The Vacation Atlas

A Night at The Desert Compass in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Jan 18, 2021 | Travel, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

A Night at The Desert Compass in Albuquerque, New Mexico (9)

Since travel isn’t happening right now, I’ve been really wanting to (safely) take a staycation without leaving the state. I’ve spent a lot of time obsessively scouring through listings on Airbnb in the state of New Mexico just to see what’s available in case I wanted to get away for the weekend. I could never find anything I loved. Most rentals were nothing special, just regular houses people have converted into rentals to make some side income. Nothing worth blogging about or doing a photoshoot in.

If I ever did stumble upon a rental that was specifically designed to be an Airbnb, I was always turned off by the overuse of kokopelli statues, chili ristras, and fake Native American artifacts. It was always obvious they were just trying to appeal to tourists and as a local I found it inauthentic and had no interest in staying in a place like that. This was why I was so intrigued when I stumbled upon The Desert Compass on Instagram; a cluster of vacation rentals located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

I’ve never seen a short term rental incorporate the southwest in such a sophisticated and tasteful way. I would describe the aesthetic as modern and minimalistic with Southwestern and bohemian accents. All styles you’ll find pinned to my Pinterest home décor boards, so this was right up my alley to say the least. In this post I’ll be covering my favorite features of “The Coyote Suite”, a cozy one room, two bed adobe casita in Old Town, Albuquerque.

A Night at The Desert Compass in Albuquerque, New Mexico (14)

1. Located a few blocks from The Sawmill Market                                                                         

The Coyote Suite is in a prime location, located just a few blocks from The Sawmill Market as well as other attractions which I wasn’t expecting upon arriving.

The Sawmill Market is a unique dining experience featuring specialty food stands scattered throughout a big warehouse style building. They even have a floral themed cocktail bar where you can order exotic cocktails inspired by flowers (again, this whole experience was right up my alley!). Because of this I think staying at The Dessert Compass with some friends in the summer months would be such a fun time. Note that the area is pretty safe so you could easily and safely walk there from the casita. 

2. Top of the line appliances and tasteful southwestern décor

Something else I want to make sure I add, is how carefully thought out the design was. Not only did they do a great job choosing décor for this space, they also did not cut any corners when it came to designing this rental.

Even the silverware was intentionally selected for this casita and all of the appliances and décor was of the highest quality. I was pleasantly surprised by this because these details weren’t apparent in the photos I saw before arriving.

Like I mentioned before, I also really enjoyed both the modern and Southwestern style of this place. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see a traditional adobe home that’s also modern, spacious and well lit.

3. Includes pottery, murals, and art from local artists                                                                                                       

This was the cherry on top for me. I’m a big supporter of and advocate for buying local and I often feel that many businesses here never consider local talent when adorning their establishments, yet make sure to heavily market the business as ‘local-friendly’.

New Mexico is famous for its artistic talent, so it’s bothersome that more businesses don’t utilize the talent pool here. Going the extra mile and incorporating local art also really showed the level of thought that went into this place as well the integrity of the designers behind The Dessert Compass. Some local décor that was featured in this space was; murals and painted skulls by Spiced Ink, pottery by Hanselmann, antique furniture from Aloe, and dried floral arrangements by Florecita Flowers.

4. A kitchen equipped for cooking 

The Coyote Suite actually has a pretty decently sized kitchen for a short term rental. It felt like there was plenty of counter space to work on and there was also a designated dining table to eat on which, again, isn’t common for a vacation rental this size. Because of the practical living features of this place I’m sure it will be a huge hit after the pandemic when the film industry picks back up in New Mexico. Productions are always looking for nice rentals to house out of town crew members and actors. 

5. A private outdoor courtyard 

This makes it perfect for staying with friends in the summer as it includes two outdoor seating areas as well as a cute porch swing. There’s also large patches of grass in the courtyard, and the neighboring wall has tall bamboo growing for added privacy.

Having a courtyard also made it feel a little more tucked away even though there are other casitas in close proximity. I also want to add that you have to drive through a narrow driveway to get to this rental so you’re not directly parked on the street, making me feel completely safe to walk out to my car to get something at night. 

I highly recommend staying in The Coyote Suite if you’re ever in New Mexico or live close by and need a getaway. I was thoroughly impressed for many different reasons and can’t wait to return in warmer months with some company when gatherings become acceptable again. I’ve stayed in a lot of unique rentals in interesting places and The Coyote Suite is definitely high on my list of favorite places across the globe. The fact that it’s in my own state gives me so much inspiration and happiness. 

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Written By Mia Stallard

Mia Stallard is an adventure blogger and content creator documenting unique stays and experiences. She's based wherever there’s wifi and a good view, but currently resides in the magical mountains of Northern New Mexico. Her hobbies include drinking overpriced lattes in swanky cafes, road trips through the desert, and skinny dipping in naturally occurring bodies of water across the globe.

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