My family ended 2024 and began 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. It’s an aging property, but has aged gracefully and we greatly enjoyed our stay. World of Hyatt Globalist recognition was outstanding.
Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa Review
This is a Category 4 hotel in the World of Hyatt program. With nightly rates at $289 + tax, it was a great opportunity to use our Category 1-4 free night certificates (and a great reason to get the World of Hyatt Credit Card),
Location
You’re going to have to work your way to the hotel…it’s quite a distance off I-25 and secluded above the settlement of Santa Ana Pueblo.
Parking
Free self-parking is available or valet parking for $18/night (free on award stays for Globalists). We were driving from Scottsdale and arrived at 10:35 pm and found no valet guys outside (and I don’t blame them…it was below freezing outside!).
I parked the car outside, checked in, brought our bags upstairs (and my sleeping wife ad kids), then parked the car. During daytime hours, valet attendants are waiting to take your car or help you with your bags.
Check-In
The check-in experience was quite underwhelming, but thankfully not indicative of the high level of service I enjoyed during the rest of my stay. Again, it was late and the two staff members were just sitting at the desk engrossed in their mobile phones. One did not even bother to look up, nor offered a greeting, but finally one of them quickly checked me.
No Globlaist recognition by the front desk staff, though I was handed keys for two rooms, suggesting I was upgraded to a suite (I checked the Hyatt app and confirmed this).
Room – The Frog Suite
It was quite a hike to get our room – it was a good 7-minute walk down many hallways.
Our rooms, 4252 and 4254, were located in an outdoor courtyard. 4252 was the bedroom and 4254 was the living room. Each had their own bathroom. The living room was just a converted guest room with an adjoining door between the two rooms. I appreciated the upgrade and it served our purposes very well. The kids could have slept on the pull-out couch in the living room, but since our room had two beds we all slept in 4252.
I took these pictures after arrival:
and these in daylight:
Both rooms had balconies overlooking the pool area:
The bathrooms in each room were mirror images of one another:
Keurig coffee machines were placed in each room and the refrigerators were well-stocked with still water, sparkling water, and juice (all free). There was no mini-bar.
A placard gave you the opportunity to opt out of housekeeping service in exchange for World of Hyatt points or $10 food and beverage credit:
> Read More: A Clever Incentive To Turn Down Hotel Housekeeping
Food + Drink
The resort has several restaurants, a bar, and a market with coffee, groceries, and sundries.
Santa Ana Cafe
Breakfast was a delight at this property and I loved that it went until 2:00 pm each day…oh how I wish more hotels would offer late brunch. Both indoor and terrace seating was available (the patio was fully enclosed and had heat lamps).
Our first morning was a la carte only and we enjoyed familiar staples like omelets and berries, but also delicious “Tamaya Blue Corn Pancakes.” The coffee was excellent homemade green juice with spinach, ginger, and pineapple.
Christoph, our waiter, was from Dusseldorf Germany, and was such a kind man. We enjoyed talking to him and he makes a great cappuccino.
The second morning, New Year’s Day, there was a buffet (plus the same a la carte menu). I chose the buffet because there were items like chorizo and ham enchiladas and eggs benedict with pulled pork. Plus, there were fresh berries and delicious cinnamon rolls.
This restaurant is normally not open for dinner, but was open for a special buffet dinner on New Year’s Eve ($65 each). Having eaten brunch at 1:30 pm, we were not in the mood for a big buffet, but it looked appetizing:
Corn Maiden
Corn Maiden is the resort’s fine dining restaurant with focus on cuisine from New Mexico. A set dinner on New Year’s Eve was $95 each. The restaurant is open Wednesday – Sunday and closes from January through April during the low season.
Rio Grande Lounge
Heidi and I ended up at Rio Grande Lounge for our dinner on New Year’s Eve and ended up ordering far too much!
The hotel bar has indoor and outdoor seating.
We did not order alcohol, but began with smoked brisket nachos and then Heidi had a salad with grilled chicken and I had tacos with red chile braised chicken.
The food was good, though the nachos alone were enough…we ate too much!
Trading Post – General Store
Starbucks Coffee (much to Heidi’s delight and my chagrin) was available in the Trading Post, along with groceries, souvenirs, and other essentials.
Atush Bar & Grille
The resort has a golf course and Atush is located near the greens…but was closed.
Plaza Grill
The poolside grill was also closed.
Room Service
So Heidi and I could have a “date” we ordered room service for the kids and then put on a movie. They both wanted pasta…and ate the pasta, but rejected the meatballs. <shrug>
Pool
The hotel has two outdoor pools and an outdoor jacuzzi, plus two more jacuzzis in the locker rooms. Thankfully, the pool was heated and the kids enjoyed many trips to the pool during our stay.
Spa + Wellness
The resort offers a full-service spa with a salon as well as massage and facials.
For the first time in many years, I got a haircut from someone other than the man who I trust to cut my hair in LA…he had been under the weather before the trip and I had meetings the following week that required me not to look homeless (it had been eight weeks since I got a haircut…). That always makes me scared, but thankfully the haricut turned out fine (she just cut the sides and left the top virtually untouched).
Wellness facilities including a steam room, sauna, and whirlpool are available in each locker room and cost $50/day for access if you are not getting a treatment (or haircut). However, Globalists members get free access to the locker room.
Fitness Center
A small fitness center is next to the spa and open 24/7. The selection of strength training equipment was limited, especially for the upper body.
Business Center
Near the front desk and elevators, you can find a computer and printer (free).
Hiking Trails
The hotel has hiking trails along the Rio Grande River and we enjoyed an excellent late-afternoon stroll.
Great Treatment Of Globalists
I really appreciated how well this hotel took care of World of Hyatt Globalist members. First, our entire breakfast bill was removed both mornings. Second, the free use of wellness is a nice perk (since I would have paid for it otherwise). Third, we received a great upgrade to a suite…the extra space was great. Fourth, a bowl of berries was waiting on the living room table…my fondness for berries is noted on my profile and always appreciated.
Yes, the exchange during check-in could have been better, but this hotel takes care of its Globalists.
CONCLUSION
We were all sorry to leave this hotel (and dragged out our departure until 4:00 pm). It’s not the sort of resort I can easily return to from Los Angeles, but we really enjoyed this property, recommend it, and would return to it.
Wow. The bathroom in that room looks right out of the late 1980s or early 1990s.
I agree Delta Diamond and the top of the half wall had a patina of dirt/wear during our stay two years ago – yuck!
Our stay was brief, sandwiched betweeen a visit to Sandia Peak and an early flight out the next morning. The breakfast does look very good (and it takes a lot to get me excited about breakfast) and its a shame we missed it.
We had an off-putting experience with the valet service. My husband told the valet we were leaving at 5am and they said they would NOT be on duty but would leave the keys with the front desk and the car parked out front. He tipped him $20. The next morning, the car was parked far away, in the distant lot, which made for a cold, frustrating experience.
I thought the hotel was very dated and the spread out design gave it a deserted, lonely vibe.
However, we appreciated the non-NYE dining option and enjoyed the firepits to ring in the new year.
A lot of the Hyatt Regencies in the USA have that 1990s or early 2000s feel. They can put new wall coverings on, replace the TV or whatever, but at the end of the day the Hyatt Regency properties, like Sheraton and Marriott, feel older. The worst are probably the 1980s and 1990s suburban Marriotts.
Good write up on the property…thorough with lots of pics and info. I appreciate how you maximized the time and ammenities during your stay…even taking a hike on the trail.
I don’t know that I’d go for a stay…a bit off the track for me and a little worn.
The less-than-enthusiastic FDA’s always make me feel like I’m checking in at at Marriott property.
As I said in your NM post, I really want to visit this resort. It looks like a relaxing place to hang out. Do they have convention space? I’m trying to understand who the target demographic is. I know NM gets a fair amount of tourism, but are they coming here? It seems too isolated to get many weekenders, and not really convenient to parks or ski areas.
Also, on a side note. I find it interesting you actually add a tip to your breakfast. I generally write “GLOBALIST” in the tip and total line. I’ve been told this is perfectly fine. Before I did this, gratuity would often make it on to my final bill, and I’d have my concierge remove it.
So I agree tipping is way out of hand, but seriously? I’m sure the server is really happy to know your loyalty status. Pretty tacky.
I’m going to do a post on the tipping tomorrow – Jerry’s a good guy and I assume he beileved (perhpas wrongly) that the server would get a tip if he wrote in Globalist.
One interesting thing not pointed out is that the hotel is owned by the local Indian tribe. There are many unique touches related to this including an art gallery and classes for the kids related to Indian culture -highly recommended!
Woof! I spy a thirst trap photo. Those abs! :-p