Tucumcari's BEST Kept Secret: La Quinta Inn & Suites Review!
Tucumcari's BEST Kept Secret? My La Quinta Inn & Suites Review! (…and Maybe It's Not So Secret Anymore?)
Okay, folks. Let's be real. Tucumcari, New Mexico? It's the kind of place you need a decent hotel, because, let's face it, you're likely driving across the vast, beautiful, and occasionally desolate expanse of the American Southwest. And after 8 hours of road, you need a damn good rest. So, I booked La Quinta Inn & Suites. And let me tell you, the results were…mixed. But mostly good. VERY mostly good.
First Impressions:
Yeah, the exterior corridor thing kinda throws you at first. It screams "roadside motel," which, let's be honest, it kinda is. But inside? Surprisingly, it’s…well, it’s a La Quinta! Clean, bright (mostly), and with a certain… reliability. You know what you're getting. And after a day of relentless sun, that reliability is like a warm hug.
Accessibility (and My Attempt at Being a Decent Human):
Okay, I didn’t personally need the accessibility features, but I made a point of checking them out. And I was pleasantly surprised! Elevators? Check. Wide doorways? Check. "Facilities for disabled guests"? Yep, they had them, which is a massive relief because accessibility is SO important and often overlooked. Kudos, La Quinta. Seriously.
Sniffing Out the Wi-Fi & Internet (AKA My Digital Addiction's Needs):
Free Wi-Fi in all rooms? YES! Thank the travel gods. Needed that the second I arrived. And it was…decent. Not blazing fast, mind you. But enough to stream a mildly questionable documentary and catch up on emails. I needed to finish that article, you know the one? The one you're probably reading now! wink. They also have "Internet [LAN]" listed…but I didn’t see any Ethernet ports, so shrug. (Maybe I missed it; my eyes were blurry from driving).
Rooms and Those Sweet, Sweet Amenities:
My room? Spotlessly clean. Seriously, the cleanliness was genuinely impressive. They have “Rooms sanitized between stays,” and I believe it. The black out curtains were a lifesaver after a long drive into the desert, and the sheets were soft. Bonus points for the actual functioning air conditioning!!! Oh, and some of the things I liked are a mini-fridge, the complimentary tea, and the alarm clock.
The Bathroom Revelation (And a Touch of Drama):
The bathroom? Standard, but clean. The shower pressure was surprisingly good. It's the little things, people! Like how there's a mirror and a mirror with lights! AND they provided complimentary toiletries. I was also relieved there was a bathtub. (I might have taken a bubble bath.)
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (Oh, the Food!):
This is where things got a bit…interesting. The Breakfast [buffet] looked GREAT. They had all the usual suspects: eggs, sausage, waffles, cereal, and, of course, that industrial-sized coffee urn. (The "Coffee/tea in restaurant" was indeed a thing.) and I could get it in my room with "Breakfast in room". So they really tried. I really enjoyed the "Breakfast takeaway service", that's brilliant!. No, sadly, I didn't find an "Asian breakfast". Also, I didn't see the "Restaurants" or "Poolside bar". I think they shut down the "Happy hour" thing due to COVID!
Pool-Side Reflections (or the Lack Thereof):
Sadly, no "Pool with view". Which made me slightly sad..
Cleanliness and Safety (My COVID-Worried Heart):
They really went overboard with safety protocols. "Hand sanitizer" everywhere. "Staff trained in safety protocol," check. "Anti-viral cleaning products," yeah, they were spraying that stuff everywhere! "Cashless payment service" & "Contactless check-in/out" – perfect. Seriously, I felt safe. I did see "Individually-wrapped food options," too. Definitely a good thing.
Things to Do (And Pretending to Be Active):
Alright, here’s the thing: I didn’t use the "Fitness center," or the "Gym/fitness," and I didn’t utilize the "Sauna" or "Spa". I also didn't try the "Body scrub" or "Body wrap" (what even IS a body wrap, really?). I needed to relax. And I did. There was a "Swimming pool [outdoor]" and a "Swimming pool," too. But I just needed to sleep.
Services and Conveniences (The Little Things That Matter):
They really try. They have "Daily housekeeping," "Laundry service," "Doorman," "Concierge" (kinda), "Elevator," and "Luggage storage." A "Convenience store" is so nice to have on-site. I like them having the "Gift/souvenir shop," too.
For the Kids (Because Someone Has To Think About Them):
"Family/child friendly," absolutely. There are "Kids facilities" and "Kids meal". I didn't have kids, so I can't say how kid-friendly, but the hotel is a good spot for traveling with them.
Getting Around (The Essentials):
"Car park [free of charge]" – Hallelujah! "Car park [on-site]" – also good! They had "Airport transfer," but Tucumcari doesn't exactly have a bustling international airport, so…
The Real Truth (Stuff They Don't Put on the Brochure):
This isn't the Ritz. This isn't a luxury resort. This is a solid, reliable, clean, and comfortable La Quinta. And after a day of driving, that’s precisely what you need.
The Imperfections (Because Nothing's Perfect):
- The breakfast, while plentiful, had a certain…mass-produced quality. You know the drill.
- The occasional highway noise. (Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper!)
- I didn't see a "Bicycle parking"!
The Verdict: Would I Go Back?
Absolutely. For the location, the cleanliness, the free Wi-Fi, and the general sense of "we got this," I wouldn't hesitate. It's not going to blow your mind, but La Quinta Inn & Suites in Tucumcari is a solid bet. And sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, that’s all you really need. So, best kept secret? Maybe not. But a good choice? Definitely.
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Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your average, sterile travel itinerary. This is the raw, unfiltered, "I'm pretty sure I have the travel bug and a touch of caffeine withdrawal" version of a trip to Tucumcari, New Mexico, centered around a stay at the La Quinta Inn & Suites. Prepare for a wild ride.
The Tucumcari Tango: A La Quinta & Beyond (A Messy Itinerary)
Day 1: Arrival and the Big Ol' Sky
- 1:00 PM MST (ish): Land in Albuquerque. Seriously, that flight felt like a time warp. Did I even pack socks? (Spoiler alert: I didn’t.) Scramble to get a rental car – a minivan is the only one available (sigh), but hey, extra room for souvenirs, right?
- 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM MST (ish): The drive to Tucumcari (or at least, attempts at driving). The landscape unfolds like a giant, dusty painting. Those wide-open spaces…wow. I feel a sudden urge to write a country song, or maybe just scream into the emptiness. Stop at a random roadside diner for a late lunch. Ordered a burger that was possibly from the Pleistocene Era, but the charm? Phenomenal. The waitress, bless her heart, was named Agnes, had a beehive hairdo that defied gravity, and made me feel like I was home.
- 4:00 PM MST (ish): Arrive at La Quinta Inn & Suites. Interior looks clean and pleasant, but the exterior, as usual, is a mess with lots of peeling and some odd yellow stains. Check-in…smooth. Got a room with a view of the highway (not ideal, but hey, close to the action!). Quick, disorganized unpacking. Attempted to arrange all my things, but got distracted by the sight of the iconic Tucumcari Mountain in the distance.
- 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM MST: Take a walk around the hotel. It's got the standard pool/gym, with the standard emptiness. Went back to my room. I just had to sit and stare at the sky. The sheer vastness of it…it was overwhelming, the kind of overwhelming that makes you feel both insignificant and incredibly alive. It's the kind of sky that makes you understand why the desert has inspired so many artists.
- 6:00 PM MST: Dinner at Del's Restaurant. Oh. My. Goodness. The neon sign lured me in, but the food? Classic diner perfection. The fried chicken was an act of culinary divinity. Nearly wept tears of joy.
- 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM MST: Cruise down Route 66. Stop at a few vintage shops – the kitsch is strong here, and I fully embrace it. Bought a t-shirt with a picture of a roadside diner on it. Obsessed, as always. This whole town feels like a time capsule, and I love it.
- 9:00 PM MST: Back to La Quinta. Bedtime. Stared at the ceiling for a good hour, the images and sounds of the day playing out in my head.
Day 2: Route 66 Revelations and Neon Nights
- 8:00 AM MST (ish): Breakfast at the La Quinta. Standard continental fare. I swear there was an overestimation of the importance of cereal or maybe I'm just not a cereal person. Needed more coffee.
- 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM MST: Exploring Route 66 more thoroughly. Visited the Blue Hole for a brief look. I wish I had my swimsuit.
- 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM MST: Lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. Guacamole, margaritas…the usual. It was okay.
- 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM MST: Drive around and just soak it all in. More random stops at quirky roadside attractions. I found a shop that sells vintage postcards. I spent a good hour just reading them, imagining the lives of the people who sent them. Made me realize how much our world has changed.
- 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM MST: Pool/Gym. Well…I attempted the pool. The water was freezing, and there was only one other person there, a rather solemn-looking man doing laps. I lasted all of 10 minutes. The gym was abandoned and unkempt.
- 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM MST: Nap time! (Need I say more?)
- 7:00 PM MST: Dinner at a Route 66-themed restaurant. The decor was a spectacle of Americana – signs and classic cars. Food was alright, but felt a little like a tourist trap. I was okay with it.
- 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM MST: Neon night tour! (Yay!) Tucumcari at night! The neon signs glow, casting a surreal, cinematic quality to the place. The motels and diners are transformed into shimmering beacons. I spent a good hour just driving around, taking photos, totally mesmerized. So beautiful! So nostalgic!
- 10:00 PM MST: Back to La Quinta. I'm in the parking lot but something kept drawing me to get some more photos of the neon motel across the street. I wanted to get more photos of the sky.
Day 3: Departure and the Desert's Embrace
- 8:00 AM MST: Quick breakfast at La Quinta. I'm tempted to skip it altogether.
- 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM MST: Brief photo stop at the old downtown. Still beautiful but feeling the travel fatigue. I hate that I had to leave so soon.
- 10:00 AM MST: Check out of La Quinta. Okay, I wasn't sad to leave the hotel, but I was certainly bummed to leave Tucumcari.
- 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM MST: Get Gas.
- 12:00 PM MST: Start the drive back to Albuquerque.
- 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM MST: Stopped for lunch.
- 3:00 PM MST: Arrive in Albuquerque. Back to reality. The world is bright again.
- 4:30 PM MST: Go home. Already planning my return.
Reflections and Ramblings:
This trip wasn't perfect. There were minor hiccups, moments of frustration, and the recurring feeling of not quite being able to fully capture the magic of the place. But Tucumcari…Tucumcari got to me. It’s a place that wears its imperfections with pride, a place where time seems to slow down, and where the sky stretches on forever. La Quinta was functional, no frills, but it provided a warm spot. The town became a character in my story. This trip wasn't just about seeing things; it was about feeling them. It was about the unexpected moments, the chance encounters, and the simple joy of being somewhere different. And that, my friends, is what makes travel truly worthwhile. Now, where's my map…?
Lancaster's BEST Kept Secret: TownePlace Suites Luxury!
La Quinta Tucumcari: The Truth (and a Whole Lotta Opinions) - FAQ Edition
Okay, Seriously, Is La Quinta in Tucumcari *Really* a "Best Kept Secret"?
Heck if I know if it's a *secret*, but it's definitely a reliable haven in the sprawling desert. Look, let's be real: Tucumcari isn't exactly teeming with luxury spas and Michelin-starred restaurants. It's a Route 66 town! So, "best kept secret" might be stretching it *slightly*. But for a clean, comfy place to crash after driving all day, with a decent breakfast and a pool? Yeah, it punches above its weight. I was there the other week, you know? I needed a place to crash after driving from Albuquerque to Amarillo, and trust me, after hours on the road, La Quinta was just… right. Not perfect, mind you, but definitely right. More on *that* later.
The Pool. Everyone Talks About the Pool. Is It *Actually* Worth a Dip?
Alright, the pool. Listen… it's *there*. And after a scorching day of driving, it feels like an oasis. I'm not gonna lie. It's not the Four Seasons, okay? The tiles might be slightly off-kilter, the water might be a tad… *chlorinated*. And yeah, sometimes there are rogue leaves floating around. But, and this is a big but… it’s *refreshing*. I spent a SOLID hour in that pool, just floating and staring up at the New Mexico sky. Pure bliss. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. I got a little pruney. But it was still good. Bring your own towel though. The ones they had were kinda… thin. And I think someone might have stolen one. Don’t tell them I said that!
Breakfast: Tell Me ALL About the Breakfast! (The Good and the Bad!)
Ah, breakfast. The make-or-break of any budget hotel stay. And La Quinta, thankfully, delivers a solid performance. Free waffles are a gift from the gods, people. Waffles! Especially after the kind of driving you do on Route 66. They have the little waffle makers, you know? Those things are a joy. However...the “eggs” are... well, they remind me of the kind you get at a truck stop. Let's be frank, they are probably a reconstituted egg-product of some sort. The sausage is alright, the fruit is usually fresh-ish and oh, the coffee? It's… coffee. Drinkable. Do not have high expectations, but for a quick brekkie before hitting the road? Absolutely. I LOADED UP on the fruit the last time, though. Needed that fiber after the… ahem… pre-made eggs. And the plastic cutlery? Meh. But hey, again: free waffles.
Okay, Rooms! What's the Deal? Are They Clean? Spacious? Haunted?!
Okay, rooms. The most important part. And honestly? Generally, yes. Clean. I checked. I always check. I'm a bit of a germaphobe, I can't help it. They're usually pretty tidy. The beds? Comfortable enough to pass out on after a long day. The space? Fine. Not a ballroom, but enough room to spread out and throw your luggage around. Are they haunted? Hmm. I didn’t *see* any ghosts. Though, there was *one* time… I swear I heard a faint whisper in the middle of the night. Could have been the wind. Could have been… something else. I’m not ruling out the haunted thing, let’s just say that. But really, the rooms are functional and fit the bill. The AC works (thank goodness), the TV’s alright (the channel selection leaves a little to be desired, but hey, you're not there to watch TV, are you?) and the bathroom is, well, a bathroom.
What about the Staff? Friendly? Helpful? Or Are They Secretly Robots?
The staff? Mostly… okay. Friendly enough. They're doing their jobs, which is more than you can say about some places. I had one particularly delightful interaction during check-in. The woman at the front desk, bless her heart, was so welcoming. She helped me find a good diner, which turned out to be amazing. And another time? I had a broken lamp. They fixed it pronto! No robot overlords in sight. The service is decent. They're definitely not trying to win any awards for hospitality, but they’re perfectly fine, which is all I ask. Look, they're working hard. Cut them some slack.
Is it REALLY Worth the Price? Is it a Good Value?
Value? Hmm. Depends on the price, right? In Tucumcari the prices are usually good! It’s not a rip-off. For what you get – a clean room, a pool, free waffles, and a relatively hassle-free experience – yeah, it’s a good value. I’ve paid WAY more for accommodations that were far worse. It's a good place to crash and not worry. Just remember to grab those extra waffles before you leave, you know? You get what you pay for, and at La Quinta in Tucumcari, that's not half bad at all.
Parking: Is it a Nightmare? Or Easy Peasy?
Parking? Easy peasy! Plenty of parking spots, always. Never had an issue. Unlike some cities I could name… It’s Tucumcari, people! Parking isn’t a problem. You can even park right outside your door. Which is awesome after a long drive and you do not want to carry bags to your room. So yeah, parking is a big thumbs up.
Anything Else to Know? Any Hidden Gems or Dirty Secrets?
Hmm... Hidden Gems? Besides the waffles, which I’ve already mentioned approximately a million times? Well, there's aOcean View Inn
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