I don't think I've written a review since our first stay 5 years ago, so I thought I'd give an update based on our stay last week. Unlike our previous stays as Diamonds, we were only Platinum this time, so we reserved a Mountain View room, which is exactly what we got. On previous stays, we have had either junior suites or a VIP suite, but the location and view of this particular room (2121) was one of the best we've had, and made up for the lack of extra space. We didn't miss the Regency Club either, enjoying breakfast al fresco on the expanded Santa Ana Cafe patio. (We noted very few people dining inside, as it was so nice outside, even in August.) The breakfast buffet was only offered on the weekend, when they were busiest. They have moved the omelet station outside, freeing up the inside buffet area for better circulation. The breakfast menu offers a wide variety of regional options. At dinner, they also offered a nice buffet option.

We really enjoyed the live music offered most evenings on the Santa Ana Cafe and Rio Grande Lounge patios. One evening we even heard music drifting softly from the wedding pavilion in the bosque.

Our balcony facing the Sandia Mountains was our favorite spot to enjoy our morning coffee or sip wine while watching the sunset. It was such a quiet and peaceful place! One thing we noticed each morning that we had not observed on previous stays was droppings on the table and floor of the balcony. We initially thought they were rodent droppings, but the staff member who arrived to clean it up explained that the brown bats like to hang out on the balconies at night. All part of the natural setting. I think I scared one off when I went out to watch the sunrise one morning! In addition to the bats, we observed several bunnies and a rafter of 9 wild turkeys from this balcony. The resort offers a nature walk each morning and evening, but we saw much more wildlife from our balcony than we did on the walk!

We had another great stay and will probably return next year.