Historic El Rancho Hotel

On the way to California, I called earlier in the day and reserved a room for that night. It was easy to reserve a room and checking in was short and sweet as well. Staff is polite and the rooms really are clean and unique. I love this place and the western/historical background is truly special. Highly recommend staying here and going to the gift shop and trying their margaritas in the lounge during your stay. Price is worth it, their is also a restaurant but we didn’t have time for it on our stay.

Our go to in Gallup. Such a cool place. Quaint rooms with comfortable beds. Clean rooms and friendly service. Way better than a big box hotel. Fun to wander the lobby area. It is actually the only hotel where we like to sit in the lobby. Plus restaurant/bar on site has great food and drinks

I love this hotel! I was a bit unsure about staying here at first from reading some of the reviews. Yes the rooms are a bit on the small side, yes the bathroom is small but don’t let that get in the way of the amazing hospitality and warmth of this place. The rooms are cosy and comfortable. And I love the theme and the history of the hotel. Sitting in the lobby with the beautiful warm fire and Christmas tree was a fantastic way to end the day.
All the staff were so warm and welcoming especially Leroy, he was a wealth of information. We will be back again

My friend and I were traveling from California and needing a place to stay for the night. Based on other reviews, the price and location we choose the El Rancho. This is a must stop if you are traveling along I40 or Rte. 66. Even if you can only stop in to visit the gift shop or restaurant, it is well worth it due to the decor in the lobby and upstairs.

The person at the desk was extremely welcoming and helpful. Our room was very clean and quiet. We stayed in the WC Fields room. The bathroom in our room was small but, again very clean. My friend has some mobility issues, so she elected to use the bathroom across the hall a few times. She said it was beautiful. There is lovely tile work throughout all the bathrooms. Very nice. We arrived too late for dinner but had breakfast on site the following am. I would give the breakfast, maybe 3.5/4 stars. Everything was just okay, not great. Prices were on par with the southwest.

The gift shop was amazing. The gift shop Manager welcoming and friendly. We spent too much money!

The decor in the hotel is unique and beautifully done and will take you back to early cinema days. 🎥 I would definitely return here and stay longer to enjoy the hotel more.

We found El Rancho online. We were blown away by the experience. Great history, amazing staff. Leroy greeted us at the door. Later while my wife and I sipped bourbon in front of the fireplace, he filled us in on the history. What a treasure!! Marissa served us dinner and breakfast. She was very knowledgeable and made a lasting impression on us. This place is a hidden gem in the New Mexico mountains!!

Nice place. I got a room in "the motel", a bit cheaper. If you see two prices for the same room, that may be the reason. I love walking showers, so they won me over easily. Has a retro rt66 kind of feel. Lobby with a fireplace, just very comfy.

Hotel El Rancho is nothing short of an experience! Great rooms and food at the restaurant, but the people who work there are what really sets it apart. We talked with hotel historian Leroy who filled us in on so much of the hotel’s history. He was a great storyteller and the history was fascinating! The ladies who work in the gift shop are super friendly and helpful as well. If we’re ever in the area again, we will stay at El Rancho every time.

Looking for a WONDERFUL place to stay? This is the right place. It was warm (love the lobby fireplace setting), it was very comfortable (great beds), the shower was great, and the second floor seating area was relaxing. Looking for Rt 66 Americana that is not too "old" then this is THE place to stay in Gallup. We are going to be returning for future trips through the area. Staff are very friendly and helpful. The restaurant has excellent food. Bathroom space was a bit small but the shower had ample room.

Such a wonderful place to stay! Love the history, the friendliness of the staff, the restaurant. I loved browsing the pictures, and enjoying the fire in the lobby. Wish we could have stayed longer. This was a highlight on our road trip from Texas to Oregon. I hope I can come again someday!

I'm in love with this place. My room was nicely decorated and the hotel staff are great. The place is a great value and it's one of a kind. No cookie cutter corporate ambiance here.

What a blast from the past! The rooms were bleeding yesteryear, and the staff… what great local folks! I want to share just a quick example, when we were checking out and going out and getting into our car, the housekeeping gal came running out to our car and said ma’am, where are you in room 506? My wife said yes, and she handed us my wife’s expensive necklace to her that we would have forgotten had she not brought it out to us! First class service folks… first class!

What a delightful stop over! The hotel is not only full of history and charm but great room option for our family and such friendly staff. The details in each theme room are so cool and I just loved the feel and history being shown off. We only stayed on night as it was a road trip stop over. We had hoped to have breakfast at the restaurant but a tour bus showed up and with one waitress run off her feet we headed out. Overall if you are in Gallup this is a great place to rest and enjoy.

Very well cared for historic hotel. Excellent staff, clean rooms , it's a step back in time. Highly recommend this establishment.
( bathroom was small, very nice , but small, like rv with full size fixtures small. Only mentioning because it may be an issue to some)

Very nice hotel with a really good restaurant. Rooms are small but laid out well and extremely nice. Would definitely stay here again.

This hotel is fantastic - they don't make em like this anymore. Ridiculous character but still well run and up to snuff. Just look at the sign, the rooms, the lobby. I'll take this over a 4 star hotel with marble bathrooms and "chic" dining any (aka every) day of the week!

If you like history this is a great place to stay. It is beautiful. The staff is very friendly. The rooms are small but clean. The bathroom in my room was so small when I got out of the shower I had to get dressed in the room because I could not move around. However, it was very clean, had hot water and the shower pressure was very good. The rooms were small but it had a good bed. Not high quality hotel bed but it was a good and comfortable bed. Overall it was a great experience and I would definitely stay here again.

“When in Rome do as the Romans do” or something like that…. It’s worth staying. So historic. Our room was small but nicely remodeled and efficient remodeled bathroom with great shower. Next time I might go for the comfort of a chain but got to stay here at least once if you happen to be passing thru .

This is a historic hotel, so some amenities may not be available (no AC, no hair dryer). Also, the rooms and their bathrooms are smaller than the modern ones.
However, the hotel compensates with the historic photos, furniture, paintings, and maps present in the hallways and lobby. A great place to stay for those passionate about 1940s movies. Each room is named after a movie star and in the room you'll find a bio for that person (if you didntrecognize the name).

To get to the upper floors you can take the stairs or if you have luggage), take thr old-style elevator. See video.

There is a great restaurant and bar on the premises and also an Indian souvenir store.

Take a step back in time to when America was so much simpler! Stay in the actual rooms where many stars of the past stayed included the "John Wayne Room" and many others! Prices for rooms are very reasonable. Be amazed at all the photos and memorabilia throughout this iconic motel! If you are a John Wayne fan you must stop! Enjoy a delicious meal in the restaurant and check out the gift shop where I purchased "Duke" John Wayne whiskey!

This place is amazing. Fantastic room, epic lobby, great restaurant. So much history and atmosphere but with all mod cons. And extremely affordable too! If only all hotels in America had the same standards and operating model - this place has cracked it; very few places in this price bracket can compete.