$150–250

Majority-owned by Picurís Pueblo, Hotel Santa Fe (1501 Paseo de Peralta, 800/825-9876, www.hotelsantafe.com [1], $219 d) is both a successful business experiment and a very nice hotel, with one of the few large outdoor pools in town, set against the neo-pueblo hotel walls. The standard rooms are a bit small—it’s worth upgrading to the junior suite if possible. If you book online, rates for the ultraluxe Hacienda wing—where the huge rooms all have fireplaces and butler service, and where niches in the hallways are filled with Native American treasures—are a steal compared to other high-end places in town.

A very nice bed-and-breakfast in this category is El Farolito (514 Galisteo St., 505/988-1631, www.farolito.com [2], $210 d), where the eight rooms have private entrances, small patios, and fireplaces. Decor varies from Southwestern to international folk art (in Casita Peralta, which has two double beds), and the breakfast is very good.

Much larger (72 rooms in several interconnected buildings), but still managing an intimate feel, the Inn on the Alameda (303 E. Alameda St., 505/984-2121, www.innonthealameda.com [3], $195 d) is a good option for people who want adobe style and space. The big rooms have triple-sheeted beds, wireless Internet access, and overstuffed armchairs that are only lightly dusted with Southwestern flair; most also have a patio or balcony. The difference between “traditional” and “deluxe” rooms is only that the latter have a fireplace, but the premium charged for that ($75 in high season) is a bit steep. The continental breakfast spread is very generous, and there’s a wine-and-cheese hour every afternoon.

The gracious Hotel St. Francis (210 Don Gaspar Ave., 505/983-5700, www.hotelstfrancis.com [4], $223 d), a California mission–style building that dates from 1923, has a pleasingly authentic historic feel. The Victoriana can be laid on a little thick, but the beds, topped with fluffy duvets, are exceedingly comfortable, and extras such as free wireless Internet and The New York Times delivered to your door can sweeten the deal for even the most lace allergic. The 82 rooms vary considerably, from a cozy nook good for solo travelers to bigger suites with big windows, dark-wood furniture, and quilts on the brass beds. The capacious lobby bar and front veranda are excellent places to rest after a day of sightseeing.

Another restful spot is Houses of the Moon (3451 Hyde Park Rd., 505/992-5025, www.tenthousandwaves.com [5], $249 d), the guest cottages at Ten Thousand Waves spa—some have more of a local feel, with viga ceilings and kiva fireplaces, while others are straight from Japan (both samurai era and contemporary anime). There’s even a tiny Airstream trailer ($119), a riff on the Japanese “capsule” hotel, that’s a great value considering access to the communal hot tubs is included in the rate. Rooms all have coffeemakers, microwaves, CD players, and private patios with hibachis.