New Mexico offers unique Valentine’s Day getaways

With Valentine’s Day less than a month away, a New Mexico hospitality company is encouraging couples to consider spending that special day in the Land of Enchantment by highlighting a variety of distinct offerings from romance to adventure.

Heritage Hotels & Resorts, which operates a number of hotels and inns that embody New Mexican culture and tradition, is promoting properties that will appeal to a broad range of interests.

For art and nature loving couple: Taos
Palacio de Marquesa, two hours from Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ), is an upscale, eight-room inn located five blocks from the historic plaza of Taos.

Hotel Palacio de Marquesa
Courtesy Heritage Hotels & Resorts
The inn offers guests a luxury retreat while paying homage to famous women artists who have lived in Taos. The inn offers complimentary in-room gourmet breakfasts, as well as seasonal workshops including art and cooking classes in the communal living room and in the property’s high desert garden.

Rooms offers guests modern touches including brushed-metal canopy beds with Frette linens, New Mexico original woven bed throws, viga wood ceilings, private fireplaces and luxurious marble bathrooms. In-room spa services are also available.

Activity: Snowshoe Hiking
Explore the beauty of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains or the spectacular Rio Grande Gorge with a personally guided snowshoe tour of the Taos wilderness by experienced naturalist guides. Taos Snowshoe Adventures offers packages that include a gourmet lunch hand-prepared on the trek. Packages are also available with two night stays at Palacio de Marquesa. Rates start at $159 per night. More information is available here.

For couples seeking warmer weather: Las Cruces
A suite next to the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces’ luxurious outdoor swimming pool might be just what the doctor ordered. The property is a unique New Mexico hotel with an ambiance reflective of Spanish and Mexican Colonial history and tradition. Located in downtown Las Cruces, it offers luxurious accommodations and on-site amenities including the popular Azul Ultra Lounge. Its location also makes it convenient to a variety of off-site attractions.

Activity: Tantalizing tapas
After spending the day lounging poolside, guests can spend an evening that will "stimulate their palate and energize their spirit at the Azul Ultra Lounge," according to company literature. Modeled after the sophisticated clubs found in Spain and Mexico, Azul offers a host of tempting tapas (small plates) that rival any of the restaurants in Las Cruces. Located within the hotel, the lounge also offers a menu of innovative cocktails and fine spirits, beer and wine that guests can enjoy on the outdoor patio outfitted with refined Spanish furnishings. Rates start at $164 per night and include a bottle of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. Packages are available here.

Building along Albuquerque's Historic Route 66
For couples who love to learn: Albuquerque
Hotel Albuquerque delights travelers with a distinctive blend of historic grandeur and contemporary comfort. The landmark hotel is located in the heart of Old Town and offers luxurious accommodations and amenities including on-site restaurant and bars, an outdoor resort swimming pool and a romantic wedding Chapel.

Read my previous post about Albuquerque here.

Activity: Science and sippables
Valentine’s Day Weekend guests can spend a day at Explora Science Center, a museum with 20,000 square feet of exhibit space on two floors and include 250 interactive exhibits. Afterward, they can then attend a Mixology Class in the hotel’s legendary Q Bar, Albuquerque’s most sophisticated nightclub and lounge. Guests will receive an exquisite appetizer, one full size drink of their choice and samplings of six craft cocktails made during the tutorial. Rates start at $189 per night. Packages are available here.

For couples who love food and romance: Santa Fe
St. Francis in Santa Fe is named for the city’s patron saint. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the property embodies the authentic spirit of old Santa Fe. The décor features handcrafted wood furniture by local artisans inspired by the Palace of the Governors and a palette of natural colors reflecting the days of Santa Fe's early Franciscan missionaries.

One block from Santa Fe’s historic Plaza, the hotel offers guests a wide array of luxurious accommodations and amenities including an on-site restaurant and bar and indoor and outdoor patio seating.

Read my previous post about Santa Fe here.

Activities: Food and drink
Guests will enjoy a bottle of wine in their room and will receive 15% off any Food Tour New Mexico tour including A Taste of Santa Fe, a walking progressive lunch tour through the heart of the city’s historic downtown. A guided tour through one of the most historically rich cities in the United States that also includes tasting some of the city's top restaurants makes Food Tour New Mexico a “must-do” activity. Rates starting at $149 per night are available Feb 11-17th, 2015. Packages are available here.

Santa Fe Museum of Art
Visitors can also opt to stay at the Hotel Chimayo. Nestled in the heart of downtown, just steps from the historic Santa Fe Plaza, it offers an authentic Northern New Mexico escape. More than 400 years of artistic tradition welcomes guests, creating an ambiance drawing from the multifaceted story of the community. From the original artwork in every room to the décor and colors of the public areas, the unique traditions of Northern New Mexico are present in even the smallest decorative elements.

Activity: Art and chocolate
Guests may want to take advantage of a private tour of the Santa Fe art scene, which will also include tastings at two local chocolate shops. Artisanal chocolates bring out unique flavors by employing an array of sweet treats and organic ingredients native to New Mexico, including chile, pinon nuts and lavender. Guests will also receive a complimentary bottle of wine in their room. Rates for two nights start at $149 per night and are good the entire month of February. Packages can be booked here.

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Photos by Carl Dombek unless otherwise noted
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