Casa Benavides Bed & Breakfast Inn — Hotel in Taos

My friend and I visited Taos last month and chose Casa Benavides for our stay. It’s located close to the town plaza and is within easy walking distance of many tourist sites and shops. The layout of the building proved to be a puzzle for us; we parked in the back parking lot nd it took us a few failed attempts to find our way around to the front door and main building. Many thanks to Tessie, who checked us in on our arrival. She was the soul of hospitality, greeting us with a warm welcome and a quick tour of the property. We booked the Georgia O’Keeffe suite of two bedrooms, each with a queen bed. Beautiful art was plentiful inside and outside, and especially in the main building which had quite a collection of pieces in the large sitting room. The breakfasts each day were delicious, and we appreciated the kindness and efficiency of the breakfast room staff. The menu tended to be fairly similar each day (yogurt, granola and peaches were always the first course during our stay). Our suite was of ample size for two people, with plenty of room to spread out. There were some unusual features which were a bit discomforting but might be easily remedied: • One room is larger than the other, and this room has built-in shelves and small table and chairs for guests to gather. However, the lighting in this room was poor. There was a ceiling fan but no overhead light; three table lamps did not sufficiently illuminate the sitting area. The other, smaller room had a ceiling fan with a light fixture, which was excellent. But there was no place to sit, other than a small straight-backed chair, or on the bed. If a light fixture was added to the ceiling fan in the larger room, guests could easily sit at the table and see what they were doing. • The table and all the chairs were clearly vintage antiques and very pretty, but they were not very comfortable. They were crafted for people much shorter than us; we used pillows on the seats to create a standard height to sit on. It might be useful to have at least one chair that would accommodate someone taller than 5 feet. • The bathroom was well-placed in between the two bedrooms. It was lovely but, again, not very useful for two guests. There was a thin wooden shelf on the wall above the toilet and another shelf on the wall by the sink, but it would be helpful to have a standard-sized medicine cabinet in lieu of the thin wooden shelf. A major improvement for the property would be the installation of sufficient and clear signage. Again, directions from the parking lot to the main building and reception would be appreciated. Signage that directed guests through each of the courtyards and the main building would also be helpful. Even signs that lead to the ice machine would be appreciated. A small frustration was the inaccessibility of the main building when staff were not present. The notice in our room stated that the main building is open until a particular time in the evening, but this is not correct. We were told by the older gentleman at the front desk that the main building is locked up after the last guest has checked in and is not opened again until breakfast is served. On one evening, the doors were locked by 4:30 pm. And on the day we checked out, all the doors to the main building except the front entrance were locked as soon as breakfast service was finished. The difficulty with this arrangement is that, whenever the main building is locked, guests do not have access to the ice machine, public restroom, or the main sitting area with books and comfortable furniture. A notice to this effect in the guest rooms would at least forewarn guests that they need to take care of getting ice, etc., during the time that staff is present. Our stay at Casa Benavides was pleasant, but it could have been even more memorable if these small considerations could have been attended to. We look forward to returning to the Casa on our next visit to Taos to see the improvements...

We chose Casa Benavides due to reviews and closeness to Taos town central. Overall, it matched the high rating I had seen when checking accommodations. The location is about a five minute walk to the Taos Plaza but is located on a secondary street which limited the amount of traffic noise. Our room fronted along that road yet the amount of noise affected us very little. Something which was appreciated after being in Santa Fe. I've read a few of the other reviews which rated low and I did feel similarly on a couple things: The structure is a bit old and could really use an update. The climate controls were in a closet and difficult to get to and there was the sound of running water which we could not find and correct. The bed is rustic and the bedding does seem off-putting compared to white sheets and covers you see in most corporate hotels. However, the bed itself, while a bit squishy was very comfortable and both my wife and I slept very well. The room is also decorated in religious motif so that may bother some people though it reflects the town of Taos in its origins. The front desk service was not bad but merely efficient. We had no issue checking in or out but no awards for friendliness or welcoming. We really enjoyed the breakfast which is also something I see highly rated in the reviews. This is a family owned business so it is run a bit slower than what may be expected in corporate hotels. However, we felt the quality of the food was very high and simply delicious. It seemed that the menu was vegetarian based as no bacon, sausage or other meat options. Yet again, it was delicious. Fresh fruit, waffles, home made granola (awesome) and options for eggs if you wanted. I would say that service could be a bit hit or miss. Everyone on staff helps out so there is no one person performing a certain job. So sometimes it may take a bit longer to get coffee or order there were times we were offered something twice because one person took our order and someone else came by to ask again. It is just the nature of smaller businesses. The eating area spanned both indoor and outdoor seating. It was hot so we ate indoors yet the patio area was enticing. All in all, a couple areas could be updated but Casa Benavides provides a bit more of an original travelers' inn experience in an age of glass buildings and sterile surroundings. I would stay again if visiting Taos and I suppose that says...

I took my mother who is ill with stage 4 cancer here to treat her while I still could... Oh, where to begin?... Probably with the positives: The location is awesome. The rooms would be what I considered awesome, if not for cleanliness issues (bugs specifically). They were cultural, cute, and the reception at the front desk was nice. The negatives: We only stayed one night. Upon checking in, we went out to explore the town. When we got back to our room later that night, I tried my key, but it wouldn't work. We were locked out. I had to call the after hours phone number because nobody works after 7. She was a little frustrated I could tell. It wasn't my fault. She told me that I needed to wait because she had to leave her house to come to us. After a little while, my mother showed up with the second key. It worked. I called the off duty number and told her that it worked, but upon examining the keys, they were completely different. She told me to throw the one that didn't work in the trash. I did, and let it go despite the fact that my mom had been sick and stuck outside unreasonably. Next, we wanted some ice. The ice machine is apparently locked up along with the front desk after 7. Next, I realized there was no microwave. Bummer, but okay. Next, later into the night I noticed bugs. Bugs everywhere. They were beetle like, like baby cockroaches. They were on the walls, curtains, windows, tables, in our beds, and even ended up in my water glass. And lastly, the shower in the morning turned cold whenever the people next to us used the water. Also, the next morning I was hoping to get breakfast and bring it back to the room for my mom because she didn't sleep very well (because bugs). Apparently my only options were sitting in the dining room, or eating outside. I told the hostess at the breakfast that my mom had cancer and was hoping not to eat with so many people because of covid and said I guess I could just take her out to eat, to which she said, " Maybe next time..." I could have let most of that go- but the bugs... When I checked out I notified the gentleman at the front desk of the bugs. He said that they would look into it and to expect something in return to make up for it. Well, nothing. I have gotten no phone call, no email, no apology. I'm sorry to seem like a complainer, but I genuinely feel like I should not have been charged as much as I was for...