After traveling to towns and regions like the Carmel Valley in California and Tucson, Phoenix and Scottsdale in Arizona this spring, an idea for a story about mountains in unexpected places started to percolate and will be featured in an upcoming issue of Mountain Meetings.
Sante Fe, N.M., only a five-hour drive from where I live and work in the Colorado ski town Crested Butte, also fits in this category. There are several new happenings of interest to groups in the nation’s oldest and highest elevation state capital that is only 16 miles from a ski area, Ski Sante Fe.
Santa Fe art collective Meow Wolf has opened its first permanent installation “House of Eternal Return” to great fanfare. The 20,000-square-foot interactive art experience housed in a former bowling alley has several immersive spaces, a 300-person music venue, video game arcade, treehouses and more.
Two hotels, La Fonda on the Plaza and Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, have completed final phases of renovations. La Fonda kicked off its project in December 2015 and focused on the revitalization of the historic property’s lobby, La Fiesta Lounge, gift shop, public bathrooms, garage vestibule and public corridors from the garage. In the new La Fiesta Lounge, groups can network and relax, enjoying cocktails and foods that range from a flight of salsas and chips and deconstructed nachos to a green chile cheeseburger and dessert churros with Mexican chocolate dipping sauce. The lounge also features a new coffee bar.
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi celebrates the enduring creative spirit and traditions of the region’s early Native Americans and both wrapped up a three-year renovation and celebrated its 25th anniversary in July with a new fitness center. With 1,100 square feet of meeting space, the property can host corporate, incentive and leisure groups of up to 50 participants.
The downtown Drury Plaza Hotel has introduced the 3,000-square-foot O’Keeffe Room with an open design and ability to seat up to 300 guests. The room also has a ceiling-mounted Epson 6000 Series HD Projector with a 12-foot projection screen and a complete in-house sound system. The property has a total of 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.
Known as one of the most walkable and artsy cities in the country, Santa Fe is a fun place to gather and visit. The downtown plaza, museums and one-of-a-kind shops are just steps from the Community Convention Center with 72,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Plus, there is the iconic Canyon Road, home to more than 80 galleries, perfect for a gallery walk or reception. You may not think of Sante Fe of a mountain town but downtown is just a few minutes from the pristine wilderness of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Watch for the Spring/Summer 2017 issue of Mountain Meetings to find out more about mountains in unexpected places!
