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Planning a trip to Mesa Verde National Park?

The Far View Lodge was our lodging of choice when we visited Mesa Verde National Park. We do recommend this hotel to other families visiting this national park, but this lodge may not be right for all families. 

Here's what we loved and what we didn't about Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde National Park.

What We Loved

The location of Far View Lodge is easily its best selling point. It's the only lodge inside the park, and it's just a few minutes drive from the cliff dwellings and other highlights. It's at least 30 minutes closer than any other hotel to the best attractions inside Mesa Verde National Park.

Far View is not just a name, it's also a description. Far View Lodge is set on a hill overlooking miles and miles of wilderness in four U.S. states. Every room has a balcony with seating. We loved watching for wildlife in the early morning and gazing at an extra-dark night sky from our private patio.

Some rooms have better views than others. Request and unobstructed view when you reserve your room.

The decor of our Kiva room was distinctive and of good quality. It was far more interesting than the bland decor of most hotel rooms. Our room also had a small refrigerator. We stocked it with breakfast and picnic supplies, which helped us save money on dining out.

The Far View Lodge has no in-room televisions. This was almost a no-go for us because one our kids' favorite things about staying in a hotel is winding down in front of the Disney Channel at the end of the day. However, the Far View Lodge has free Wi-Fi, so even they realized that we would muddle through just fine with our portable electronics.

With no television, and the hotel's remote location, the Far View Lodge is quiet.  Wonderfully quiet. In the morning, my children watched the sun rise through our big picture window instead of watching television while they ate their breakfasts.

Room for Improvement

There were a few things about the Far View Lodge that we didn't love. 

First, the rooms are small – smaller than the average hotel room. Our Kiva room had two double beds because the room was too small for two queens. That's a tight fit for my family of four. Adjoining rooms are an option, so families might want to book more than one room. Some Standard rooms are large enough for two queens.

The biggest disappointment was the thin walls. We could clearly hear entire conversations from the room next to ours. 

The location of the Far View Lodge is not a great base for visiting attractions outside Mesa Verde National Park. It will take an extra 30 minutes to get out of the park to go anywhere else.

Conclusion

If location is your top priority, book Far View Lodge. It's the closest hotel by far to the top attractions in Mesa Verde National Park. Panoramic views and wildlife sightings are outstanding. The sublime feeling of peace and quiet lingers with me. However, thin walls and small rooms would cause me to consider other options next time.

Disclaimer: Aramark sponsored part of our stay at the Far View Lodge, but the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

How Else Can I Help?

Want to read more reviews? click the button below to read more reviews, plus check current rates and availability on TripAdvisor.com.

Want more tips for this trip? Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is just a few miles from Mesa Verde National Park. It has more archaeological sites and lighter crowds. Click the Next button to get my tips for a day trip through Canyons of the Ancients.

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Allison

Hi there! I am the founder of Tips for Family Trips. I am a married mom of two children, ages 11 and 14, living near Salt Lake City, Utah. We took our first child on a two-week road trip when she was four weeks old and we have been traveling as a family ever since. We love to get out of the house to see and do fun things, both far away and in our own neighborhood.