Amazing old hotel on Route 66. So glad to see this gem fixed up and restored to welcome travelers once again. The manager Clarissa was great! Very nice and cordial all while wearing multiple hats due to the covid situation. The room was clean and comfortable. Although we didnt go in, the soaking pool located in what used to be the motor court looked very inviting. Will definitely stay here again on our next visit to Albuquerque

Worth. Every. Dime.This place is amazing. My better half and I were talking about this place two days after we checked out. The staff is pleasant, the location is excellent, and what you get for the price-- its everything. Theres a taproom on the premises with excellent drinks.If you come to Albuquerque, theres no other choice. This is it. Get a room.

So happy this Diamond has reopened! Hats off to everyone who made this happen! This place deserves a visit, deserves your order, deserves your review! The Place: Simply Iconic!The Menu: New Mexican Fusion!The Guest: You and Me!The Result: It immediately transports you to a time we all long to visit again along Route 66; when we had time to visit, had time to chat, had time to reminisce, had time to dream, had time for a meal, had time to make new friends!

I am reviewing the restaurants hereGreat food. Good service. Great people.

I have only the best reviews! Perfect for couples! The food court!!!! The pool! The location! The staff!!

I stayed at El Vado Motel 9/2-9/3. I was pleasantly surprised that the website pictures looked exactly as the Motel did in person. The front desk staff was probably one of the friendliest hotel staff I have come across. The location is PERFECT, and I love the style and vibe of the whole place. Unfortunately, the cleanliness of the room was a let down. The shower was full of body hair, and mold growing in between the tile. There were hairballs near the sink, and what was worse was finding a sex game card next to the dresser. Clearly the room had not been vacuumed or wiped down. Also, the room smelled a bit moldy from the AC leaking right onto the carpet. Id visit again to have drinks and dinner at the outdoor locations.

We had a wonderful time here! The hotel itself is adorable, and the staff were very welcoming and friendly. We will definitely be back.

Great little motel. Great staff. My husband and I were so glad we chose this spot. Great location, Very clean, The mattress was the best I every slept on. We stayed on the weekend and there was a live band right on the property. We will be back next summer.

Great hotel in downtown Albuquerque! Newly remodeled rooms and a great 3 foot pool fir the kids. It also has private access to an outdoor court with food and drinks. Parking can be a bit hard to find though as it is downtown. Id definitely stay again!

I ate at the Ikigai restaurant and ordered the fried rice combination plate and it was worth every penny. I got the best service I have had in a long time. I highly recommend this place to anyone who likes Asian food and great service. I will be going back real soon.

Lovely vintage but modern accommodations. Great, friendly and helpful staff. The pool is refreshing and nearby local food, tap room and artisan storefronts a plus. We highly recommend!! We will be back.

The dream motel. Really spacious room. (See video too) the pool is awesome and everything here is clean, and feels great. There are a few restaurants connected to the hotel and a cool tap room (w guest discounts) gonna check the pool and the tap room now! My fiancée seems very happy about this as well. really great she says.

I love El Vado! There are many options for food and drinks which make it a great venue for spending time with friends and family with different tastes. The taproom has several great local beers on tap. When allowed to operate, there is a splash pad for the kids as well! Great place to sit outside, enjoy some food and a beer, and let the kids play!

Love this open space setting. Great drink specials and you have to try the mango lager. We will definitely be coming back.

Hotel was great young housekeeper Teana was super friendly and amazing ! We ate at the food court Bosque Burger was highly recommend was not impressed burger was dry and patty Was falling apart the older man was rude would not recommend Bosque Burger customer service horrible. The young man who cleaned the tables was super funny and outgoing he suggest next time try Happy Chicken .... overall hotel was amazing !

Great Motel with Tap Room, Shops and Restaurants. Everything you need in one spot.

Such a neat place to stay! The room was unique and interesting but super clean and comfortable. Definitely a great place to stay.

Definitely would not recommend this hotel! After a full day of driving we showed up to hotel last night at 8:15pm and NO ONE was there to let us in! I had a booked room I reserved weeks ago. We ended up booking a hotel down the street last minute (thank goodness they had room). Called and left voicemails- no response. Called again this morning- STILL haven’t heard back. Completely unreliable. Haven’t had this happen before- really disappointed.

The El Vado has made a wonderful transformation into a fun modern place to hang out, ear lots of great food and even during Covid, has outdoor space where you can still mingle and eat safely.

Outstanding place to grab a bite. Diablo sandwich (you heard me right) delicious. No Dr. Pepper and no hush puppies though...

Awesome patio dining! Love the variety of food. Had a great experience in these weird times

Very Old town vibe. Lots of places to try food. Staff gave us the Studio 54 treatment! I had the Cuban meal. Highly recommend.

While I did not stay overnight, I did see the hotel grounds and rooms. All outstanding. Well done and in great shape. If your staying in the Old Town area, stay on route 66 in the El Vado. You will be please try surprised.

Great food choices, local brewery and the shopping is all such a great combination. I all for restoring old buildings and this is one of those great places that has such character in a very vintage way. Defenetly a great point to start at when family and friends from out of town. Route 66

We come here all the time because it is so fun and everyone in our family gets what they want for dinner

Great little oasis to go to for great food. Had the best chicken sandwich from Chickenzz

This place blew me away. So glad to see so many projects like this in Albuquerque. Located directly across Central for the Aquarium and Botanic Gardens. The taproom is cool and very cute. Shannon was a great bartender @ the taproom. I cant wait to go and try some of the restaurants. Was a little disappointed Brook in the front office would not give a tour of the rooms but will try again next time. Give it a try. Photos of the restaurants hours and menus below.

Unique, chill, and beautiful. They have multiple food options, a beer place, and have plenty of space for you social distancers. great place to go and kick it with some friends and have drinks.

Really cool setting. Did not go there for the hotel. Went for the food truck style food. Will definitely be going back to try the other restraunts.

Its a very nice place to visit. The food there is amazing! The water mist is refreshing day & night!

I havent stayed in the motel, but this whole complex is so awesome. They did a really nice job rehabilitating everything and its such a great source of food, beer, gifts and entertainment. My kids love the water fountain and the maggot pit inside Metal the Store. And we all love the food and shops. Definitely check out El Vado!

Pleasant atmosphere, I liked open patio and splash pad with stream misty around the patio, had three food shops to choose from. Wasnt too bad of a crowd there. I enjoyed my meal and the service was great and so were the prices.

This was my second stay at the El Vado. I just can’t say enough about this place. Always a great beer selection and such a nice staff. I locked myself out of my room three times within 10 minutes and be happily let me back in. Lol.

Great patio dining with delicious food and craft beer!

We had a great experience at this restored, historic motel. Our room was perfectly decorated with lots of attention to detail. The pool was great for a hot summer day in Albuquerque (although the dark stone around it was maybe not the best choice, it was insanely hot!) The motel is home to several eateries and shops. We only tried the coffeeshop and the dessert place, both great! This is an easy walk/bike ride to old town Albuquerque and priced much better than other hotels in the area.

Nice little hidden gem on Rt66. Right across the street from the ABQ Bio Park and Aquarium and a 2 minute drive to Old Town. Check out the shops and restaurants attached to the facilities. The foods good and the vibe is up beat.

Nice outdoor seating with wonderful locally owned businesses and good food diversity.

Beautiful space to have beer, listen to music, have food. Service is the weak spot; you must go to the server, its not the other way around.

The motel looks very nice, just like the rooms, nice, welcoming staff. Sadly our room was not really cleaned up, there was hair everywhere on the floor and on the wall of the shower , on the WC. The bed was clean and comfortable and overall it was a nice stay.

This is a super-hip new hub for the neighborhood. They are a trendy boutique-style motel with a social hub up front. Home to a taproom with a rotating selection of local beers, several food pods that are basically tiny restaurants, a few shops specializing in local artists and products, and a beautiful patio seating-area with a fountain.It is my wife and my new go-to for a beer after work and some laid-back socialization in our neighborhood.Super comfortable, clean, and staffed with friendly people everywhere you go.

This motel is amazing! We have stayed twice and both rooms were immaculate. Plenty of room and and nicely furnished. There is a small pool and great restaurants in the court yard of the hotel, Buen Provecho (Costa Rican food) is our favorite. We wouldn’t stay anywhere else!

Relaxing new venue, live music and variety of food spots is a nice change.

Great Motel - beautiful accomodations and fun / delicious little eating plaza in front of the Motel... like brick & mortar food carts! LOVE this place!! I would definitely stay here again.

Great rooms. Pool, friendly service. Several places to e aqa t on the premises

Neat idea turning the old motel into a food court/shops

Need to have more freedoms for the kids, its hot they cant play in the water..

First time there and we loved the food.

This is an excellent renovation of a historic Route 66 property from the 50s. Beds are comfortable, the area is fairly quiet (Central can get busy), and much thought has been given to preserving the original lines and appearance of the property. Some slight drawbacks: watch carefully and pay attention to Albuquerque bus lanes; getting to parking is a little tricky. It’s a little walk from guest parking to the office to check in; after check in, you walk with your keycard through the event center, open another set of doors into the courtyard where the rooms are located, and you’ll need your keycard to re-enter back through the gate if you patronize the shops and restaurants outside the courtyard. If walking is hard for you or you have lots of luggage, this might pose a problem. There could also be more lights in the room. But much care has been taken to keep the elements of the old property intact: the wood beams in the ceiling; the perfect neon sign is operational again; period/modern furniture is simple with great lines. Shower pressure is great; plenty of towels; and they give you postcards with the property outlay on the back. Merchandise is available for sale in the office.

El Vado is really a nice place. Fully renovated with modern rooms. The former parking court is now patio area for guests. There is also a public patio serving the food “pod” customers as well as hotel guests. Location is on the very western edge of town so you do drive to reach any sights or restaurants.

Love El Vado Motel!! Really great mid century modern style. Super great location next to old town. Amazing outdoor area surrounded by tasty restaurants. Laid back vibes. Sweet pool and meeting center . Loved the cucumber lime water. Nice touch.

GOOD FOOD, QUICK, OWNER KNOWS HOW TO TAKE CARE OF HIS CUSTOMERS. AND HE OPENED A SUSHI PLACE.

I cannot say enough about this humble adorable motel.Its beyond cute, very clean, the furniture is so mid century modern and chic. The bathroom is modern, clean, well designed.The bed was super comfortable.The small living room was cozy and neat.Room came with a good size fridge which is always appreciated.Staff was friendly and attentive.LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Way better than any hotel in my opinion.

El Vado is a great place to hang out, eat some good food and listen to amazing live music. I love to go when Judy and the Jetts are playing there. They are so much fun! Dont hesitate to check out El Vado if you havent done so yet. You wont be sorry.

The dinner places were closed. I stopped and had a beer at the Tap Room, talked to bar tender and some patrons and then came back home. Most enjoyable, will go back again, when the food court is open.

This is not your run of the mill motel. It is very upscale with a super design theme. Also it is in close walking distance to Old Town.

Adorable hotel, very modern and clean! Loved the decor and atmosphere! Service was great and prices are reasonable! We will definitely come again!

Really impressed with the way the restoration of El Vado turned out and haven’t been disappointed with any of the food I’ve tried so far. Still need to try a few of the restaurants here.

Location was easy walking distance to do many Albuquerque sites. Amenities were great-having fun restaurants onsite was fun. Weather while I was there wasn’t good for using the pool, but it looked inviting. My issues were with room cleanliness. Housekeeping did not clean my room properly. Lots of areas missed. Mirrors, floors, coffee cups. The toilet paper holder was falling off the wall. The extra blanket was damp and unusable. I would recommend the property.

Great stoping point for a road trip to from Las Vegas, NV to Texas. Loved the historic property renovated and restored. Great service from front desk clerk Joe and rooms were nicely done. This isnt really your traditional motel as it is nicely done. Only complaint is Internet wasnt working but strong cell service, shower water pressure not strong. Otherwise this is a hidden gem, would recommend!

Great hang out spot with good variety of food.

Funky boutique motel with diverse food options, shopping.

Good beer good food and a wonderful patio

When in old town a must stop

This is a pretty cool place to visit i had a very good chelada there the white on the buildings is a little blinding

Me and my family were there earlier, my mother in law took a fall off the steps tonight, luckily she was not injured too bad, I suggest you put some railing up to direct people in a safe manner. This area along the north side where the small businesses are is a Safety Hazard

Beautifully renovated motel. The room was so pretty, the bed comfortable and the shower very nice. My biggest problem was finding it and parking. The GPS leads you to a dead end behind the motel so you need to navigate around and then the parking lot is not very well marked. But once you figure it out the place is very nice.

This is a really unique place to visit. There are a some quirky little shops and so good food. It makes for a fun afternoon visit.

My boyfriend and I spent two nights at El Vado for my cousins wedding in October, and it was an absolute dream. Its such a beautiful motel, the rooms are clean and cozy, the location is great (especially considering we were walking everywhere), and the staff was helpful. They definitely score bonus points for having refillable shampoo, etc. dispensers in the shower, and having a bar, restaurants, and cookie/ice cream shop on the premises. We would love to come back!

Good luck reserving a block of rooms at El Vado, even if its 6 months in advance. After two direct phone calls where I thought I had the beginnings of a reservation to block 12 rooms, then several voice mail messages with no response, I finally connect with someone to check on the reservation, only to find out that theyve scheduled another group for that weekend. Not impressed with your customer service :(

Great location, friendly staff, nice clean rooms and affordable, nice grounds with pool and sitting areas with plenty of food options attached. Hidden gem. Free parking on site.

A bit challenging to find parking (on New York by shops), the check in, and your room, but once thats done youll enjoy the this motel, especially if you like minimalism. Tiny rooms, but GREAT beds, clean with a nice retro vibe!

What a great stay!Clean and very high standards for the price. We enjoyed all the small shops and restaurants around the hotel which made our stay extremely convenient.Would highly recommend staying here!

So there I was on my way to my umpteenth trip to the Albuquerque area. I have stayed in ABQ many many times in the past, often staying in hotels that were sanctioned by previous employers. I have stayed by the airport and near highways as usually, my past stays were one night as I was arriving in ABQ or one night as I was leaving ABQ. On this trip, I wanted to see Old Town ABQ as I hadnt been there in a very long time. During my search of hotels in the area, I came across the El Vado Motel on Central Avenue SW, and very close to Old Town. The rate compared to other hotels in the vicinity was very reasonable and upon further review after visiting El Vados website, I made my choice.The El Vado is a very unique hotel, it was remodelled with Pueblo Revival architecture, with stepped massing, irregular parapets, vigas, and buttressed, stuccoed walls. Which made this hotel very appealing. When I arrived on a Saturday night I took a walk around the property and noticed a well-designed space called The Plaza in the middle of the grounds for guests to chill out, a multitude of small restaurants ( Food Pods) and shops and of course the infamous El Vado Taproom.Upon checking in there was an issue with my room, as my reservation was for that night which my confirmation email confirmed, however, the El Vados reservation system has me booked the following night. No worries though, as the young lady who checked me in, was very accomodating and fixed the problem and I actually ended up with a very nice King Suite. The lobby and the connecting rooms are very well laid out, the Tap Room is right of the lobby and easily accessible. There is a dining area as well with New Mexico themed paintings, murals and wooden tables where you can enjoy a pint or a meal.Next up was checking into my room. Beware, friends, as parking is limited, and the parking spaces are very close together, I found a great spot to park but there was one of those pimped out pick-up trucks and an SUV on each side, I tried to park in that spot but there was no way to get out of my car. I parked in the condo parking lot and entered through the event space, which is one of the entrances to the rooms at the back of the hotel grounds. I found my room quite easily and went in.Now to the room!! I was very surprised at how well these rooms are laid out, the rooms themselves are not huge but set up in a way that makes you feel like they are roomier than they really are. The decor of the room is minimalist, with a fine blend of antiques and modern furniture. Historical, New Mexico, and Southwest themes are placed meticulously on the walls, giving the rooms an artistic flair. The furniture is well placed with enough room to move around. My room had a divider separating the living room and work area from the bedroom. There was access to each room from both sides of the divider. Be wary folks as the rooms have large glass walls along the entrance sides of the rooms, so keep those blinds closed and open at your discretion. My suite also had two little alcoves one which housed an antique dresser and a coffee station, the other housed the bathroom sink. Some other noteworthy points about my suite, it had a pull out bed, a desk and chair, a very clean stand-up shower, a large TV, and the wifi even in my room at the outer edges of the hotel had a very strong signal.The courtyard called The Plaza, of this hotel is really something to behold, it looked like something out of a luxury travel magazine. It screams be social as the design of this area is made for hangin out and enjoying time with your friends and family. The former carport has polished concrete sidewalks, rock and cactus gardens, benches, chairs, loungers, tables, firepits, and a splash pool, not deep but just enough to cool off from the hot dry New Mexico heat. This is a place to chill out and have some good times.

Very cool renovation of an old motel. about a dozen rooms are now retail and eatiries plus a brewery a water play fountain and nicely furnished rooms for lodging. check out the maggot pit at metal the store while your there:)

Shrimp poboy from hamburger place!!!! Cupcakes from bakery!!!! Cactus store!

Great small hotel in a nice area. Staff is very helpful and will be back for sure.thay have a taproom on site!!!

Very nice, went to get Burger it was delicious, definitely a little pricey but good.

What a terrific and yes, unique motel! I highly recommend a stay at El Vado for the following reasons: fabulously designed rooms; great outdoor space whether cooling off in the pool or warming up by the fire; quaint bar with outstanding craft beers; public space includes terrific coffee bar, eatery and shops; and of course very friendly staff!!

Great vibes, excellent Costa Rican food

Such a cool place!

Great service, relaxing atmosphere good food

So glad they renovated this and did not tear it down. Restaurants and shops now open!

Ive tried the restaurant that serves Cuban Cuisine, the brewery and the cream shop. Everything was exceptional and the service was impeccable. It can be a very chill atmosphere. Outside Eatery available which I thought was cool

NOT SAFE // DO NOT STAY HERE // CAR BREAK-INI was on a solo road trip and I found El Vado online thinking it looked super cute. Dont be deceived, EL VADO IS NOT SAFE! The parking lot wasnt well lit and there was an eerie feeling. In the morning around 10am I came outside to see that my car window had been smashed and everything in my car had been stolen. I went to the lobby and called the police and the General Manager said that they have security. I was baffled that by 10am in the tiny parking lot no one had reported the break-in as there was glass all over the pavement. Since then the General Manager, Brooke Nelson, has not returned any of my emails or calls as I try to work with my insurance adjuster. Their level of disregard is unfathomable. I will never go back to this horrid place and I recommend you avoid it as well.

Exquisite Costa Rican food... musty the desserts!!!!

My husbands family is originally from ABQ and we have spent a lot of time I’m this town and stayed at many different places, with that being said I’m so happy to have found El Vado we absolutely loved this place. We stayed with our 2 year old and it was so convenient. We stayed at the end room so literally on the other side of the locked gate there was a pizza place, coffee place, and taco place, on top of many other shops also a splash pad for the little ones! We will stay at el Vado from here on out! Thanks for helping us make the best vaca for our l.o.

Great location, very friendly staff. Only issue is with the city of Albuquerque. It’s a little sketchy especially on Central St.

We have been to several weddings at the motel and it is just such a unique experience. Everything is modern and the attention to detail is superb. Brooke and her team put on amazing events . If your looking to have a fun wedding and amazing service, look no further.

This place is great! Love the multiple restaurants, which give you a ton of food options. The brewery, Ponderosa has awesome beer, and wonderful service. I love the family friendly atmosphere, with a splash pad and live music on the weekends!

Loved our suite - great style and very clean! We also loved the restaurants and shops being so close by. When we stayed there was also live music on the patio and we had such great time enjoying the food and the music. Abq really needed something like this! I only gave 4 stars for amenities though because the beds were just a bit uncomfortable.

Lovely spot for travelers and locals alike. Scenic and classic Route 66 ambiance, craft beer taproom and local bites to choose from (Happy chickenz!) and a fountain for your little people to run around I. On hot days!

Nice different sort of experience. Outdoors in the summer can be hot, but they have umbrellas at the tables and misters. Nice selection of food reasonably priced. Live music seems to be the norm. Enjoyed taking my kids here.

Small but very nice. Old motel with Southwest architecture along historic 66 redone with modern interiors and food pods out front offering food truck like options for evening meals. Right across from the aquarium and close to the zoo. Run along the Rio Grande for exercise

This is a beautiful old historical place in Albuquerque across from the Botanical Gardens. Theyve done an amazing job fixing it up and putting cool little shops in the area with live music on their patio. You can get a variety of really awesome food from various different parts of the world. Its a great place to bring your child and relax is well in the evening or on the weekend.

Clean and comfortable. Great friendly people. Revitalized historic mote on Rt 66.

This little chunk of New Old Town is cool as heck. The hotel is crisp looking and inviting, housing several local businesses that cater to tourists and locals alike. One stop shopping for all your New Mexico centric needs.

A cute place to experience local food and experience a modern New Mexico feel, the only down side is that all of the little shops are closed during winter time so it isnt year round

Edit #2: Most of the reviews folks have left here are not for the motel. Theyre rather for the fun happy hour food and tap room. My original 5-star review was exactly this. After being a guest in the lodging, Ive drawn a drastic distinction. That is edit #1 below the 5-star happy hour review below. My take on staying as a guest is in Edit #1 afterwards.(Original review, having not stayed as a guest)Really awesome spot! Bosque Burgers has some amazing burgers, Zendo has the great coffee theyre known for, the patio is awesome, the tap room is a great respite from a long bike ride down the river or strolls through the zoo and biopark!Small boutiques line one side of the building. The bleach-white stucco and blue window trim take you to 1955 Palm Springs motorlodging heydays! More of this kind of community revitalization is sorely needed and this is a fantastic addition to the neighborhood.Edit #1: Was 5 stars after the grand opening; but now Ive stayed as a guest.Pros: pretty nice bed; tap room open until 10pm, some food options on site--though merchants dont keep regular (or posted) hours and those that do pretty much shut by 7pm. Also, $14 for a burger....a GREAT burger, but not a $14 burger in this hood. (Its Albuquerque, not LA). It has a small swimming pool. Its walking distance to the bosque! Yay!Cons: rooms are so small they dont have a desk to do any work, etc; no fridges or microwaves in standard rooms...not many food options after 7pm Rooms are dirty: sticky floors with obvious spills that never got mopped, stains on walls, they dont clean much other than making the bed. TVs are cheap and remote controls for them dont work. They do not enforce guest parking only spaces for parking, so you might not have a place for your vehicle. Pool is heated, but not much even though its June in the desert; Still cold, also no hot tub. Parking area isnt secure and Ive seen several vagrants on day two of five of my stay.Final thoughts: Id recommend it for an overnight stay for someone wanting to be near the river/zoo/biopark. Id not recommend this motel to anyone otherwise; too many other options out there!

Man! Best hotel in Albuquerque!!!! We travel with an autistic child and he has lots of needs and this place was MORE than accommodating. The staff is extremely professional and the location is amazing. Directly across the street from the aquarium and zoo. Also their shops and restaurants located on the property cant be beat. If you need a getaway without leaving the hotel this is the place for you! You will not be disappointed. We cant wait to go back. Plus, live music on Saturdays!

Great time and great eats