'Something that really caters to everyone': Renovated hotel, restaurant add bold flavors and local touches to Downtown Albuquerque

Yahoo

25-03-2025

Mar. 24—A freshly renovated boutique hotel is establishing itself as an entry point into Downtown Albuquerque — and its restaurant is a major part of the draw.
Arrive Albuquerque, formerly Hotel Blue, opened on Feb. 26.
"We're finding that the neighborhood has definitely given us a very warm embrace," said Tabitha Stallworth, director of sales for the hotel.
The hotel and its restaurant come as city and private officials have looked at ways to revitalize Downtown Albuquerque, including a Tax Increment Financing District and a Business Improvement District. Hotel developers have also said they see Arrive Albuquerque as an example of coming change in the heart of New Mexico's most populated city.
"I feel like we're kind of the anchor of the Downtown threshold," Stallworth said.
The renovated six-story, 137-room hotel, which cost roughly $30 million, has many eye-catching features, including a mural by local artist Nani Chacon adorning the Eastern-facing wall with blossoming cacti and a vibrant red lowrider, a Zia symbol-shaped pool, and a unique style blending a retro and modern aesthetic consistent throughout.
The DWTNR's name, pronounced "Downtowner," pays tribute to the original iteration of the hotel, Downtowner Motor Inn, which opened in 1965. The original hotel was a pitstop for cars driving along the Mother Road, and much of Arrive's design — including the exterior lowrider mural — references that connection and period, Stallworth said.
For instance, the DWTNR has a complimentary jukebox, barstool and booth seating and a patio that overlooks a weekly Sunday cruise along Central.
The restaurant also has two large family-style tables that can accommodate up to 14 people.
"We have the full range and something that really caters to everyone," Stallworth said, adding that the property welcomes pets as well.
The restaurant's cuisine has hints of Pan Asian-American and New Mexican flavors.
"All the leadership here [at the hotel] is local. We're all from Albuquerque," Stallworth said. "They did a good job of asking for input and were like, 'Listen, if we're going to make it in New Mexico, you gotta have those little New Mexico pieces in there.'"
Though the menu is subject to change, current menu items include a green chile cheese smash burger, red chile-dusted fries, churro French toast served with ice cream, shrimp toast and a whole teriyaki chicken served in a Dutch oven. Menu offerings range from $7 to $32.
The DWTNR employs roughly two dozen workers and is open to the public seven days a week, with brunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., happy hour from 3-6 p.m. and dinner from 6-10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The restaurant has outside patio heaters for the cold and a large accordion door for the warmer months.
The hotel's general manager, Abraham Juarez, said Arrive Albuquerque's West-facing front entrance is how many tourists enter Downtown after visiting Old Town.
"We want to be a part of the community," Juarez said. "... This is a place where you can come."