Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa hotel review: A hidden gem in the desert of New Mexico

Nestled on 550 acres of land in the beautiful Sandia Mountains just outside Albuquerque, you’ll find the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa. This luxurious resort offers a variety of top-notch amenities, including exceptional dining options, a revitalizing spa, horse stables, and hiking trails, all in the heart of the Land of Enchantment.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the resort and explore what makes it a must-visit destination for anyone searching for a unique and unforgettable escape.

Booking

We used our Hyatt Points to book a stay at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa. Since it’s a Category 3 Hyatt hotel, we only redeemed 12,000 Hyatt Points per night for a Standard Room (the off-peak nights cost 9,000 points and peak nights cost 15,000 points). The cash rate per night during our stay would have been $332.

Additionally, if you have a Category 1-4 Free Night Award, you can redeem it for a stay at this property.

Our favorite current offer from the Chase Bank to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards transferrable to Hyatt at 1:1 is from the Chase Ink Business Cash.

Check-in

Hyatt Regency Tamaya was built in 2001 and is only a 30-minute drive from Albuquerque International Sunport.

As mentioned above, Hyatt Regency Tamaya is located on 550 acres, so you would see the “Welcome to Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa” sign turning from the main road to a narrow winding road in the desert miles before arriving at the hotel itself!

During check-in, we inquired about a possible upgrade to a Suite (the hotel offers 350 guestrooms and suites). Although we were informed that the hotel was fully booked due to a wedding event, the concierge unexpectedly discovered that they had a cancellation just 10 minutes prior. Thanks to her efforts, we were able to secure the Executive Suite and enjoyed our stay even more.

Parking

Hyatt Regency Tamaya offers daily parking for a $10 fee and overnight parking for a $18 fee. This daily fee was waived for us as Globalists.

Map of Hyatt Regency Tamaya and Spa

Suite upgrade

We were upgraded to a spacious 754 sq. ft. Executive Suite with a 1 King bed in the bedroom, a sofa bed in the living room, and two balconies (both with a small dining set) overlooking the mountains and the pool.

We also requested a crib for the little one, and it perfectly fit the living room without cramping the space. Note, there was no door separating the living room and the bedroom.

In the bedroom, you could find a compact workstation, which we actually used as a school desk for our oldest to finish her homework.

Dining at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa

Santa Ana Cafe

Newly renovated Santa Ana Cafe offers indigenous-influenced, casual American fare, local New Mexico classics, and vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Guests can dine indoors or on the beautiful covered patio with views of Tuyuna Mesa.

Santa Ana Cafe is the place where you would have your breakfast, including your complimentary Globalist breakfast for up to 2 adults and 2 kids.

On a weekend, you can choose from the buffet and the menu, while on a weekday, it is only the menu option (I guess they do not get busy enough during the week to keep the buffet running).

Below are some pictures from our breakfast. The food was great, and the service was excellent and helpful.

Rio Grande Lounge

Dining at the Rio Grande Lounge patio with spectacular views of the Sandia Mountains was the highlight of our stay! The pictures don’t even do the justice of how beautiful the view was, not even to mention how peaceful.

Just look at those shrimp tacos and whole-fried trout! The food and surprisingly good craft drinks were amazing, and if that was not enough, you also got to watch the sunset in the middle of the desert!

They offered a separate menu plus different flavored lemonades for the little ones (our favorite was strawberry-basil).

Plaza Grill

When at the pool, you could enjoy the pool service with some light fare with sandwiches and burgers, and drinks (plus ice cream for the kids). Note that this poolside restaurant is seasonal and is only open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Amenities

Pools

Plaza Pool and the waterslide

Adult-only Kiva Pool

Whirlpool

Oxbow Pool, 3 ft. only pool

Tamaya Mist Spa

The spa at Hyatt Regency Tamaya offers a range of treatments that combine ancient Native American healing techniques with modern spa therapies to provide the ultimate relaxation experience.

StayFit™ Gym

Hyatt Regency Tamaya offers a complimentary, open 24 hours daily fitness center.

The Stables at Tamaya

The Stables at Tamaya offers guided trail rides for the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa guests. Located on the resort grounds near the Twin Warriors Golf Club, the stables feature a variety of horses suitable for riders of all experience levels.

You can book a private or group trail ride through the resort’s concierge. Rides typically last one or two hours and journey through the red rock landscape of the Santa Ana Pueblo. The minimum age for the riders is 8 years, and the price is $90 per person for 90 minutes.

Although we were unable to go on a horse riding adventure this time, we opted for a shuttle ride from the hotel to explore the stables. Afterward, we decided to hike back to the hotel, which took us approximately 30 minutes.

Twin Warriors Golf Club

Twin Warriors Golf Club is one of the attractions at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa. This scenic 18-hole championship course was designed by acclaimed golf architects and offers fairways, tricky bunkers, and large greens that slope and break.

The stunning mountain views and challenging layout have earned Twin Warriors recognition as one of the premier resort courses in the Southwest from Golf Digest. Guests of the Tamaya Resort, as well as daily fee players, can enjoy this beautiful and demanding New Mexico golf experience.

Bike rental

Bicycles and helmet rental are included in your daily resort fee, and you can take those for a spin on the resort’s nature trails.

Store

At the onsite store, you could stock up on some snacks and souvenirs or grab a coffee with a pastry at the counter.

Resort arts & crafts

You can experience local art and traditions while enjoying crafts such as Dream Catcher Making, Painted Pony, Clay and Culture, and Gourd Painting. Reservations are required and the cost is $25 per person.

Complimentary s’mores

At the Hyatt Regency Tamaya, you can ask the front desk for complimentary s’mores kits to enjoy at one of the resort’s fire pits. There are three fire pits available – one by the pool and two in front of the Rio Grande Lounge patio. The kids had a great time roasting marshmallows and playing on the grass afterwards.

Area attractions

We split our trip to New Mexico between a stay at Hyatt Regency Tamaya and a stay in Santa Fe, and managed to explore a lot in the area. You can read more about the family-friendly things to do in Albuquerque and Santa Fe here.

Bottom line

In summary, a stay at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya is a unique experience that combines Southwestern culture, luxury, and natural beauty. With great hospitality, breathtaking landscapes, and top-notch amenities, it’s a place your family won’t forget. We are definitely coming back!

On Points With Kids Summary

We redeemed 36,000 Hyatt Points for three nights at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa. The cash rate for our stay was $994.62 ($332 per night on average, including taxes and fees), which equals 2.76 cents per point, an amazing value! We also got upgraded to an Executive Suite, which would have cost even more.

You can apply for the following credit cards to earn Hyatt points that can be redeemed at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card application (Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to the World of Hyatt program)
• Chase World of Hyatt Business Credit Card application