Chama River Bend Lodge — Hotel in Chama

We had a large, clean and comfortable room. It was a nice place to stay while in town to ride the train. BUT I have serious concern. ||In 100+ hotel reviews I've written over the past 10-15 years, this is the first time I ever experienced what appeared to be questionable financial practices at a hotel. The conflict was over how my credit card was charged, outside our contract terms. ||I tried to resolve the matter through email (no response) and in person. I believe they lied, not once but twice. They insisted that Expedia had initiated the early charge and that the staff at Chama Bend River Lodge had no control over that. ||Wanting to give the benefit of the doubt, I did some research on this matter after returning home. I spoke to all relevant parties including representatives at Expedia and Hotels.com. I reread thoroughly my contract with each party, as well as all related emails, all of which point to a clear conclusion. This charge was not initiated by Expedia. It was initiated by the hotel, and hotel staff didn't want to tell me that.||The credit card overstep--while unsettling--didn't hurt us substantially. Much more concerning was the hotel staff's dishonesty. Going forward, it makes a person wonder in what other ways this staff is not to be trusted. ||If they only had said, "Oh, man, we charged you early. I'm really sorry," I would have moved forward with respect for them and would have written a glowing review...because it really is...

The location is fine. The lodging site is nice with amenities for people with kids. The King room was decent, with space for a table and chairs, and included a fridge and microwave. There was only coffee, no tea provided for in-room use. The TV wouldn't connect to dish service and the on-screen instructions didn't match any button on the remote. The furniture surfaces needed to be wiped down. We could roll with all those issues for a 1 night stay to take the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway (highly recommended, btw!).

But beware: the Chama Bend River Lodge owner want all the benefits of being listed on booking sites, but wants to pass along the fees to its customers! Our hotels.com booking stated the price and indicated "pay at the property." Days before arrival, the Lodge sent us notice of the option to avoid fees by paying them in cash. We called twice and emailed for clarification, but RECEIVED NO REPLY. The day before arrival they billed our credit card FOR MORE THAN OUR HOTELS.COM PRICE, thereby passing along the fees to us, their customers.

This is deceitful and misleading. We will certainly never stay there again nor recommend them. We came with a friend who also booked a room and received the same treatment. Also unlikely to return...

We stayed in a lovely cozy cabin. Free wifi. Kitchen is equipped with cooking utensils, pots and pans, dishes etc. We had a private bedroom, a loft with 2 beds and a sofa bed. My Grandchildren loved the loft! Everything is clean and in order. The kitchen was very clean as were the stove and refrigerator. The grounds are very niece kept and there were paths for walking. Charcoal grills are also provided for your convenience, and we did use it . There is a small dining area to side of kitchen or you may use the barstools to eat at the counter area. My Family had a wonderful time and I'm sure we'll be back. Also there is a large park with a playground for tbe kids. I saw 2 area where one can have a bonfire plus they had a fire pit and patio chairs and benches available. There is also a...