Conference Venue

Conference Venue

SaltMech XI will take place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, near the historic Santa Fe Plaza, July 8-10, 2025., with registration and an ice-breaker on the 7th of July and a field trip on the 11th! Santa Fe is regularly rated as one of the world’s best tourist destinations due to the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains that surround the city, its world-renowned art scene, its Old World Spanish-designed plaza, its amazing New Mexican cuisine featuring red and green chiles, and its mix of Native American, Spanish/Mexican, and Old West and modern American cultures.  The conference hotel is located a short walk from the main plaza, with many options for dining, art galleries and museums, and historical sites.  Santa Fe is located at an altitude of early 7,000 feet (2130 meters).

The conference will be hosted in the main ballroom of the hotel, where the oral presentations will be held.  Nearby rooms include ample space for poster sessions, a sponsors market, discussion and breaks.

 

Email: info@saltmech.com

Hotel Accommodation

The conference will be held at a hotel conveniently located a short walk from the Santa Fe Plaza.  A limited number of rooms will be reserved for SaltMech XI attendees at a special conference rate, regardless of single or double occupancy, for the duration of the conference (excluding state and local taxes). A link for these reserved rooms will be added here when available.  Breakfast is available at the hotel; there are also a few small restaurants within a short walking distance. Wireless internet is available throughout the entire hotel, free of charge. The use of facilities such as the swimming pool, sauna, steam bath and fitness room are included in your stay. Reservation for these rooms will be open from January until May 2025. Room cancellations can be made free of charge up to 72 hrs before arrival, in case travel is limited/prohibited by the time of the conference.

 

To use the special conference rate at the Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza, please use the block code SaltMechXI (this is case sensitive!) when making your room reservation.

Alternatively, accommodation can be found at one of the other hotels or B&B’s located in Santa Fe..

Travel Information

To and from Santa Fe

Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) is the closest and most convenient major airport to Santa Fe. It is served by most major US airlines, and can be reached from international locations through major hubs such as Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, and more.  There is also a small airport in Santa Fe (SAF), with very limited service.

The distance between the Albuquerque airport and the Santa Fe Plaza is approximately 66 miles (106 kilometers).  Rental cars are available from several companies (Hertz, Avis, National, Alamo, and more); the drive using Interstate 25 will take approximately one hour.  Parking will be available at the hotel ($TBD/day, 24 hours/day) and at nearby public parking garages ($12/day, open 7:00 am-11:00 pm).  For those with Uber and Lyft accounts, these services are also available; check with your account to determine the cost of a ride from Albuquerque to Santa Fe.

There are other ways to get from the Albuquerque airport to Santa Fe.  Groome Transportation (https://groometransportation.com/santa-fe/) has a shuttle service that will pick you up at the airport and drive you to Santa Fe.  The cost is $46 each way.

It is also possible to take the RailRunner train from Albuquerque to Santa Fe.   To get from the airport to the Downtown Albuquerque Station, you may use a taxi, Uber, Lyft, or the bus (ABQ RIDE Route 50, Monday-Friday only).  Purchase a ticket for the Santa Fe Depot Station; you may use the website https://rio-metro-regional-transit-district.square.site/s/shop, or purchase the ticket at the station.  A one-way ticket from Downtown Albuquerque to the Santa Fe Depot (“5 Zones”) costs $9.  The train ride takes about 2 hours.  From the Santa Fe Depot station, one may walk approximate 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) to the Plaza.

 

Getting around Santa Fe

Around Santa Fe Plaza

We expect to have a sufficient number of hotel rooms at the conference hotel, but there are several other high-quality hotels and B&Bs in the area around the Santa Fe Plaza.  Downtown Santa Fe is a very walkable city, with many attractions, museums, art galleries, and restaurants within a very small area.  The plaza features the historic Palace of the Governors, the Cathedral de San Francisco de Assisi, and several art museums and galleries featuring New Mexican, Native American, and American West arts.  The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is three short blocks north of the plaza.

Outside of the Plaza

If you wish to explore Santa Fe away from the Plaza area, the city operates a bus service (https://santafenm.gov/public-works/transit/route-maps-and-schedules).  Nearby attractions within the city include the State Capitol building (known as the Roundhouse), art gallery areas on Artists Drive and Canyon Road, and Museum Hill which features several museums including the International Museum of Folk Art.  The world-renowned Santa Fe Opera is located a few miles north of the city.  There are also many outdoor hiking, mountain biking, and sightseeing areas in the mountains surrounding Santa Fe.

  • Flight information for Albuquerque International Sunport

https://www.abqsunport.com/

  • RailRunner trains from Albuquerque to Santa Fe

https://rio-metro-regional-transit-district.square.site/s/shop/

  • Santa Fe tourism information

http://www.santafe.org