T+L First Review of Hotel Willa Taos, New Mexico

When I finally arrived at Hotel Willa in the late evening, I was exhausted and on fumes. As I walked into the dimly-lit lobby, a crackling fire in the corner hearth was visible beneath the hand-troweled wall.

Set on the edge downtown Taos, New Mexico’s historic districtThis 51-room boutique is a reimagining of a 1960s adobe style motor lodge, transforming it into a haven for art-lovers and design-forward travellers. Casetta Hotels has made its first venture outside California. Electric Bowery in Los Angeles created an interior that blends preservation with purpose. The adobe walls remain but the interiors have been transformed with warm tones of clay, carved beams of wood, and vibrant textiles by local artisans.

Santiago LaRoche, the general manager of the hotel, and I explored my new home together after a pot of their famous tea blend. Each room is decorated with handmade ceramics and throws that pay homage to the pueblo craft. LaRoche explains that they wanted guests to have the feeling of stepping into a grandmother’s home, which is cozy, familiar and full of soul. The restaurant Juliette is fed by an edible garden full of herbs and rhubarb. Firepits and hammocks are located beneath the branches of the 200-year old willow tree.

Hotel Willa embraces the creative spirit of the local community. In collaboration with the Paseo Project, the hotel hosts residencies for artists and rotating installations. This transforms the lobby into a gallery with projections and performances. LaRoche says that it was important to not just take from Taos but also add to the story. People would attend dances at the Indian Inn. Now, some of these people are working to resurrect that destitute structure into Hotel Willa. This will bring a new story to the beloved building.

The first exhibition “On Site: the Artisans Of Hotel Willa” features works by visual artists as well as builders, contractors, and hotel employees who take on the role of artist. At the entrance, a pen and ink work by a security officer hangs next to a pipe sculpture created by a plumber. A few feet away, the black and gray photos of Johnny Ortiz Concha of his ancestral home frame the vignette he created using clay from that land.

Matt Thomas, the executive director of Paseo Project led me to a colorful mosaic that I initially thought. But it wasn’t—it was a wall of tightly packed, discarded plastics. Thomas explained that it was created TiLT, a nonprofit local organization which transforms non-recyclable materials into building material. This highlighted the waste issue and also one creative way of addressing it.

The back wall of “Bullet Cities”, which changed from purple to pink as the light outside changed, caught my attention. Thomas revealed that Debbie Long, an artist from New Mexico, had been collecting bullet casings on her hikes in the desert for the past two years. She poured glass and cast the casings into molds. The exhibit reminded me how beautiful this landscape was.

Every detail—from solar panels and bottle-filled insulation on the front wall to locally sourced minibar treats—felt deliberate, rooted in community and landscape. The Hotel Willa offers sweeping views from almost every angle of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

This is my review of the Hotel Willa, located in Taos New Mexico.

The Rooms 

I felt as if the desert had followed me into my 323 square foot Premier King Patio Room, which was dressed in muted colors and textures. The soft down comforter was crisp and matched perfectly with the brown leather headboard. It looked both modern and aged. The handwoven black and white bed runner, with its bold Southwestern pattern, caught my attention. The nightstands, made of solid wood, were clean and uncluttered. A small tray held a notebook and pencil.

As the light changed, the earthy walls of adobe took on a softer blush that echoed Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Heavy viga beams covered the ceiling. A deep walnut footstool was placed across from the bed to rest my hiking boots and an expanding canvas bag full of Taos wine and art. I also had a few postcards that I’d already begun writing.

“We crafted each space to feel like an extension of the surrounding land—quiet, warm, and grounded,” Lucia Bartholomew, principal of Electric Bowery, says. The setting of Taos provided endless inspiration. From its textured material to its sun-worn shades and deep creative energies.

The room was well-designed, but not too much so. The feathered bear sculpture was displayed on a small shelf. It wasn’t a hotel trinket, but rather something that looked like it had been crafted by a local artist. KNCU was playing on a vintage radio in the room, which filled it with Taos music and stories. The throw pillows were in shades of plum, ochre and slate that echoed desert colors. A full-length mirror was placed between the armoires and the bathrooms to bounce soft light around the room. Outside, two woven, round chairs were waiting for me to watch the stars.

Adobe House is a tranquil sanctuary for groups or families who are looking for extra space. The restored residence, when completed, will feature three suites which can be booked separately or in combination. Each suite has a living area, a walk-in-shower, a curated bar, and is anchored by an outdoor courtyard that includes a firepit and hammocks.

Food and Drink

Enjoying a meal at Juliette It’s like entering a warm and ancestral kitchen. The warm adobe flooring, cozy velvet sofas, and crackling fireplace create a relaxing atmosphere. Glass vases filled with fresh yellow and red carnations add a bright touch. Chef Ortiz Concha, who was raised in Taos Pueblo and has a deep connection to the region, adds a personal touch to each dish. He says that Juliette is meant to be a restaurant for everyday meals with deliberate ingredients.

I started with a fermented blue corn daiquiri—a flamingo-pink cocktail that perfectly balanced tang and funk. Next, the greens salad was served, crunchy and vibrant, with fresh grated cheddar and a mustard seed dressing. The smashed avo served with aromatic herbs from the garden of the hotel and a fennel-pollen cracker was a new take on chips and salsa.

The green chili cheeseburger—a regional staple—featured grass-fed beef, roasted local chiles, and deeply caramelized onions. The rhubarb and chile sorbet was made using produce that had been grown in the garden.

Chef Ortiz-Concha explains: “The reason we go to restaurants is to feel like we’re at grandma’s house—being fully taken care of.” Juliette lived up to her promise. She merged tradition, place and hospitality in a way that I will never forget.

The lounge is currently only open for dinner. Brunch, lunch, poolside dining, and in-room service will be available by mid-June.

Activities and Amenities 

The courtyard landscape is anchored with a heated pool and hot-tub, which are surrounded by hammocks, loungers and young desert plants. The gravel path leads through flowering yarrow, weathered stone and to the cedar sauna and cold plunge tub. In a small fitness area, you’ll find Peloton equipment as well as weights, treadmills and yoga mats.

The Paseo Project curates the 2,000-square foot on-site gallery. It features rotating exhibitions of local and regional artists. Monthly, an artist-in residence lives and works at the site, and offers open studios, performances and workshops.

As a guest I also joined the a Heritage Inspirations tour through northern New Mexico’s art-filled wine country—just one of several immersive local experiences the hotel can arrange. If you are visiting at a time when the mountains are covered in snow, then consider checking out Taos Valley Ski Valley, the World’s Only Certified B Corp Mountain.

Accessibility and sustainability 

Accessibility features include four ADA-compliant guest rooms with walk-in showers, wheelchair-accessible entrances, bathroom handles, braille room numbers, and two rooms with audio-visual entrance systems.

The hotel prefers to use eco-friendly materials like aluminum and glass instead of plastic and offers toiletries by sustainable brands, such as Aesop or Sustayne. Hotel Willa offers EV charging stations and half of the gallery is powered by solar energy.

Working together with Taos Initiative for Life Together The parking lot walls of the hotel were constructed from 2,000 pounds repurposed waste plastic by (TiLT), and architect Doug Eichelberger. The project is part TiLT’s Repurposing Plastic Initiative, which has prevented over 70,000 pounds from going to landfills since 2020.

Location 

When I arrived from Florida, it was a great experience. Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), a nonstop flight from more than two dozen cities in the United States. After renting a car, I drove the scenic 2-and-a-half hour drive north towards Taos. For quicker access, Taos Air by JSX Direct flights are available from Austin, Dallas San Diego and Los Angeles to the smaller Taos Regional Airport. Taos has shuttles and busses, including one that is free. To explore the town, you’ll need to rent a car.

The Hotel Willa is located just over 3 miles from Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I took a tour of the site for half a day. Kevin Whitefeather, a local tribal guide, shared with us the history and life of his people. We walked the pueblo’s streets, attended a welcoming ceremony, met native artists, and even performed the Round Dance Drum Song. It was an intimate and authentic look at one of America’s oldest continuous communities.

I had a quick bite just outside the pueblo Tiwa KitchenThe oldest Native American restaurant is now Taos’ most popular drive-through. After hiking through Whitefeather’s ancestral lands, and seeing buffalo up-close, their blue corn zucchini finger and refreshing chokecherry limeade tasted like a new taste of land. Indian tacos made with blue-corn frybread and buffalo meat were a local classic.

I also checked out Michael’s, a longtime local favorite recommended by chef Ortiz-Concha, where the piñon coffee was stronger than my hazelnut brew at home, and the blue corn atole-piñon pancakes arrived golden and steaming. Breakfast burritos topped with red and green chilies could cure everything. The pastry case was filled with donuts (Santiago’s favorite is the cinnamon sugar), wood stoves and stained-glass windows.

What to Expect from Your Stay

To get the best prices, you should book in the low season of Taos. This is late spring (mid April to early June), and early autumn (mid September to early November). Hotel Willa, a part of Casetta’s portfolio, also participates. Guestbook RewardsDirect bookings are eligible for a loyalty program that offers cashback or charitable donations. Guestbook offers guests the opportunity to earn cash back up to 15 per cent to be used in their network of hotels or donated to worthy causes.

Get special rates on nights at Hotel Willa Start at $199

Each T+L Hotel Review is written by a reporter or editor who has visited the hotel. The hotel chosen must also align with our standards. core values.