Sign in with Facebook
209-211 Chapelle Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87501, United States
of people enjoy staying here
73 Opinions
toonsarah
User Rating
Helpfulness
When we were planning our road trip in New Mexico we knew that we wanted to spend several days here in Santa Fe, and we knew that we wanted to stay near the centre, within walking distance of the Plaza. We also didn’t want to spend a fortune – a set of apparently incompatible wishes, until I came across the Chapelle Street Casitas. This is a cluster of self-catering properties, ranging from small and cosy to large family-sized options, all scattered over a few blocks in an area to the north west of the Plaza.
The website has lots of detailed information about each, some photos, and for some a link to a YouTube video, so it’s quite easy to see what you’re getting for your money. As there were just two of us we chose one of the smaller properties, 211 Chapelle C, described as “a small, rustic one bedroom” which is a fair enough description. It is one of a row of four in, unsurprisingly, Chapelle Street itself, just around the corner from the B&B that forms the hub of the business (for an extra payment you can have breakfast here but we preferred to go out and about each morning, with the flexibility to choose our own time and place).. We checked in at the B&B though, where the owner was full of useful info about the town. She gave us a street map, and a sketch map showing the location of our unit and also a nearby parking spot that was ours to use for the duration of our stay.
The row of Chapelle Street units was built over 100 years ago to house Army officers at the local fort. The description of Unit C goes on: “small one bedroom, living room with futon sofa bed, bedroom with queen bed, full kitchen, full bath” – and that about sums it up! You enter directly into the living room, which leads in turn to the bedroom, with bathroom off it, and beyond that the kitchen. The latter is fully equipped for self-catering but we didn’t use it as such, apart from employing the large fridge to keep some cans of beer cool!
Unique Quality: On the whole we were very satisfied with our little home in Santa Fe. The location as I’ve already mentioned was great, the main rooms (bedroom and living room) were cheerfully painted with nice old dark wood floors, and we had everything we needed for our stay. The bedroom was maybe a little dark, but the website was honest about that and we were only in it at night so that wasn’t a problem. The bathroom was on the simple side and few toiletries were provided, but there were plenty of towels, the shower worked well and there was always hot water. The bedroom was maybe a little too small – only one of us could really move around at a time, and there was no room for bits and pieces at the bedside, although a good-sized wardrobe was more than adequate for our storage needs. I would only have one real criticism which is that the sheets, though clearly freshly laundered, had not been ironed, and although I can be pretty casual about that at home, I do expect my bedding, when I’m paying around $120 a night for it, to be uncreased and welcoming! But it didn’t bother me enough to complain to the owner, so I won’t make a big deal of it here either, and would certainly recommend the Chapelle Street Casitas to anyone looking for good value in this expensive city.
As well as checking out my photos, you can watch the YouTube video which shows the property very accurately, although the colours of the paintwork are a little subdued compared with the reality (my photos are a more accurate rendering of the colour scheme).
+++Next tip!+++
Chapelle Street Casitas Photo: Sitting room
3 more imagesSort by: Most recent | Most helpful
1 - 1 of 1
Loretto Chapel at dusk
Taos Pueblo
Pueblo Bonito from above
Whimsical folk art, Santa Fe
Although Santa Fe is a high desert, it still gets cold in the winter. Be sure to take along a warm outer coat, scarf and gloves. The best advice I received was from Kymbanm on VT who suggested dressing in layers.
Also, a hood to your parka or hat is necessary, because the wind can make it raw for you while you're outdoors. If you spend anytime at all outdoors, you'll be glad you were dressed to face the elements!
Santa Fe's unique appearance is due to the thoughtful preservation of its historic structures and to a zoning code, passed in 1957, that dictates how new buildings must look. New construction within older sections of the city has to be styled after specific Territorial, Pueblo or Spanish architectural styles that are considered traditional to the original town. The result is a harmonious blend of old and new: colors and materials that reflect the treasured cultural heritages that make Santa Fe truly "The City Different". The zoning codes also eliminate eye-sore strip malls, disproportionate building sizes and heights, and boxy, boring office and apartment buildings - hooray.
While many of the structures look like adobe, they're usually concrete with a stuccoed overcoat. Tradesman skilled in the craft have become a bit scarce so real adobe has become very expensive to build. They also involve a certain amount of maintenance as earthen walls can take just so many rainy days before they need a facelift!
An easy hour’s drive from Santa Fe will take you to the Bandelier National Monument. The site is named after Adolph Bandelier, the 19th-century Swiss-American who devoted his life to studying the Pueblo Indians of the southwest. The site, deep in the Frijoles Canyon, is full of natural caves and cavities which were used by the Anasazi Indians when they lived here between 700 and 450 years ago. There is an interesting visitor centre and souvenir shop.
For a different day, head south to the Turquoise Trail. If you're like me, you'll enjoy most, standing on the edge of Sandia Peak, looking down thousands of feet (hundreds of meter, 300 m to 1000 ft) to Albuqueque. The trail consist of very small towns that remain from the turquoise mines.
The Santa Fe Flea Market used to rival the world's great bazaars: aisles of booths, with everything from locally made denim clothes and T-shirts to Indian jewelry to antique light fixtures to Fiesta Ware, and a few North Africans (in djellebas and leather slippers) selling rugs, trade beads, and camel saddles.
In November 2003, Tesuque Pueblo abruptly closed the market to "recontour the site." Vendors stuck with pre-holiday stock were furious, especially when it turned out that the Pueblo planned to sell the dirt from the recontouring to a highway construction project. When the market reopened late the following summer, a few vendors trickled back, but some defected to other locations, and some just left town. The market has limped along ever since: there are fewer vendors, and the season is much shorter than it used to be. Because the market is on Pueblo land, vendors who sell Indian artifacts generally behave themselves, so that "Navajo" ring you buy will actually be Navajo (vs. made in Thailand). But it's more reliable to buy these items from the vendors at the Palace of the Governors in town, or from museum shops, or at Indian Market or one of the Pueblo arts-and-crafts shows.
Some of the clothing vendors (denim, linens, etc.) used to be a good deal, and I've found bargains in beads and beadwork tools/supplies. However, a number of these vendors have moved to Jackalope on Cerrillos Road.
Note that the Pueblo doesn't allow photography, even at the Flea Market, so leave your camera in the trunk of your car.
On the whole we were very satisfied with our little home in Santa Fe. The location as I’ve already mentioned was great, the main rooms (bedroom and living room) were cheerfully painted with nice old dark wood floors, and we had everything we needed for our stay. The bedroom was maybe a little dark, but the website was honest about that and we were only in it at night so that wasn’t a problem. The bathroom was on the simple side and few toiletries were provided, but there were plenty of towels, the shower worked well and there was always hot water. The bedroom was maybe a little too small – only one of us could really move around at a time, and there was no room for bits and pieces at the bedside, although a good-sized wardrobe was more than adequate for our storage needs. I would only have one real criticism which is that the sheets, though clearly freshly laundered, had not been ironed, and although I can be pretty casual about that at home, I do expect my bedding, when I’m paying around $120 a night for it, to be uncreased and welcoming! But it didn’t bother me enough to complain to the owner, so I won’t make a big deal of it here either, and would certainly recommend the Chapelle Street Casitas to anyone looking for good value in this expensive city.
As well as checking out my photos, you can watch the YouTube video which shows the property very accurately, although the colours of the paintwork are a little subdued compared with the reality (my photos are a more accurate rendering of the colour scheme).
+++Next tip!+++
131 members live in Santa Fe
Similar to Chapelle Street Casitas
Near Chapelle Street Casitas
Cheapest in Santa Fe
Great Hotels for Less
Q: christmas week "My husband and I will be traveling to Santa Fe and staying Christmas week...we will have our 21 yr old and 15 yr old with us...we..."
A: "Good place as the Santa Fe Ski Lodge isn't too far! Do you plan on getting a rental car? That will be your best bet. You won't need to do much driving if you plan on..."
Latest Santa Fe hotel reviews
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
We've found that other people looking for this hotel also know it by these names:
Address: 209-211 Chapelle Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87501, United States
