Best Texas Hill Country Hotels

When German immigrants settled in Texas Hill Country during the mid-1800s, they were given rural parcels of land to live and work on. It wasn’t an easy trek into town, but they needed regular visits to sell their goods, conduct business, meet with friends, and attend church. So where would they spend the night on these weekend trips? Their solution was to build what became known as “Sunday houses” on small plots of land in town. These tiny second dwellings—usually consisting of a combined kitchen and living room downstairs and a sleeping loft upstairs—were their weekend place of residence. Today, you’ll find many original Sunday Houses around Fredericksburg, alongside replicas that are used as hotels and bed and breakfasts.

The Trueheart Hotel is one such example, featuring a fully restored historical main house (with guest rooms boasting original wood floors and other architectural details) and seven replicated cottages. Each cottage is decorated with unique features, from rocking chairs on the porch and jetted tubs to gas fireplaces and outdoor rain showers. When you’re feeling social, the outdoor limestone fireplace is a great gathering spot for guests, as is the covered patio running alongside the creek.

Outlot 201 offers a Sunday House experience in the form of three modern, farmhouse-style cottages on the outskirts of town. While the serene setting feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of Main Street, it’s really just a five-minute drive away. Guests are treated to a king-size bed, walk-in shower, free-standing tub, flat-screen TV, living room, and a butler’s pantry complete with a microwave, fridge, electric tea kettle, and snacks. A sliding barn door separates the bedroom and bathroom from the living room and kitchen to create two distinct spaces. 

Pour a glass of wine and make your way to the Adirondack chairs surrounding a gas fire pit on the back patio. Here, you’ll overlook a pasture filled with sheep and even hear the occasional hee-haw of a donkey or crow of a rooster. (The white-noise machine provided on your nightstand comes in handy for light sleepers.)

Guests of Fredericksburg Inn & Suites can have the best of both worlds: a five-minute walk to Main Street when it’s time to explore and the scenic silence of five tree-covered acres along Barons Creek when it’s time to relax and recharge. This pet-friendly motel comes with in-room coffee makers, flat-screen televisions, and a fridge and microwave. The outdoor spaces of this property are a highlight, complete with two swimming pools, a hot tub, volleyball area, open-air gazebo, two fireplaces, a garden, and scenic picnic area.

Texas Hill Country hotels are known for hospitality. With budget and value in mind, this property delivers a slew of freebies, including a full complimentary breakfast, soft drinks that are served all day long in the Sunday House, Wi-Fi, stocked coffee makers in the guest rooms, and complimentary parking.

Envelop yourself in the lap of luxury at the Hoffman Haus, where each detail has been carefully curated. Rooms are styled in muted palettes and adorned with natural fabrics and antiques for a soothing ambiance. Choose from Sunday Houses and farmhouses that date back to the 1800s, suites and standalone cottages featuring Texas architectural elements and views of a limestone fountain, and queen or king rooms with French doors and wooden rocking chairs. Each room is supplied with bath products, free-trade coffee and organic teas, a tea kettle, coffeemaker, mini-fridge and microwave, DVD player, flat-screen TV with cable, and Wi-Fi. 

Stays come with a complimentary gourmet breakfast that’s locally sourced and changes with the seasons; it's delivered to your room in a picnic basket. For the ultimate relaxation, head over to the onsite day spa to indulge in your choice of massages, foot reflexology, or aromatherapy treatments.

So, a bougie boutique hotel isn’t your speed? Don’t worry: Texas Hill Country hotels come in all shapes and sizes. Fredericksburg has a rich military history (which you can learn more about at the National Museum of the Pacific War on Austin Street), so it’s only fitting that a hotel attached to an airstrip has found a creative way to romanticize the era. The architecture of the hotel most closely resembles an old wooden hangar at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio, while the large guest rooms feature WWII décor befitting of a 1940s officer’s quarters and king-sized beds. 

The west-facing second-floor deck provides the perfect spot to watch the sunset, along with small aircraft (from single-engine planes to multi-engine jets) and helicopters taking off and landing. Breakfast or lunch at the Airport Diner is a must (try the Bomber Burger or Whirly Bird Wrap), as is a mid-afternoon shake or malt made with local ice cream.

Texas Hill Country is known for beautiful lakes, including Lake Lyndon B. Johnson (technically a reservoir on the Colorado River). And on its sandy shores, you’ll find the Horseshoe Bay Resort, a sprawling 400-room property with so many amenities that your whole family could easily spend their entire vacation onsite (plus, it was named part of the “Top 100 Golf Resorts in North America” by Golf Magazine). There’s a kid’s club with a full itinerary of adventures for children up to age 12 and a youth tennis camp, kayaking and paddle board rentals, pontoon and ski boat rentals, fishing tours for Largemouth and Guadalupe bass, three award-winning golf courses, tennis, and pickleball, a fitness center and spa, shops, and eight restaurants ranging from family-friendly to fine dining. 

Guests have plenty of room choices to fit a family of any size, from upscale rooms and suites in the Tower and one-, two-, or three-bedroom vacation villas to the lakeside condo and private home rentals. Be on the lookout for complimentary events, such as a “Squak Talk and Tortoise Connection” meet and greet with exotic animals, evening s’mores treats on the lawn, and a summer concert series.

Nestled on nearly 90 acres of rolling hills, shimmering lakes, and swaths of candy-colored flowers, the Sage Hill Inn & Spa is beloved among locals and out-of-towners alike for its picturesque beauty and lovely accommodations. Though this boutique bed-and-breakfast is just a 20-minute drive from the bustling outskirts of Austin, in Kyle, Texas, it feels like a serene, private oasis that’s about as far away from the city as the moon. 

The Sage Hill Inn has 20 individually decorated units, including several luxury suites and a smattering of private cottages for those who need the extra space. At the main house, guests can chow down on delicious meals (continental breakfast and three-course dinner are included in the room rate), indulge in a treatment at the revamped Garden Spa facility, or take a relaxing soak in the new 14-person hot tub on the pool deck (talk about the perfect post-Hill Country hike activity!) The sunsets here are particularly breathtaking—evenings are best spent with a glass of local wine in hand, enjoying the peaceful views.

New Braunfels sits across from the Comal River which winds through town and it's ideal for summers spent tubing, kayaking, rafting, boating, and fishing. The property has two private cottages complete with full kitchens, two bedrooms, and pull-out sofas ideal for larger families or groups. For smaller parties, choose from four well-appointed, one-room cottages that sleep up to four. Located within a quiet neighborhood, the grounds have manicured lawns, comfortable porches, and garden seating.  

When you’re itching to explore the area, you’re just a short walk from the New Braunfels Main Plaza (where you’ll find plenty of shopping and restaurants) and a mile from America’s best water park, Schlitterbahn. Three miles down the road, you’ll find Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas, and a local hangout featuring live music daily.