In a world of cookie-cutter resorts Hyatt Regency Tamaya, partnership between the people of Santa Ana pueblo and the Hyatt Regency, has set a new standard for comfort, elegance, and amenities of a destination resort, enriched by the culture and traditions of the land and the people of the pueblo, the people of Tamaya.

Inside, the lobby is perfumed with the scent of sage. The main room is built using traditional pueblo architecture with fireplaces to add warmth. Genuine native American art decorate the tables and walls. Comfortable couches and board game tables beckon. Go through the doors to outside terraces and the Sandia mountains rise in the distance. One of the many pleasures of the Tamaya is to sit on that terrace and sip a cup of coffee, or a drink, and simply breathe -- the air, the magnificent mountains in the distance, and the quiet peacefulness.

The guest rooms are elegant, comfortable, and well-appointed, flavored with designs used in native American pottery and blankets. The resort, and the rooms are infused with stone, wood and adobe, woven fabrics in turquoise, golden yellow, and pumpkin.

It is a beautiful resort in a breath-taking location atop 500 acres bordering the Rio Grande and the Tuyuna Mesa. It is a tranquil and quiet place. One afternoon I sit on the terrace and watch the sun turn the Sandia mountains pink. Another day I walk down through the Bosque to the Rio Grande and sit by the banks. The trees are glowing in the sunlight. The river whispers. It was almost as it must have been hundreds of years ago.

The Bosque itself, a cottonwood forest, has its own story. Over the decades non-native trees had been planted which slowly choked and overwhelmed the native species. The people of the pueblo have made restoring the forest one of their priorities, and the land from the hotel down to the river now boasts only native trees and grasses. Even the original wildlife, including turkeys, are being reintroduced.

The partnership between the Santa Ana pueblo and the Hyatt Regency has created a spice for the visitor. The program, Srai-Wi (which means to gather children together and share with them) offers native American activities, guided by the people of the pueblo.

Tamaya Traditions

One morning I joined several others at a long table set up in the courtyard by the two authentic "huruna" ovens and learned how to make pueblo bread by a grandmotherly woman of the pueblo. After the bread was baked, the tables laid with jam and butter and we all tucked into fresh-baked pueblo bread.

Journey Thru Tamaya

The Tamaya Cultural Museum is located on the grounds of the hotel and is the starting point of an introduction to the life and culture of the pueblo. After learning about the history of the pueblo, we walked down through the Bosque to the river and our guide, a member of the pueblo, described how her people were restoring the forest to its original condition and restoring the plants and the animals which inhabited the forest. We ended the experience with a wonderful chance to make a genuine adobe brick, led through the process by another member of the pueblo.

Clay and Culture

In this pottery class participants learn the pinch and coil methods for creating pottery. The clay is self-hardening rather than fired as it would be traditionally, but the experience provides a real appreciation for the difficulty in creating sturdy and symmetrical vessels using coils of clay rather than throwing on a wheel.

Art Collection of Tamaya

This tour was led by the curator of the collection, a passionate and knowledgeable woman. It's not often that a hotel showcases art. We learned about the artists and the themes of native American design, and the meaning of its symbols.

Stories Under the Stars

When I visited, the weather was not cooperative, and the story-teller inexperienced, but the idea is enchanting and worth a try. It combines viewing the constellations through their telescope and hearing traditional native American myths and stories.

Of course, the Hyatt Regency Tamaya offers all the traditional resort amenities, and a bit more. There are two restaurants, and a gift shop filled with lovely southwest art and artifacts. A children's program is available. There's horseback riding, hay rides, swimming pools, golf and a full-service spa. One could easily fill several days going from one pleasure to another.

The evenings are quiet. After dinner, perhaps a drink under the stars. For any nightlife, visitors can drive into Albuquerque or even Santa Fe. Shuttle service is available to the pueblo's casino. Filled with slots of all kinds, even a bank of penny machines, and other games of chance, it's a big but friendly place, and also offers a reasonably priced buffet dinner. Upstairs, a 32-lane bowling alley offers another form of evening fun.

There are many resorts in the world. What makes one stand out? Luxury and comfort, surely. Beauty, definitely. But the real lure is the culture and the location. Few places can offer the Bosque, the Rio Grande, the watermelon colors of the Sandia mountains, and the chance to experience the traditions and culture of the Tamaya, who have graciously opened a small bit of their rich heritage.

---

Photos by Neala