I was having a hard time deciding between 4 versus 5 stars, but opted for 5 since we got a free upgrade from a stay in the motel to a stay in the hotel (the AC was apparently broken in the motel). Pros: - Fascinating, rich history that has been well-preserved and is on display for all guests to enjoy - Free water and coffee in the room - Comfortable beds - Friendly service - Reasonable prices - Breakfast is included - Secret room behind the bookshelf on the second floor! - Really old elevator that requires you to manually open/close the inner and outer doors (perhaps a con for some visitors, but I thought it added to the overall charm) Cons: - As other guests have mentioned, the bathroom is tiny (you can literally wash your hands at the same time you're using the toilet) - The AC was functional but a bit weak - No mini fridge or microwave in the room Overall, absolutely worth the stay! Definitely one of my favorite stays of this roadtrip! read more

Soo...we went by the back of the building first and all I could think of was, "where the hell are we staying?" The entrance was better. A historical resort so filled with character, you will never see all of it. Cons: it's an old time hotel so buckle in. The elevator has a heavy steel door outside and a gated slider inside. The outside door is so heavy it slammed on my hand. Fortunately it didn't smash my wedding ring and nothing broke but it most certainly hurt. The rooms are named after old movie actors. Ours was the Jean Parker room. Her face was emblazoned on our shower curtain. The bathroom was so small you could (I'm not kidding) wash your hands while sitting on the toilet. Jean was staring at the toilet, judging all our "movements". No hairdryers (call the desk and they will bring you one) . Our room had a balcony with a broken chair and a two person seat. Pros: coffee in the room with real cups. Lovely, firm mattress and plenty of pillows. The hotel is super cute and there's an older gentleman who's like a greeter who's wonderful. The bar is great. read more

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Stayed overnight on a pass through recently, like stepping back in a time warp. Checking in was a breeze, I made my reservations through the hotels website. The hotel's website is a little bit out of date, but works - you have to choose your room first then see if its available? Then reserve your room if its available. It takes a bit to navigate but is doable. Front desk was kind, friendly and professional both check in and check out. The lodge itself is a historic work of art from a time gone by, you don't see them like this hardly anymore. Booked the Marx Brothers suite and it was as old school hip as anticipated. On the first floor at the end of the hallway. A spacious room with separate sleeping areas. A nice seating area with a king bed and two queen beds. Cool retro western interior, a small bathroom with a walk in shower. It was late in the season, so there was no crowd and the weather was cool as such the heat was already on in the hotel and our suite was toasty warm and comfortable. The beds were comfortable, the room clean and secure. All in all, a nice stay for overnight or longer. Definitely worth a visit. 4 Stars a solid choice at a landmark lodge that is like stepping back in time to an era from long ago 01140 read more

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If you are driving across New Mexico and are looking for the quintessential Route 66 experience this is the place for you! We stayed here, in the Fred McMurry suite, and loved it! All the rooms are named for classic movie stars because this was a popular place to stay for old Hollywood when they were filming movies in the area. The building is beautiful inside and out with plenty to see and explore. There is also a restaurant with great food and gift shop with some unique souvenirs of New Mexico, Route 66, The El Rancho & western lore. The rooms, common areas & grounds are kept clean and neat. There is even a hidden room behind a bookshelf in the balcony over looking the main lobby! The staff across the board was friendly and helpful. They also do a great Christmas celebration with a giant tree in the lobby with the huge fireplace that we plan on coming back for. For a one of a kind experience you can't beat the El Rancho! read more

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Traveling along historic Route 66, this hotel is an awesome place to stay from check-in to check-out. The experience was incredible--I had a blast exploring the hotel grounds, admiring all the cool photos of Hollywood western legends and unique art, relaxing in the courtyard, or sitting on the upstairs balcony. It was so peaceful. I tried to capture it all in a few pictures, but I'd definitely recommend everyone experience this true classic for themselves. El Rancho Hotel - A+++++ read more

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This hotel is on Route 66 and was built in 1937. The family is third generation and saved the hotel from demolition so that's really cool. It's just old so the rooms are small and the bathroom is insanely tiny. It's close to the road, highway and train tracks so you can hear some noise if you're a slight sleeper but it's definitely an interesting and novel experience! The staff was all super friendly too. read more

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Service was excellent the venue was amazing ... so much history. Errol Flynn burger was excellent

No AC, wasn't told until after we paid (no cancellations). Only recommend stopping by to shop and have a meal but I do not recommend an overnight stay. The bathroom is very tight, no exhaust fan. When the door is shut you sweat it's so hot. We slept with the ceiling fan running, which is not good for my sinuses. Even with the ceiling fan on the thermometer on the wall read 80 degrees. Cool place to see, great place to visit, had the penny machine souvenir (which I enjoy), the restaurant was reasonably priced (food and service were great), good selection of shirts, caps and other souvenirs. Parking was a challenge, she said it was due to the restaurant being busy and would be easier to park after 9pm read more

El Rancho Hotel - King room (only place to put your bathroom items) - Hotels Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico

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Such a cool historic hotel right on Route 66. If you love old Hollywood charm and preserved historic buildings, the El Rancho is worth an overnight stay. The lobby is warm and welcoming. When we visited in January, the roaring fireplace made the perfect spot to curl up with a book. The on-site restaurant and bar are also solid, which is nice since dining options in Gallup can be limited. The rooms are small but cozy, nicely decorated, and dog-friendly (a big plus). We may or may not have had some ghostly visitors that night, but that's on us for watching the Ghost Adventures episode from bed. Not too spooky though; I'd absolutely stay again. While there were a few colorful characters passing by outside, the hotel has security doing rounds, and even with multiple late-night dog walks, I always felt safe. read more

El Rancho Hotel - El Rancho Hotel Lobby - Hotels Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico

I REALLY wanted to love this place. The photos are adorable, their website is fantastic, the billboard outside of town gives you a high-end vibe, and overall, I thought this might rival the Thunderbird Hotel in Marfa. Unfortunately, the reality of the whole situation was a very different experience. It started off great. The doorman held the door for us as we walked in. The check-in lady was super friendly. Our room was connected to our kids' room, which was fantastic. The vibe was Route 66 kitch, and we even had a little payphone in our room, which was fun. The woman in the gift shop was helpful with cultural Kachina Dancer questions I had. Although, as I was walking through the store, I noticed a t-shirt that said "Gallup: The Indian Capital". I live near two reservations, and the terms used are either Native American or Native for slang. If the t-shirt had been in New York City, fine. But at least half, if not all, of the staff is Native American. That's a pretty big slap in the face to those employees. I even mentioned it to a Native working in another store, and he rolled his eyes and said, "It happens all the time, man." I know it does, but that doesn't mean this hotel should be adding to it. It seems tacky. I woke early the next morning from suitcases clanging down the steps, people talking, and general hubbub. I get it's a motel, and I was on the ground floor by the parking lot, so I tried to ignore it and go back to sleep. What I COULDN'T ignore was cigarette smoke coming in my door and making me choke. I assumed someone was loading their car right in front of my door and having a smoke. Furious I opened the door and looked outside only to find a lady 6 rooms down from me quietly having a cigarette. I was honestly surprised at how smoky my room was vs how far away she was from my door. To be clear, I was not seeing clouds of smoke in my room; it just smelled like someone was smoking in there. The lady was very nice and put it out immediately when she learned I could smell it. I inspected the door frame when I closed it and noticed rather large gaps where light and air were coming through. (That means potentially fumes are coming in and AC/Heat is escaping.) I mentioned it to the cleaning lady and she said it must have gotten into the vent and then into our room. Not a great answer either. TL;DR Cute rooms, friendly staff, noisy in the morning, and random smells might enter your room. read more

El Rancho Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico

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My husband and I drive through Gallup all the time going into Albuquerque. We decided to spend the night here and see what it was all about. What a lovely hotel! It has so much history and character. The staff was amazing starting from the front desk with Ashley. You can't stay here without spending some time in the Gift Shop. Elizabeth and Lawrence were so helpful and kind. I had fun shopping along with them and they helped me pick some great items! We had dinner upon arriving in the restaurant and again for breakfast. I would say breakfast was my favorite. The food was delicious. I had the huevos rancheros with both green and red chili. Yum! For dinner I wanted to try one of the margaritas. Both myself & my husband had to send it back and I opted to get a beer instead. My husband got the old fashioned he really liked that one there. I don't know if it's the mix that they use for the margarita, but it does not taste as good as I expected. We tried another flavor and it still wasn't good. I hope they consider changing it up. Karina & Arielle were very sweet about swapping the drinks out and wanting to see customers happy. Thank you for that. We look forward to our next stay! I told my husband I wish we would've stayed two nights instead of one. I don't feel like it gave us enough time to really enjoy the hotel. They have a beautiful seating area with a big fireplace. I saw a couple there with a bottle of wine sitting having a fireside chat with one another. Very inviting area to relax. We will stay 2 nights on the next trip! ;) Again, thank you for everyone at El Rancho for making our stay a very memorable and relaxing one! read more

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I stayed here because I needed to stop for the night to rest during a long road trip. Town is super sketchy. A lot of homeless people. I accidentally booked the motel building. The room was really cute, but I slept terrible. I could hear all the traffic along the busy road and the parking lot. I feel like I paid way too much for a bad night's sleep. The history of the hotel is cool. This would be good for someone on a slow, lazy trip. read more

My wife and I loved our stay here! The place is full of comforting, welcoming character. The staff was kind and professional. We stayed for breakfast in the restaurant and that was great, too. We stayed in the main building and we liked it so much that we've been talking about making this a destination next time instead of a waypoint. Here's why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5: - The water pressure in the shower was really low. - The bathroom was so small that we had to turn sideways to get in past the sink. But this isn't a purely bad thing for me since it adds character to the experience. For larger guests, this could be a big problem. - I almost never give 5 stars. read more

It's a motel and hotel in one, well two actually, but they're only separated by a parking lot. I first booked a theme room in the hotel, but ended up switching out to a room in the motel (I needed a fridge and the hotel rooms don't have them). I'm actually glad I switched, the motel room is way cooler and much bigger (for the same price). It has all sorts of Route 66 kitsch decor including a working record player with some great LPs you can play (I highly recommend it, it really gets you in the mood). Even the mini fridge is themed in a Route 66 sort of way. It's a drive up and park in front of your room setup with two floors of funkiness, including a Cadillac grill poking out of the building mid floor. The rooms have been updated nicely, think lots of outlets and charging spots for all your electronics and a really big flat screen TV with all the channels. The free wifi comes sans passcode, so use a VPN or at your own risk. As for A/C, the room had a wall thermometer that kept the room at a comfortable 73 degrees with no effort on my part, nice considering it was over 100 outside. You are right on Route 66, but it's not that busy and the rooms are quite soundproof. Check out my pics of the motel room vs the hotel room. Unless you really want to stay in a specifically themed movie star room, the motel is a better pick, with more amenities and more space. But it's definitely worth a stroll thru the hotel's main lobby and gift shop, The giant lobby area opens up to the second floor with lots and lots of wood everywhere. Rustic. If you can arrive after dark you'll get the full show with all the flickering neon signs on both the hotel and motel. A very nicely restored hotel/motel from the glory days of Route 66. read more

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Checked in yesterday at 4ish. Front desk was awesome. Advised pool is open 8 to 8. Went to the pool and pool boy is adding chemicals. Pool is closed for a couple hours. Why wasn't pool serviced at 6am? 2 hours pass, I call front desk, to check status, they were not aware pool had been closed for 2 hours. This morning at 8:15, pool is closed again! Talk about incompetence! Pool boy was late to work. Pool boy should be at pool at 6 am if pool is supposed to be open at 8 am. Very disappointing. When it's 80 outside and the AC is still off for season, the pool is critical! Oh, almost forgot, had lunch in restaurant and used men's restroom, it smells like stale urine! read more

This is an extremely hotel that you should stay in for nothing other than the fact that you won't find anything like it elsewhere. We were doing the route 66 thing and even though I'm a chain hotel bitch, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to stay here. I'm also not sure if they have a chain hotel in this town, but that really isn't the main reason. They have both a hotel and a motel and if you're bougie like me when you drive up and see the sign for the motel and you say "oh...." don't worry, there is a hotel portion as well. As the person checking me in informed me, it isn't clear when you book online which side you are booking and, unbeknownst to me, I had actually booked the motel side. Fortunately, it was a quick fix for the concierge to move me over. The motel side, I was told, is bigger and has a fridge and shit so it's all about priorities. The place is decorated in such a way that it is quite the sight to behold. Tons of history here. The room we received in the hotel was extremely small. It was a challenge to maneuver around the room with our suitcases out. The bathroom was equally small, just a place to stand both in front of the toilet and taking a shower. If you are showering and nature is calling for your roommate, you'll be standing in the shower for a little bit longer. They did provide a bunch of towels that were soft and large. There was a balcony but it was off limits per the sign on the door. It is possible that I am cognitively impaired with hotel thermostats but I couldn't figure out how to turn it on so that COLD air would come out. For a while, the room was like 76-77 degrees and super hot, despite the air being on. It was hard to sleep until I figured out how to get the ceiling fan on. We opened the door to the balcony out of desperation. I did try another setting on the AC which did the trick and a few hours later, it was nice and cool in the room. Very interesting hotel with a few quirks. read more

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Stayed here on a trip east. The hotel is right off the 40 and while there is a decent parking lot it is pretty popular. Even with that there should be some parking. It looks as though there is the main hotel and restaurant and then a second hotel on the side. Maybe an addition. It is not connected. The staff were very friendly and check in was quick. They give you an actual key like back in the day. The lobby is pretty cool and is kept up nicely. To get to the room you could use the stairs or take the elevator. The elevator is one of the real old ones where you open and close the door and the gate. Pretty cool. The room is small but well done. The bathroom is tiny but again nicely done. I'm sure when this hotel was built having any bathroom in the room was luxurious. The only thing was there was a really weird smell. It wasn't like an old room smell it was more like some kind of food or something. Couldn't put our finger on it. I would give 3.5 due to that smell but since no half stars allowed and the cool factor of the place I will go 4 stars instead of 3. read more

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This was our second time staying here and would definitely return. Why stay at some basic chain hotel when you can stay somewhere with a piece of history and some character? Each room is themed after a famous silver screen actor/actress. The elect appears to be the original and is old school! Very fun! We love this place. The only reason I give four stars is because they have a lot of homeless people walking around outside. Our friends had issues with them messing with his trailer and had to come outside every couple hours through the night to check on things. read more

El Rancho Hotel - Lobby - Hotels Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico

You will really enjoy discovering this historic Route 66 hotel and dining room. They play up the connection to Hollywood celebrities. The dining room offer specialty drinks and menu options. read more

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Small rooms Rooms have no air Bathrooms are tiny Water never gets warm Restaurant was pretty good The pictures and atmosphere were the only positive things read more

Better accommodations than much larger hotels Great staff Very cool and interesting spot with every convenience you could imagine. The annex building is perfect to keep your car right outside your door. Will be returning. read more

Pros Easy to access from I40 Quaint Has a restaurant and a bar Pet friendly Clean facilities and rooms Very polite employees Cons Between busy streets Train noise every 12 minutes! What are they doing???? Freeway noise Can hear guests using the restrooms Lots of hall noise Not a walkable area Tiny pet area Expensive food Not enough help No front desk person readily available Price on web is cheaper than booking directly Did not receive an internet code not sure if one is available Tiny restroom Paper thin walls The sheets feel like sand paper I slept 1 hour total it was so loud Heck, the dog couldn't even sleep read more

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This place is a trip. It's a national historic site and a lot of famous old Hollywood stars stayed here. The staff has bent over backwards to be helpful, and everything is really clean. They accept pets. The food at the restaurant was fine, but rather overpriced. My only complaint is that if you're traveling with a dog, there is nowhere for the dog to go to the bathroom. There's a dog park not too far but who wants to schlep them there for that early morning jaunt? read more

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I love this place: Classic Western Movies and the stars that appeared in them. Lots of photos with autographs. Restaurant is equally fabulous. Great atmosphere with theme music, excellent service, and ample, tasty servings. read more

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Wonderful classic old Route 66 hotel that has been around for like 100 years or so and family owned. All of the old movie stars have stayed here, Kirk Douglas, Katherine Hepburn, on and on. John Wayne was said to have ridden his horse inside the bar. Beautiful old school lobby that takes you back in time. A must see when driving through Gallup, NM. Love the signs as well. read more

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Such a beautiful lobby . Incredible Unique and definitely memorable. You just have to See it .If you love "OLD HOLLYWOOD " you may likely swoon .... read more

My East Indian (non-white) friends were just accosted in the lobby by hotel security(?), who were for some reason dressed up as SWAT? and asked if they were guests of the hotel. We can't be drinking our own beer in the lobby, which would have been great news to have been whispered in our ear, but to have what look like ICE Agents desend on you in a room of onlooking white people and aggressively asked if you even belong at the hotel wasn't something they were prepared for. I don't know what to make of it, but it may be something to consider before making this property a part of your journey. For sure, actually, we ourselves, do NOT belong at the el Rancho. read more

Beautiful, historic hotel. A must please to see if you're in town / on route 66. Guest services at the check in was great, super friendly, and easy to talk to. And was able to change our room as we needed and had one less guest so needed to change from a double bed to a single king. Since it was just myself and my fiance. They even texted me the morning of our check in.. was very nice and super friendly. Hotel is full of old actor photos, and alot of historic things throughout the hotel. Very cool. Ok, now for the nitty gritty. Sure it's a cool hotel if you like historic things or rustic , but its super small. The bathroom especially was super small... So if you don't like small spaces I would recommend another place, but it was cool just for a night passing through. The restaurant is very nice, has a fountain with rock formation, it's very cool. Nice atmosphere. *However, the service is super slow, and food was just ok. The drinks were really good, tho. My fiance got a Dukes old fashion, and I got a nice cocktail, forget the Name now. But if you want a good drink at the bar with some food / appetizers, I would recommend it. Might get better service at the bar too !? read more

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Needed to find a room to stay in , New Mexico for the night. checked yelp and this one seemed pretty decent. The price that was online was not the same price as when we went in to check in when I called she gave me a different price. It was a bit more pricier than what they had online, but we needed a room so we went ahead and booked it. We got in late and there was someone at the front desk was able to help us give us our key and check in. She was very friendly. Give us all the information that we needed. There is an old-fashioned elevator that can take you up to the second floor, we decided to take the stairs , we stayed in the room. The room was very spacious beds were comfortable. Pillows were comfortable room was very clean. The bathroom was very tiny you would have to step into the shower to change your clothes . That was pretty much right against the sink not much room at all. Love the decor, very cool themed love the fact that so many famous people had stayed there before love the history of the place. Everything was very organized and nice the wraparound patio to go outside and just enjoy the atmosphere was very nice. Exploring around the hotel saw lots of great history read more

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Fun location. It's walking distance to a grocery store but also has a fun restaurant with beautiful stained glass. The rooms are small but there is a beautiful lobby to sit in, which we did, before walking a second to the hotel restaurant for dinner. It's charming. read more

Beautiful hotel we stayed in the original hotel, there is also a new motel wing. This place is full of the history and pictures of all the movie stars who have stayed here. The rooms are named for the stars also The price was spectacular for the room, the only room with a balcony, that isn't a suite. Big comfortable bed and a cute bathroom. Will stay here again!! read more

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I enjoyed the ambiance of the hotel. The restaurant that is connected to the hotel was good and the waitress was friendly. The mattress needs to be updated, it is women out and has indents where people have slept. Staying in an old place makes you appreciate the modern. It has the old smell in the room and the bathroom is very small. You can sit on the toilet and wash your hands at the same time. The history is amazing and the pictures around the place told you who was there. If you looked over the railing on the top I could picture the hustle and bustle of the people in the past and the stars that came through. I would come back again for the history and hope for a room that has a better bed. read more

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This historic hotel is fantastic! The bar was redone just 2 years ago with beautiful stained glass scenarios along every wall. The hotel rooms are nicely decorated but quite small. The newer motel wing rooms are spacious and nothing was spared in the 50's decor. From the bedroom to the shower, the victrola to the wall phone, the room was a fun place to stay. Restaurant was great- attentive service, good food. The bar was fun. Loved it all! read more

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The ambience of the hotel is cool, and they have nice seating in the lobby. My complaints are to do with the room itself. The temperature in the room started at 74F and despite having both the ceiling fan on, the AC on high and set to 68F, and it being in the 60s outside, the room temperature INCREASED to 76F and stayed there for the duration of our stay. The room also smelled rather musty and the bathroom does not have a fan to remove moisture. Also, the shower knob controls temperature in the opposite direction of what is labeled (confirmed this with other guests also). Another thing of note is how TINY the bathroom is which is sucky in an of itself but couple that with the fact that the toilet seat has no lid and I was constantly afraid I would drop my toiletries or clothes in by accident. As it were my toilets and clothes were balanced on either side of the sink ledge while showering. Would much rather have stayed at a Holiday Inn where none of these issues occur and breakfast is commonly complementary as opposed to eating breakfast at the in-house restaurant with minimum prices for just the food portion at 10.50 before a beverage, tax, and tip. The staff was kind and I appreciated that they have a security guard since the homeless population in Gallup is massive and you will get approached in most parking lots. Finally, the wifi is free with no code, but verrrrry spotty. read more

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I don't know who gave this place so many stars, but the ads are basically a bait and switch. The rooms look NOTHING like the pictures. Our initial room was in the main building, and the size of a closet! Clostraphobic!! They were fairly accommodating about moving us to the other side which is a motel. At least the room is bigger and has a refrigerator, but I didn't plan to book a motel. Rate is far too high for a motel. Might as well be Bobs Roadside flophouse. Don't recommend this place unless you want a closet sized room. read more

What an incredible discovery in the midst of a remote area! The hotel is brimming with western movie memorabilia, and we truly enjoyed the authentic western-themed décor. The staff were exceptionally helpful and friendly. The building itself, steeped in history, fascinated us. While the rooms are on the smaller side, their charm is undeniable. The vintage cage elevator adds an iconic touch that perfectly captures the era this thriving hotel represents. There is a bar and restaurant inside as well as a gift shop. We actually ate breakfast at Garcia's down the street. Best breakfast in town. read more

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The food was not very authentic NM taste as if canned and a combination plate was $25 and it wasn't even a lot of food. For chips and salsa it would have cost $11 so the quality has dropped since the old days. The hotel may be good but and the gift shop but the restaurant is no longer what it was as the quality does not match the price. read more

One of the most legendary hotels on Route 66 is the El Rancho in Gallup - mostly because several Hollywood movie stars have stayed here. Ronald Reagan, Doris Day, John Wayne, Gregory Peck, the list goes on and on. On a very interesting level, pioneer film director D.W. Griffith's brother built the place. See, several Westerns (at the height of the genre's popularity) were filmed around that region during the 1930s to 60s. You can almost feel the ghosts of the place while staying here. Desk service was very great and they constantly texted me before and after my stay, making sure things were fine. Wish I would have hung out more in the lobby but I had to wear a mask when I was not in my room or outside. They have an old-school elevator (think Titanic) that operates during certain hours. One thing about old hotels, as opposed to typical chains, is everything is small - be it your room especially the bathroom - which was hard to get used to. But I still had a great night's sleep. Another thing to add: each room has a balcony! First time experiencing such thing. You get a great view of the mountains while standing atop the balcony. Place has a gift shop, restaurant and a bar. Will write a review for the restaurant soon, but I didn't spend any time at the bar like I shoulda. Oh well. read more

El Rancho Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Gallup, New Mexico

Mexican food was VERY mediocre. Service was equally mediocre. Margarita? Ditto. Local beer on tap was good.

This was such a fun place -- I wish we'd booked more than one night. Owners did an excellent job remodeling a vintage property, keeping the features that made it unique while adding what people expect today, like a super-comfortable bed. It is very clean and immaculately maintained. Front desk staff is friendly and efficient. Enjoy curling up in a comfortable chair in the library, have dinner in the restaurant, browse the gift shop, or chat with Leroy McCray, El Rancho Historian. He has some stories to tell. If you want to explore historic Gallup, you have to drive about a mile. There's not much in walking distance and the neighborhood's not that great. We stayed in Room 324, the Rita Hayworth, on the top floor of the main building. read more

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