings soar and there are plenty of amenities from bathrooms to vending machines to tables and chairs to rest and relax and eat. There are the requisite brochures and a couple of friendly young people to answer questions. The center was built two years ago and is neat and well maintained. I would have thought it had just opened. It was our first rest stop entering New Mexico from Arizona and we felt well and truly welcomed

Appreciate the rest stop on the border of New Mexico and Arizona! Stay on the path as we saw signs…read moreposted about poisonous snakes and insects!

Really nice rest area. Plenty of clean restrooms, plenty of parking, nice area and the welcome…read moreArizona sign is right inside the area for a great pic! A few miles ahead you have the welcome to New Mexico one as-well.

This roadside Tee-Pee @ Indian Village off I-40 in Arizona has a wide variety of interesting &…read moreunusual finds. Surprised by all this small spot offers: Moccasins, smoke shop (including large cigar humidor), clothing, toys, Arizona souvenirs, Artwork, plus loads of lovely turquoise jewelry. Very welcoming friendly employees.

This is a review for all the shops and old shops on the right side of the road when you go over the…read morenm/az border. We LOVED this, the shops were so beautiful as well as the rocks behind it, it was like we stepped back in time to a place where the roadtrip tourism was still thriving and route 66 was on it's best. We have to be honest here, the shops here aren't in the best of shape and the people aren't the friendliest either but it is a sight to be seen and it was truly life-changing for us how the nature changes when you just cross a state-line. We've never seen such beauty before and from here on our love for arizona started.

So far, all of our Marriott Inn stays during our trip to Arizona and New Mexico have been pretty…read morenice and comfortable. This Marriott hotel in Gallup, NM, had clean rooms and it appears that some rooms are being renovated. This location is right on Historic Highway Route 66. If planning to stay at this location and are disabled, be sure to call before booking to make sure their elevator is working as it's currently being renovated as of June 27, 2026. If traveling with a lot of luggage, the friendly staff will help carry your luggage to your room while elevator is being renovated. Happy Yelping :)

First of all the elevators don't work and have been in repair mode for over a year-WOW, how can…read morethey even allow this establishment to stay open, being a little handicapped, I'm not carrying luggage up stairs???? They did find us a room on the ground floor, thank god. The facility is clean, the room did have a heavy smell from cleaning products. There are train tracks close by but not to noticeable after 10:00 pm, Don't know if I'd pick this location again, but staff was nice and friendly, very apologetic for the elevator scenario.

Passing through after the new year we stopped here to rest. I was worried about the mixed reviews…read morebut thankfully all went mostly well. We came with pets and appreciated that one pet is free. It's not the Hilton so don't expect luxury. But it was comfortable and clean. The breakfast was good enough. You can clearly hear the upstairs footsteps, so if you're a light sleeper this might be a problem downstairs. We stayed in a room with two beds, one bed was up close to the AC/Heater unit which was not the best set up. All in all I still recommend this spot because we felt safe, it was clean and pets are welcomed!

Staff was great, location was right off the freeway, that was nice. Room was ok, pretty clean…read moreinside. The outside was not great and I think we got the worst view in the place. Ice maker was far from the room and barely worked. Pool is half empty. Breakfast is very basic, but better than nothing.

Not the cleanest or the most modern and up to date, but this family-owned motel is really…read moreconvenient for being near downtown Gallup. Large kitchenette with TV, large fridge, microwave and stove (not sure if it worked), comfortable bed, bath tub. A little dingy, door knob (they still use keys old-school) didn't feel super secure as it was kind of broken. The manager said they sprayed for bed bugs every single month so you can take that as either a warning or a positive thing. I did not notice any critters during my two night stay. I might have stayed at a nicer hotel but the city is not made for walking and like most cities, you need a cab or a car to get to better parts of town and I had access to neither. The staff made me feel very comfortable and welcome.