Not just one, but two motels in the Route 66 town of Tucumcari, N.M., were given 2013 Traveler’s Choice Awards by TripAdvisor.com for being rated among the top 25 bargain hotels in the United States.
The Blue Swallow Motel was ranked No. 3 in its category, and the Motel Safari was No. 20. Both motels sit along historic Route 66. In addition to being hospitable, both motels are known for their attention to their historical details.
The average night’s stay for a “bargain” rate motel in TripAdvisor’s awards cost $152. Both the Blue Swallow and Motel Safari are considerably less than that.
TripAdvisor said about the 11th annual awards:
TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions covering more than 650,000 hotels and collected in a single year from travelers around the world.
Go here to see the Blue Swallow’s TripAdvisor listing; Motel Safari’s listing is here.
Other noteworthy awards for businesses in Route 66 towns (but not on the Mother Road itself) included the Inn of the Five Graces in Santa Fe, N.M., which was No. 1 in the small hotels category. Among bed-and-breakfasts in the U.S., Casa Cuma Bed & Breakfast in Santa Fe was No. 11. Among the top 25 U.S. hotels, Peninsula Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, Calif., was No. 12, the Waldorf Astoria Chicago was No. 13, and Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago was No. 20.
Girl & The Goat, less than a mile north of Route 66 in Chicago, was among travelers’ top restaurants. Chicago and Los Angeles, which bookend Route 66, were named among the top destinations worldwide.
I had seen the TripAdvisor list but missed that $152 Bargain Hotels number. I hoped there was more to it and there is. Bargain Hotels are those with rates under $175 and in the lower 30% of their market. That info is from TripAdvisor’s Julie Cassetina. Location. Location. Location.
Those 2 properties are also ranked #1 & #2 overall in a town with brand new new-build chains and the top 10% of their market, so what’s your point??? Give credit where it’s due, as both those properties work VERY hard on a daily basis to take great care of their guests. On top of that, no matter what location you’re talking about, it’s the TOP 25 in the whole United States.
Great news. We stayed at the Safari and LOVED it. One of our favourite hotel experiences period, not just along 66!