Kokopelli 100 West - Moab, Utah

If you’ve ever searched for a budget-friendly hotel in Moab, Utah, you’ve probably had to pick your jaw up off the floor. The town is ideally located for exploring Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Dead Horse Point State Park, but because it’s so small (population: 5,130), it doesn’t have enough competition to keep pace with the demand. Aside from camping, the accommodation that is available often runs a couple hundred bucks a night; even the crummy Super 8 cost $210/night when we rolled into town.

That’s where Kokopelli 100 West comes in. The newest offering from Kokopelli Lodgings, it sits one quiet block from Main Street in downtown Moab. The property has ten free-standing “modern cabins” with slanted roofs and Brady Bunch-loud paint jobs. These are squeezed around a shaded courtyard with a shared hot tub and gas barbecue grill. Each unit has one queen-size bed and a set of bunks wedged into a sleeping alcove, plus patio seating, a flat-screen TV, a hairdryer, and a kitchenette equipped with a mini-fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, and basic dishes.

There is no ice machine or public laundry, the free WiFi is spotty, and the self check-in is annoyingly late (4 p.m.), but overall, Kokopelli 100 West gets a solid B. It’s clean, the shower stays hot, the bed is comfortable, and it’s walkable to several decent food options, including the Quesadilla Mobilla lunch truck (try the spicy mushroom), Arches Thai (solid khao soi, dreadful service), and Eklecticafe (forgive the hacky sack vibes, the wakame-and-tofu scramble with brown rice is really good!). Bonus for road warriors with pets in tow: The property has a fenced-in dog run next to the parking lot. Rooms start at $63/night and weekly rates at $300. We stupidly booked through Moab Property Management, which cost us an extra $14.99 in fees; don’t be stupid and book direct by emailing info@kokopellilodge.com.

236 N. 100 W., Moab, UT; 435-259-7615.