We recently ventured down to the heart of the American Southwest! Our family recently celebrated the end of the school year with a trip to New Mexico. I was shocked at all there was to do and see, and we barely scratched the surface.
Flights: We booked our flights through Southwest. There used to be a non-stop flight straight to Albuquerque, but unfortunately there isn’t now (or at least when we booked). But, we just made a quick stop in Dallas, so it was an easy trip. Tickets were super affordable at only about 15K points round trip for each of us. Add in that companion pass, and the 3 of us traveled there and back for just around 30K points and $33.60 in taxes and fees.
Hotel Stay: The idea behind this trip was this Hyatt Regency Tamaya. The resort is just about 30 minutes from Albuquerque. I had my eye on this property for a while, because I had heard it was a gem and such a great use of points. It also seemed like an “easy” and unique stay with lots to do on-site. Some of our favorite things included the pools (with a water slide), the on-site activities (like the clay and cultures class, free bread tasting, bike rides, tennis, free s’mores kits in the evening, and the nearby stables). This property is just a Hyatt Category 4.
World of Hyatt does have a new award chart, so point prices can run a little higher, but I was able to snag this stay for a steal. I had 2 Free Night Certificates I had earned from Hyatt, so I was able to use two of those on a couple of the nights that would have been 18K points. So, I ended up just paying 27K points for the entire stay (one night was 15K, the other 12K!)
The grounds were well taken care of with simple pops of color, but nothing that took away from the feel of the New Mexico property. There were also several nice touches throughout the resort that honor Tamayame people. It was really great to learn more about the culture and traditions of the area. My husband and daughter took a clay and culture class where they were able to make pottery and paint it while also hearing more about how clay has been so important for the people of Tamaya.
We really enjoyed the pools, hot tub and waterslide too. There are two pools for everyone (though one was a little chilly for us during our time there). There is a 3rd pool that is more private and adults only as well.
There is an on-site spa which we didn’t use, but have heard great things about! There is also a small art gallery and shop on site, as well as a small store with snacks, souvenirs, a few pastries and sandwiches/salads, ice cream, and food for the horses (I’ll get to that soon!)
Activities: We spent a lot of time on site and really enjoyed taking in the atmosphere of the property. But a couple of our memorable activities included horseback riding and a hot air balloon ride:
- First was our trail ride. The Stables at Tamaya is just about a mile down the road from the resort. This place is amazing because it is a horse rescue and rehab. We were able to interact and feed the horses daily. But, we also decided to take a trail ride. The prices are very reasonable and we just loved getting to relax and enjoy the Southwest by horseback.
- Second, was our hot air balloon flight. Rainbow Ryders took us on unique experience to the sky! We got up way before the sun to head out on this adventure. To be honest, I was a little nervous because I am afraid of heights, BUT I wasn’t scared at all during the flight! It was amazing to see how the balloons are blown up and to see the whole process of getting everything ready before a flight. Then, of course the actual flight was such a unique experience to be gently just floating above everything and getting that bird’s eye view was just such a peaceful experience. If you decide to take a trip to New Mexico and want to take a ride, be sure to use code “KCSAVVY” to save!
If you have never headed down to ABQ, put it in your radar, especially if you can snag a stay at Hyatt Regency Tamaya and book one of these experiences! This vacation was a fun change from what we normally do, and I’m so glad we took this trip down south!
