I travel quite a bit for an association, so I'm always looking for the sweet spot between services and value. The Hotel Blue wins on a lot of counts (terrific, friendly service; free shuttles; cleanliness/safety/location) and, predictably at this price point, craps out on a few others (aesthetics, high-end amenities, exquisite attention to detail). There's a bar-restaurant in the works that can't come too soon, as there's *nowhere* in the immediate area to get a drink and snack past 9pm. And while the rooms are clean and feel safe, overall, the property has a kind of rusty, shabby vibe, especially around the exteriors and the elevators.

The location is great in the daytime, though: a couple of good choices for breakfast/lunch and coffee, a cute used bookstore, close to Downtown and Old Town. There are also big-a** flat screens, speedy Internet (albeit with a wired Ethernet connection, so bring your dongles, Air-users), Tempurpedic mattresses (although the pillows aren't great), free cookies in the lobby from the afternoon on—in other words, mostly useful added touches, but nothing fancy.

If you like your hotels ultra-luxurious or sleekly designed, this is not the place for you. The decor might charitably be described as budget "art deco" run through a cockeyed 1990s Miami filter, with some baffling anomalies—what's up with the individual fake fireplaces in the rooms? But if you're a traveler looking for value at a certain price point, it's pretty hard to beat.

I stayed at this hotel when I was moving from NC to CA. I had mom, the dog and myself which was stressful in itself. By the time we had made it to Albuquerque, i was spent. The nicest thing happened. We were greeted by Ian who was very helpful wnd when I told him I had been unloading all our belongings night after night and was not sure how safe truck would be in the parking lot, he offered to let me use their underground garage which was secure with roll down gate at night. Our room was newly redone with big TV and the best Temperpedic bed. It was so delightful, we spent three nights. Dog gave two paws up for all the pats and belly rubs given by staff. Would go to Albuquerque again just to stay there!

I have to admit, I was initially a little trepidatious in staying at a location not adjacent to the convention center. I'm happy now that I made this decision.

The location was excellent. My daily walk to the convention center was only about 10 minutes, while still remaining in walking distance to Old Town. An even better bonus was the convenience to nice, safe neighborhoods in which to enjoy a morning run. The Bosque Trail and Rio Grande Park were also easy to walk/run to.

The look of the elevator made me wonder what kind of property I was going to be staying in, but it belied the investment made in the guest rooms. The Tempurpedic bed was comfortable, and helped provide thorough nights' sleep. The updated aesthetic in the bathroom was a nice touch. The electric fireplace was a little hoaky, but not obtrusive.

Unlike some previous reviews, I found the property to be reasonably maintained and clean. I also felt completely safe during the full extent of my stay.

Close dining options are limited; however, the hotel shuttle can get you to places with greater variety. There is also a good independant coffee shop a block away.

Should I find a need to do business in ABQ again, I would not hesitate to stay here again.

I stayed a week at the Hotel Blue and it was a perfectly fine stay. This is not a plush hotel, so if you're after bells and whistles, this isn't the place for you. When I arrived, the Hotel was almost empty so the lovely girl at reception gave me one of their best rooms (5th floor, king bed, facing the pool). I was travelling alone and I felt completely safe here.

However, if you're after a reasonably clean hotel (the sheets are clean, the bathtub could be a bit cleaner), with good staff and great location, then give this place a go.

PROS
- Lovely staff (for the most part)
- Free freshly baked cookies daily and access to tea/coffee
- Free breakfast (standard but the coffee is good)
- Free shuttle to the airport, train, Old town
- Free internet in the foyer (only 2 terminals)
- Tempurepedic beds (ooohh so comfy!)
- Great location

CONS
- Elevator kept breaking down (I got stuck in there briefly and that was enough to freak me out) and climbing 5 flights of stairs wasn't fun.
- Staff could be a bit more knowledgeable about the sights and how to get to them
- Bathtub could be bleached/ cleaned better.

Overall I enjoyed my stay here and would stay again.