Nothing quite compares to a warm summer night, looking out over the city from a chic rooftop soirée. If you’re not the lucky owner of a suitable rooftop, head out to Level 5 bar at Hotel Chaco, where you can soak up its swanky vibes and take in the spectacular panorama—truly one of the best views in the city. As Albuquerque glitters below, locals and visitors alike can mingle around outdoor fireplaces, relax and sip sophisticated cocktails in style.
-As the name suggests, Level 5 sits five floors up atop the Heritage Hotel & Resort property in Old Town. The height of the fifth-floor location is a tribute the Chaco Culture National Historical Park that informed the hotel’s architecture and design. Chaco Canyon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the center of Pueblo culture in this region until 1250 A.D. To pay homage to this culturally relevant site, Hotel Chaco fuses traditional New Mexico heritage with a contemporary aesthetic. It influences every aspect of Level 5, from the decor to the food menu and even the cocktails. As a result, Level 5 feels cosmopolitan and yet authentic, modern but still at home in the Land of Enchantment. The architectural firm of Gensler and local design firm Kris Lajeskie Design were responsible for this stunning feat.
As Shawn Buckley, director of social media and communications for Hotel Chaco explains, “As special and important as Chaco Canyon is to New Mexican culture, we sought to create a space for not only our guests but for the community that was just as important and celebratory.” For example, the hotel architects and designers used sandstone from the Colorado-New Mexico border to reflect the palette and character of New Mexico landscapes. They used materials native to the area whenever possible, and highlighted Southwestern design elements like vigas and latillas. Circular spaces, a prominent feature of Chaco Culture National Historical Park are incorporated throughout the building, and the hotel itself is oriented to celebrate alignments with the sun and moon. On the rooftop balcony, desert succulents create contemporary-looking gardens next to long, natural wood tables. Traditional materials like ceramic bowls are given a modern-day upgrade with their minimalist simplicity.
The interior design includes commissioned work from contemporary Native artisans throughout the hotel, including Navajo rugs, sculptures from Roxanne Swentzell, paintings by Tony Abeyta, and doors and lights sculpted by Santa Clara Pueblo artist Tammy Garcia. Staff uniforms were created by Patricia Michaels of Taos Pueblo, and Ira Lujan from Taos/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblos created glass work throughout the property, including a hand-blown glass antler cloud in the lobby.
Beyond mere aesthetics, the food and drink are also influenced by Indigenous cultures. Ingredients are regionally and responsibly sourced, in part because Hotel Chaco acknowledges that “The cultures celebrated at Chaco understand humanity’s role as Earth’s stewards and we strive to maintain that in our restaurant.”
One way they achieve this stewardship is through The Garden at Chaco, which is where many ingredients served at Level 5 begin their journey to the plate. The garden grows turnips, fennel, eggplant, tomato, herbs and other seasonal ingredients, which then inform upcoming menus. The garden, Buckley explains, “allows us to use the freshest possible ingredients and to also have a functioning garden to provide seasonal offerings to our guests. The soil-to-soul concept is an important one that is a key part of Level 5’s ethos. Our menus showcase not only local but regionally significant ingredients.”
The menu is created by French Chef Christian Monchatre, who was selected for his ability to weave classic and modern techniques with those locally sourced ingredients. The menus are constantly evolving, depending upon the season and the availability of the best products. Chef Monchâtre then tailors the menus to create unique dishes that are representations of Hotel Chaco and its story. Like Albuquerque itself, Level 5 draws on many influences and backgrounds, using the best parts of each to create something unique and special.
For the cocktails, Level 5 strives to make as many items as possible inhouse. Again, the flavors are a bridge back to the history of New Mexico and Chaco Canyon. Hotel Chaco makes its own kombucha, ginger beer, grenadine, tonic and over a dozen other products used in the custom cocktail menu. Once more, the ingredients are just as important as the technique.
Level 5 is probably best known for The Sun Dagger, their twist on a margarita. It includes the classics, like lemon, lime, agave and tequila, but also gets a kick of bourbon and a spicy red-chile rim. Or, if bourbon’s not your thing, the Guayabera, aka “summertime in a glass,” gets its refreshing blast from house-made watermelon syrup, lemongrass tequila, lime and topo chico. The watermelon syrup also makes an appearance in Sandia Sunset, where it blends with fresh-squeezed orange juice and El Tesoro Reposado tequila. But it’s not all agave-based spirits and watermelons: other seasonal and house-made ingredients like creme de bai, fresh blackberries and lavender from the Chaco Garden also currently have a place on the always-fresh cocktail menu.
During the day, Level 5 provides a serene refuge to eat and have a quiet drink, but once the sun goes down, it gets much more lively as the bar transforms into a special-occasion spot, perfect for a night out on the town. The Bubble Bar is open Thursday through Saturday, and showcases New Mexico’s own Gruet sparkling wines, which make any occasion feel more festive. On Friday and Saturday nights in particular, guests can experience the sounds of the Southwest from Hotel Chaco’s resident DJ, DJ Cloudface. His unique musical style compliments the property; he is known for blending Native sounds with modern artists and music, and he sets the tone for a casual evening out with friends in a refined setting.
Whether you’re looking for a scenic locale to celebrate an important event, or a relaxing place to unwind after work, Level 5 will definitely level-up your evening revelry.
Level 5 at Hotel Chaco is located at 2000 Bellamah Ave. NW in Albuquerque, hotelchaco.com, 505.246.9989. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Originally published in Local Flavor Magazine, August 2019