30 Best Stops Between Payson and Albuquerque (2024)

If you want a clean, comfortable room and bed, this place is for you. If you want to have fun, gamble all night , smoke and drink while you party at the casino, you will have to move on. There is no longer any smoking in the casino (except in designated areas)and no drinking on the casino floor either. You can only drink in the bars. You must wear a mask at all times as well and the casino closes at 2am. The room prices have increased $50.00 per night since I last stayed there prior to the pandemic as well. I understand the increase....everything is going up. I'm used to walking in here and hearing all of the slots going like Vegas, but I walked in and it was like a morgue. Almost no sounds at all, just a speaker in the middle of the casino playing music that sounded like I turned my PC computer speaker all the way up. Very disappointing and I will not be back unless they can return to the fun place it used to be. It was Saturday night and the casino was probably 1/3 capacity. Sad. It's a quick cheap flight to Vegas and you will experience a much more normal exciting time.

This has become a regular stopover on our commute between Texas and California. Easy access... big parking lot and very clean. As a place to rest for a bit and unwind it's great. They have extremely well cleaned restrooms. But the main attraction is the food. Great hamburgers.... well worth the stop.

This place is pretty awesome. I don’t gamble much but I have met some winners today and I’m here because I have to do a 34 hour reset for trucking. I am a smoker and although this is a non-smoking place is very clean everything is well-maintained with the exception of the smoking area outback but it’s in the windiest spot so I usually just go out front. Everyone that I have met here that works here that comes in here is all smiles. It’s crowded and I can’t wait to see the car rise at 7 PM for the band at thunder Road.. I have been told all about it, so I’m biding my time just to see this.

We stopped here because our previous experience with the RV park was amazing. However, it seems like they decided to dwell on outdated covid concepts so long they have killed their own business. certain amenities are just not open, the atmosphere is slow and somber. Our food was high priced and low quality with drinks served by the bottle even though they have fountain drinks on the gambling floor. The room had at least one piece of trash in it from about 10 months before our visit and the elevators were quirky enough to give us pause when boarding. The fitness center was simply closed with no real explanation of why. The whole thing wasn't bad, it just wasn't great for the price. Our room, with a veteran discount was only about 130 bucks, but we spent almost as much eating one mediocre meal in the restaurant. I will say the exception to the food was breakfast. They give guests a 3 dollar discount, the food was good, and the portions were generous.

Didn't get a room.I stop here once in a while while passing through New Mexico. I've always had a good time. I usually kick it in the Irish pub, then move on to the shorts bar. The bartenders are always nice, respectful, and prompt. I always leave a fat tip. I like this place!

I didn't stay at the hotel, so I am unable to rate rooms.Overall a very nice small casino with many restaurants. Unfortunately the buffet has been closed since COVID. I would like to see it re-open. I love buffets.The burger was fantastic and the best homestyle skinny fries. They actually tasted like potatoes. Super yummy.

Great casino. We stayed in the RV park and it was perfect. In the casino we were pleased to see everyone was wearing a mask. There were plastic dividers between slot machines so we felt very safe. Good food too. What more could anyone ask for. We'll stay longer next time.

My stay here made for a great getaway. From check-in to the casino, to the staff in the restaurants, everyone was extremely courteous, professional and very friendly. No one gave me any hassle about my service dog, and the room was spotless and comfortable. Dinner was at the Laguna Burger restaurant and the service matched the food; excellent. Breakfast was at the Stadium and Carlos, my waiter, saw that all was good. I will definitely return.

This is a nice midway stop on our way to Laughlin. Casino is clean and has fun slots. We went to the 7 p.m bingo it was fun but was a really long session. The hotel room was very clean, and comfy beds were comfortable. We definitely will make this our midway stop again!

Great place to stop! They offer truck drivers a free steak dinner, once, this is my 3rd time eating here and it’s been fantastic each time.!!! Sometime I might get a room, if I have a reset here. Everything here is absolutely fantastic.!!! I’ve had steak twice and shrimp tacos tonight, a lot of food, well worth the price.!!!

Great place to eat but a bit pricey at times. A great rib eye 14oz with 2 sides is my favorite but will set you back $34. Luckily I get $20 off as a coupon but still overpriced. Pizza in sports bar is the right way to go at $22.00 for a large and lots of toppings, and cannot top the green chili stew. Onion rings is another favorite as I always get and priced right at $7.99 as they are plentiful and meaty.

I have gambled at route 66 for several years. It used to be fun! At one point I was one of the highest tiers they had. It has run down drastically over the past few years. The travel center is poorly run and no maintenance at all, pumps are slow meaning 25 minutes to fill my tanks on a pick-up 50 gallons. You can not use your card at the pumps anymore. You have to go inside. The casino seems very old and machines are in need of up grade and maintenance. They are not interested in keeping people coming back so beware they don't play much! For myself I will use the few points I have left for fuel and win loss statement for this year and never return. Not worth the effort to drive out there.

We did not stay in the hotel as my husband is a truck driver and there is ample parking due to the fueling station next door. Atmosphere is great. Drinks weren't served when we were there. Bathrooms are good. We ate at The Laguna Burger and it was great. Slots were awesome. Hubby won twice and I won once. . . Nice pots!

Wife and I used the casinos adjacent RV resort and boy were we happy that we did! All components of the park are high quality as is the professionalism of the staff. All RV facilities are immaculately cleaned and well equipped. PICKLEBALL courts have great playing surface. Rec room has fireplace, Foosball, bar shuffleboard, etc! We're not frequent casino goers but did pop in and was impressed with a whole bunch of gaming options. I highly recommend this facility for an RV stay with casino option.

First time here. Very glittery place. Very clean and it looks like there are people cleaning all the time too. We lost about $200 in about 30 minutes but it did seem like a fun place overall. Lots of different food options and it was certainly bigger that I expected. I'd be interested to try staying at the hotel sometime just to have a short getaway. If you read this please click "like"... it helps my feelings. Thanks 😊

Can't drink or smoke on the floor. But still tons of fun. And they do have a designated smoking section outside in the back, tented and heated with comfortable patio furniture. Truck drivers can get a free steak dinner. Which was very good. 14 oz ribeye at Thunder Road restraint, cooked perfectly and seasoned well. Definitely will be stopping here again.

This review is for the pub and the blonde lady bartender that works in the day on Fridays. I do understand she was the only worker @ the time but there was a handful of patrons and she was too busy talking and having her back rubbed by a male patron instead of waiting on her customers. I then specifically asked her if it was happy hour and she said yes so we ordered the draft special. After asking for an itemized receipt she charged full price and then tried to tell me it wasn’t happy hour when we ordered when in fact it was. She needs to be trained on customer service, not only servicing the men. Not the same service as in the past!

Good news!! This hotel is service animals friendly. Rms were amazing. No microwave however to heat up left overs. Ps the bar makes delicious pizzas. I did not gamble. I was behaving myself for once. Bar staff were amazing. This will always be my stop when traveling.

The casino is in a great location, right off of the highway. The casino area was clean, big and staff was friendly. Food is just okay. Good enough to eat if your hungry but not good enough to brag about. The rooms appeared clean but with the age of the room I was in (looked like 80’s), it needed to be updated. The bathroom especially needed attention. The price was right though.

Great place to enjoy the weekend! The service was outstanding and our room was exceptionally clean and away from the others! Our Executive Hotel Host Kimberly, made sure we arrived to the location safely and answered any questions we had prior to checking in. Having previously stayed here, we were pleasantly surprised with the different promotions the casino offered as well as the variety of food options available. It couldn’t have been any better. Great service, great hotel, great food, and great amenities… and to top it off I walked away with some money in my pocket. I’d definitely recommend the resort to anyone visiting the Albuquerque and Santa Fe area!

We were driving 18-wheelers from Mesa, AZ to Denver, CO. We weren't sure how far we would make it but knew this was a good half-way point especially since they have truck parking. We called the hotel, explained our situation and was told we didn't need reservations, that they had plenty of rooms. We arrived, their two fuel islands were not working so we just parked. Went to the front desk to check-in and was informed they only had one room left - we need four. Not happy at all. Had to leave our trucks there and find another hotel. Wore to the wise, apparently they always say they have plenty of rooms when they don't so make reservations. On a positive note we did eat in their steakhouse restaurant and the food and service was very good.

Decent for a middle of nowhere stay and play. Was sad they got rid of the Travel gift shop. Room was clean. Had towels brought to our room and they left the door open. We were gone until the evening, luckily nothing was taken. Heard a huge dog barking on our floor at night and in the morning. Stayed there a couple times when I travel and it seems like the excitement that I used to feel when going there is dying out. They had a nice Steakhouse and how can you go wrong with a Laguna Burger!

The staff was great. Brought $200 worth of change and cashed it in at no charge. Tables dealers were also helpful to those in need and efficient and courteous. Free soft drinks and coffee. After so late all the places to eat on the inside quit serving food most of the late night hours. They should have at least some lil spot to grab a snack. I understand not having the bigger restaurant open but nothing. A lil hungry and that sure could have made my empty pockets not feel too bad cause at least my belly would be full.

Wow, what an incredible experience! We recently stayed at the Route 66 RV Resort and it exceeded our expectations in every way.The resort is immaculately maintained, with beautiful landscaping and spotless facilities. The staff is friendly and welcoming, going above and beyond to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay.The RV sites are spacious and well-equipped, with full hookups and plenty of amenities. We loved the resort's nostalgic theme, paying homage to the classic Route 66 era. The pool and hot tub were perfect for relaxing after a long day of exploring.

We've stayed at both the hotel and the RV park and have thoroughly enjoyed both of them! The hotel staff is super friendly from check in to check out. It seems that most of them enjoy their job and are happy to have you there. The rooms in the hotel are very clean and well appointed with perhaps some of the most comfortable beds in Albuquerque! The RV park is very nice with nice large spaces and is extremely well maintained. We've stayed a few times and there is always someone out cleaning, raking and tending to the sites. Highly recommend both of them! The casino itself is a bit odd, no drinking on the floor of the casino and very little staff to help out when needed. It was also very tight for us!

It does not have a view, the casino staff are very unfriendly, not accommodating in beverages. Floor manager, very nice, only one with a smile! Plus everyone complains no one wins, so save your money and go to Sandia now that's a view! Snack bar is horrid eat before u go! You'll be in and out there! Machines so tight the eagle screams!

Clean, comfortable room, easy check in, moderately priced but made that back in the Casino! Excellent burgers at the Cantina where Marta provided friendly, professional, quick table service. Also enjoyed a night-cap at Stadium 66. Friendly and efficient staff there, as well.

Very clean and right off the interstate. Rates beat the local hotels by $100 a night. Service was slow in the bar but the food was good. Drink prices were extremely high. Casino is non smoking.

I used to really like staying here..... "used to" are the key words. It's become a big disappointment for the price you pay for a room. The buffet & Sidewalk cafe are closed. The snack bar has extremely limited items. No fries & no burgers so you have to wait for the Laguna Burger place to open. I tried ordering a tuna salad & was told it would be about 2 hours for them to cut tomatoes. I told them I'll take it without tomatoes & the staff told me to come back in 2 hours. I asked for popcorn because the Bingo snack bar wasn't open & again I was told it's not ready. I offered to wait but the staff got loud & told me to come back in 2 hours. I went back 2 hours later & before I could open my mouth to place my order, they snapped & said the tomatoes still had not been cut. WTH! They don't even have yogurt at the snack bar. They no longer have a gift shop where you could go to buy necessities. You have to WALK to the gas station because the shuttle isn't running any more. There is no bell staff so be prepared to load & unload your luggage yourself. I got there early, with my luggage in tow, and the front desk wouldn't store my bag any where so I took it back to my vehicle. The chair in the room at the desk was dirty. Good thing I still carry gloves & disinfectant wipes with me.Basically, you pay resort fees but it's far from being a resort. I have pictures of the chair but my tablet won't let me attach pictures.

This is a very good Casino to visit. The facilities are nice and clean. It has a variety of food. They offer great customer service. They also offer courtesy drinks to the customers.They also offer Truck Parking... so this is a Truck Driver Friendly Casino. ExcellentI would definitely recommend Route 66 Casino Hotel.

Getting My Kicks and Winning Big at Route 66 Hotel and CasinoI recently had a fabulous experience at Route 66 Hotel and Casino, and it truly lived up to the iconic reputation of the historic highway. From the moment I walked in, I knew I was in for a memorable time.The casino vibe was electric, and I'm thrilled to say that luck was on my side. I not only got my kicks but also walked away with more than $800 in winnings. The variety of games and the overall setup of the casino created an exciting atmosphere that added to the thrill of the gaming experience.The staff at Route 66 were friendly and accommodating, contributing to the overall positive ambiance of the venue. Whether I was trying my luck at the slots or enjoying other amenities, the service was top-notch.What sets Route 66 Hotel and Casino apart is not just the gaming but the overall entertainment experience. The atmosphere was vibrant, and the place exuded a sense of excitement that kept me engaged throughout my visit.In conclusion, if you're looking for a great time, fantastic gaming opportunities, and a chance to win big, Route 66 Hotel and Casino is the place to be. My experience was nothing short of fabulous, and I can't wait to return for another round of kicks and, hopefully, more winnings. Highly recommended for anyone seeking an unforgettable casino adventure!

Well they didn’t honor the truck drivers dinner that I’ve heard so many people talk about. The steak I ordered was cooked the way I asked and sides were fine. Just nothing to write home about and lack of service from wait staff made for a regrettable decision to stop. No poker tables? I don’t understand how they can stay popular, oh well I guess that’s why the parking lot is mostly empty on a weekend at 5pm

The slots pay great, the parking lot is safe for travelers, with security driving around. Some furniture is a little messed up in the rooms but clean sheets and bathroom and shower were very clean.

We live in TX and my mom lives in California. Every once or twice a year we’ll drive to her place to stay a while, then we’ll drive her to TX to stay with us a while. Every trip she wants us to stay at the Route 66 Casino Hotel, so we do! It’s a great place to spend a night or three.