A beautifully restored 1930s adobe motor court on historic Route 66, combining curated Southwestern design, a lively swim club, and a dedicated mezcal bar.
El Rey Court opened in 1936 as a modest 12-room motor court built by developer Daniel Murphy along the original, pre-bypass alignment of Route 66. Located at 1862 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe, the property was designed in the traditional Northern New Mexico adobe style, featuring soft, hand-contoured white walls and heavy wooden vigas. Over the subsequent decades, the inn expanded organically across a five-acre campus, absorbing the neighboring 1950s Alamo Lodge in the early 1990s and eventually growing to 86 rooms. In 2016, hoteliers Jeff Burns and Matt Comfort purchased the property and partnered with creative director Jay Carroll to execute a thoughtful, multi-year renovation. Reopening in 2018 under its original historic name, the reimagined motor court preserves its classic roadside bones while introducing a contemporary, design-forward sensibility that honors the artistic legacy of the Southwest.
The interior spaces at El Rey Court reflect a highly curated, desert-modern aesthetic inspired by local design pioneers like Alexander Girard and Georgia O'Keeffe. Creative director Jay Carroll filled the uniquely styled guest rooms with custom-made textiles from Centinela Chimayo Weavers, wood-turned furniture by designer Dan John Anderson, vintage modular sofas, and Mexican equipale barrel chairs. No two rooms are identical, ranging from cozy standard queen units with original enclosed carports to spacious casitas featuring full kitchens, private patios, and wood-burning kiva fireplaces. Modern amenities are woven seamlessly into the historic structures, including Tivoli Model One bluetooth radios and turntables in select rooms, while the main lobby features a massive beehive fireplace painted with the hotel's guiding philosophy: "where fast lives slow down".
The social life of the property centers around its lush, landscaped courtyards and distinct communal hubs. La Reina, the on-site bar, was converted from the motel's original breakfast room into a bright, intimate gathering space with a white-washed adobe fireplace, a tiny outdoor patio, and a curated selection of mezcals, tequilas, and signature cocktails. The bar and adjacent lobby serve as a vital community venue for Santa Fe locals and travelers alike, hosting free live music performances on Wednesday and Sunday nights. Outside, the garden-fringed Swim Club features a heated pool, hot tub, and a seasonal swim-up bar, revitalizing a local pool club tradition from the 1970s. On mornings from Wednesday through Sunday, the Turquoise Trailer parked on the grounds serves fresh breakfast tacos and croissants, grounding the historic roadside experience in modern culinary comfort.
Request a room in the back of the five-acre compound, away from Cerrillos Road, to minimize traffic noise. If you are staying over a Wednesday or Sunday night, grab an early seat by the kiva fireplace in the lobby or La Reina to catch the intimate, free live music sets.
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