After decades of crisscrossing the globe with my weathered passport and dog-eared notebook, Texas still feels like coming home. Maybe it’s those childhood memories of dozing in the backseat while my parents chased sunsets across the state’s endless highways. But these days, it’s the state’s remarkable transformation that keeps pulling me back to write one more story.
I never gave Texas hotels much thought until a colleague cornered me at a press event, insisting I was missing something special. She was right. Since then, I’ve discovered that every property – whether it’s a hidden Hill Country gem or a gleaming Dallas high-rise – has its own compelling story to tell, made even better by having some of the best restaurants in Texas right at their doorstep
My Top Picks
After exploring the vast and diverse state of Texas, I’ve curated a list of hotels that offer exceptional experiences, each with its unique charm and character. From urban luxury to serene retreats, these establishments stand out not only for their accommodations but also for their outstanding dining options, often featuring some of the best restaurants in Texas.
Hotel Emma – The Quintessential Texas Luxury
- Location: San Antonio, Pearl District
- Price: $$$$
- Highlights: Historic architecture, exceptional service, renowned on-site dining
Ducking beneath the original cast-iron staircases of Hotel Emma, I’m struck again by how this transformed 19th-century Pearl brewery captures San Antonio’s spirit. As a hotel critic who’s seen countless historic conversions, I can tell you few properties blend past and present quite like this Pearl District gem.
The massive brewing tanks now serve as dramatic lobby centerpieces, while the hotel’s signature restaurant, Supper, stands among the best restaurants in Texas. During my latest stay – my third visit since opening – I found myself still discovering new details: original brick walls, rescued machinery turned art, and service that makes even the most jaded travel writers feel at home.
The Joule – Where Art Meets Comfort
- Location: Dallas, Downtown
- Price: $$$
- Highlights: Artistic installations, rooftop pool, central location
Stepping into The Joule, my reporter’s notebook already filling with observations, I found myself doing something I rarely do: looking up. This downtown Dallas masterpiece has turned hotel lobbies into gallery spaces, with museum-worthy works that stop even the most seasoned critics in their tracks.
The cantilevered pool – an engineering feat that seems to defy gravity as it stretches over Main Street – offers a swimming experience that’s made it into countless of my hotel features. After countless Dallas visits, I found this art-filled haven perfectly positioned for exploring the city’s cultural core.
Fairmont Austin – Grand Views and Even Better Eats
- Location: Austin, Downtown
- Price: $$$$
- Highlights: Panoramic city views, multiple dining options, proximity to entertainment districts
Filing this story from the 37th floor of the Fairmont Austin, I’m watching the capital city sparkle beneath my feet. Having chronicled Texas’s luxury hotels for over a decade, I can say this towering newcomer has raised the bar for capital city hospitality. The culinary lineup here ranks among the best restaurants in Texas, though I almost forgot my reviewing duties, distracted by the downtown views.
Stationed between the pulsing Rainey Street and historic Sixth Street districts, I found myself extending my usual stay, if only to properly sample both the hotel’s offerings and the neighborhood’s energy.
La Colombe d’Or – French Charm in the Heart of Houston
- Location: Houston, Montrose
- Price: $$$
- Highlights: Boutique ambiance, art gallery, French-inspired cuisine
La Colombe d’Or in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood exudes European elegance combined with Texan hospitality. The hotel’s art gallery, featuring an impressive collection, added a cultural depth to my stay.
Dining at Tonight & Tomorrow, their French-inspired restaurant, was a gastronomic delight, with dishes that transported me to the streets of Paris while maintaining local Texan flavors.
The Driskill – Timeless Texan Elegance
- Location: Austin, Downtown
- Price: $$$
- Highlights: Historic charm, live music, prime location
Twenty years into covering historic hotels, and The Driskill still stops me in my tracks. Settling into the 1886 grande dame’s leather bar chair for my third visit this year, I’m reminded why this remains Austin’s crown jewel.
The historic bar, which has hosted more tales than this travel writer could ever print, serves up both masterful cocktails and authentic Austin rhythms. Just steps from the city’s storied Sixth Street music scene, I discovered an evening at The Driskill often means never having to leave its storied halls.
Hotel Saint Cecilia – Rock & Roll Meets Luxury
- Location: Austin, South Congress
- Price: $$$$
- Highlights: Retro-inspired design, private pool, exclusive ambiance
Slipping through Hotel Saint Cecilia’s discreet entrance, I’m greeted by the faint crackle of vinyl – a sound that’s become rare in my decades of hotel reviews. This South Congress hideaway has perfected what so many boutique properties attempt: authentic rock and roll elegance.
During my latest stay, I found myself spending hours by the hidden pool, watching Austin’s creative elite drift past while vintage records played softly. As someone who’s chronicled hundreds of properties, I can say few hotels manage this level of studied nonchalance.
Gage Hotel – Desert Escape in Marathon
- Location: Marathon
- Price: $$
- Highlights: Rustic charm, proximity to Big Bend National Park, tranquil environment
Running my hand along the sun-warmed adobe walls of the Gage Hotel, I’m reminded why this Marathon landmark has filled so many pages in my travel notebooks. After two decades covering Texas hospitality, this remains my favorite basecamp for Big Bend expeditions.
Between desert hikes and story deadlines, I found solace in the property’s tranquil courtyards. The 12 Gage Restaurant, a welcome respite after a day of dusty exploration, proves that even in the state’s most remote corners, you can find authentically crafted regional dishes.
The Inn at Dos Brisas – Texas’s Most Romantic Retreat
- Location: Washington
- Price: $$$$$
- Highlights: Luxurious casitas, gourmet dining, equestrian activities
As my worn leather boots clip-clop across the stables of The Inn at Dos Brisas, I’m mentally revising my list of Texas’s most luxurious escapes. Each casita feels like a private estate, complete with plunge pools that reflect the Texas sky.
The restaurant, with its coveted Forbes five-star rating, has made me break my cardinal rule of never revisiting the same property twice. Between interviews and my usual property inspection, I found myself in the saddle, documenting the 313-acre grounds from horseback – a perspective that reminds me why I chose this beat.
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek – Refined Southern Hospitality
- Location: Dallas, Uptown
- Price: $$$$
- Highlights: Elegant interiors, renowned restaurant, exceptional service
Pausing in the foyer of the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, I catch myself doing what any seasoned hotel critic tries to avoid – gawking. After 15 years chronicling luxury properties, this Dallas grand dame still commands my undivided attention.
The Mansion Restaurant, ranking firmly among the best restaurants in Texas, had me extending my usual review stay just to sample another evening’s innovations. Even with thousands of hotels inked in my reporter’s notebook, few properties match this level of graceful hospitality.
The Marfa Saint George – Cool and Contemporary in the Desert
- Location: Marfa
- Price: $$$
- Highlights: Minimalist design, cultural hub, proximity to art installations
Perched at my desk in Hotel Saint George, watching Marfa’s artists drift past my window, I’m struck by how this modernist haven captures the town’s creative pulse. Having covered design hotels from Milan to Miami, I appreciate how this property’s clean lines and gallery-white walls serve as a canvas for the high desert’s ever-changing light.
The on-site bookstore – where I’ve spent more hours than I care to admit during this assignment – perfectly mirrors Marfa’s intellectual spirit. From my temporary office in the heart of town, I found myself perfectly positioned to track down the stories that make this artist’s enclave tick.
Exploring the Heart of Texas: My Unforgettable Trip Through Hill Country
Pulling my dusty SUV into yet another hill country overlook, I’m filling my last notebook page with observations about a region that’s rewritten my understanding of Texas. After 15 years covering travel destinations, I thought I knew what to expect: the promised panoramas, the small-town hospitality, the vineyard-striped hills painted with wildflowers. What I didn’t anticipate was how this assignment would completely recalibrate my journalist’s cynicism about ‘undiscovered’ destinations.
What to Know Before You Go
Do You Need to Bring Cash?
Yes, and lots of it. While most larger establishments take credit cards, I quickly learned that cash is king in the smaller, family-run diners, antique shops, and roadside stands. I can’t count the number of times I wished I had smaller bills for tipping local musicians or buying fresh peaches at a stand outside Fredericksburg.
How to Dress for Hill Country
Pack like a seasoned field reporter: comfort over style. While documenting hiking trails at Enchanted Rock and sampling vintages at hillside wineries, I rotated through a wardrobe of breathable fabrics and broken-in boots. Though I’d suggest tucking one smart outfit into your suitcase – some wine rooms demand more than a journalist’s standard field gear.
Expect the Unexpected
Most importantly, tear up that rigid itinerary. Between an otherworldly antique shop in Wimberley and a Lockhart barbecue joint that had me rewriting my entire ‘Best of Texas’ column, the real stories here emerge when you let the road guide you.
Experiences I’d Do Again (and Skip)
Must-Do: Wine Tasting in Fredericksburg
Schedule a day among Fredericksburg’s vines. As someone who’s covered wine regions from Bordeaux to Napa, I rarely recommend organized tours. But here, watching the Hill Country sunset from a vineyard shuttle while actually enjoying the tastings (instead of spitting into my reporter’s notebook) proved invaluable.
Skip: Overcrowded Spots
The Instagram-famous spots. Jacob’s Well may be photogenic, but between the crowds and my deadline, I found myself longing for the quiet trails I’d stumbled upon during my research. Unless you’re filing mid-week stories in the off-season, stick to the roads less traveled.
Must-Do: Floating the Guadalupe River
Between interviews and property tours, I discovered the pure joy of drifting downstream, notepad temporarily abandoned. Pro tip from a traveling veteran: waterproof everything, especially your phone.
What I Wish I’d Known
- Timing Is Everything: Visiting in the spring meant I caught the famous Texas bluebonnets in full bloom, but summer crowds were already starting to arrive. If I could do it again, I’d aim for late March or early April for fewer people and cooler weather.
- The Value of a Guide: While I planned most of my trip myself, the one day I spent with a local guide was hands-down the most enriching. They pointed out things I’d have otherwise missed, like the history behind a 19th-century church tucked away in a small town.
Conclusion
Filing this final dispatch from my Hill Country assignment, I’m already plotting my return. After two decades of chasing stories across Texas, this corner of the state continues to surprise even the most seasoned travel writer. Between my dog-eared notebook filled with tasting notes and a camera roll of sunset-soaked vineyards, I’ve barely scratched the surface.
There are still hidden swimming holes to document and locals’ stories to tell. To my fellow travelers reading this piece: pack those bags. But fair warning – this slice of Texas has a way of turning objective journalists into unabashed admirers, one small-town story at a time.
FAQs
What’s the best time to visit Texas Hill Country?
Spring (March to April) for the wildflowers or fall (October to November) for cooler weather and harvest season at the vineyards.
Do you need a car?
Yes, having a car is essential. Public transportation is limited, and many attractions are spread out.
Are the wineries family-friendly?
Some are, but it’s best to check ahead. A few even offer non-alcoholic options and outdoor spaces for kids to play.
How long should you plan for this trip?
A long weekend (3-4 days) is perfect to hit the highlights, but you could easily spend a week exploring more towns and trails.
Is Hill Country expensive?
It can be, especially with winery tours and boutique accommodations. However, plenty of budget-friendly options like state parks and local diners help balance it out.
Texas Hill Country captured my heart—and I think it’ll do the same for you.
