The Best Resorts in Texas

The Mansion Restaurant, the Mansion Bar, outdoor heated pool for guests only, complimentary sedan service within a 5-mile radius, kid-friendly amenities like wireless baby monitors

Pulling into the driveway of this Texas icon feels like arriving at the chic residence of a wealthy host. It was originally built in 1925 as the mansion of oil and cotton magnate Sheppard King. Inspired by Italian Renaissance architecture, the stately building exudes classic style, with a marble rotunda, wood-paneled walls in the bar, and plush furnishings throughout. The Mansion Restaurant is beloved by locals for its New American cuisine with French influences, while the Mansion Bar has the air of an intimate private club. 

Waterpark, two golf courses, 21 tennis courts, 200+ miles of hiking trails, complimentary shuttle to nearby shopping area, conference center, bike rental

About 30 minutes from downtown Houston sits this kid- and pet-friendly resort, which is part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. The award-winning resort draws families from all over Texas and beyond for the waterpark, which includes a 1,005-foot lazy river and a 30-foot waterslide. But there’s plenty for grown-ups too, from two championship golf courses and a tennis center to a relaxing spa. 

Communal kitchen and dining area, hammocks, retail shop, bike rentals

Art lovers from far and wide have been making the pilgrimage to the tiny town of Marfa in the Chihuahuan Desert of far west Texas since the 1980s. At the time, Donald Judd created the Chinati Foundation to house his large-scale installations and those of his contemporaries, including Dan Flavin and John Chamberlain. 

The town is also close to Big Bend National Park, making it a good stop on a road trip through Texas and New Mexico. It’s the perfect setting for El Cosmico, a boho-chic glamping resort with restored Airstream trailers, teepees, tents, and yurts. There are communal areas, including a fire pit and kitchen, as well as a retail shop that sells items like bandanas, sage smudge sticks, desert body oil, and serape stripe robes. 

El Cosmico also hosts events like the Trans-Pecos Festival of Music + Love. Just keep in mind that most accommodations have outdoor showers or access to communal bathrooms and be prepared for it to get very cold at night.

Hiking and biking trails, horseback riding, ATV and UTV rides, infinity pool and hot tub, putting green, hunting and target shooting, archery, cooking classes, wine and whiskey tastings

If you want an authentic Texas ranching experience, this is the place to stay. Spread out over 13,000 acres in Texas Hill Country, this resort offers the chance to immerse yourself in the scenic landscape with activities like horseback riding, ATV adventures, skeet shooting, and cowboy cookouts under the stars. Half of the 32 accommodations are private cabins, so couples will have plenty of privacy. There are also fun themed dining nights, like Wednesday pizza night, Thursday butcher block, Fajita Friday, and Saturday BBQ.

Two outdoor pools with cabanas and an indoor heated pool, daily fitness activities and wellness programming, complimentary fresh smoothies and juices

More than 100 treatments entice travelers looking for a bit of rest and relaxation to this resort’s 25,000-square-foot spa; it offers everything from Swedish massages and Ayurvedic treatments to Aquastretch sessions and floating meditations in the soothing waters of the pool barn. There’s also a full calendar of fitness classes and activities like hiking, yoga, kickboxing, and paddleboarding. The rates are certainly a splurge, but guests at the intimate resort get complimentary access to lake equipment as well as fresh smoothies, juices, coffee, and tea.

Outdoor swimming pool, Summer House on Music Lane, Magdalena Bar, free coffee in the lobby every morning, curated boutique in the lobby, on-property events like live music or yoga, bike rentals, valet parking

This hip new hotel draws inspiration from the site’s past life as the home of the Terrace Motor Hotel and its owner, musician Willie Nelson. Nelson was best known for opening the Austin Opry House, where musicians like Tom Waits, Lou Reed, Muddy Waters, and Patti Smith performed. The first mass timber hotel built in the U.S., it centers around a pool with lush landscaping inspired by Barton Springs and ‘70s lakeside culture. Rooms and suites feature vintage photos by Austin Opry House photographer Scott Newton, Spanish tiles, and cotton serape stripe robes. Don’t skip dinner at Summer House on Music Lane, which serves unfussy food like chips and onion dip, hamachi crudo with avocado and winter citrus, and strip steak with chimichurri.

Ámbar restaurant, La Perla rooftop bar

Built by Conrad Hilton in 1930, this historic hotel in downtown El Paso once hosted Elizabeth Taylor. Fresh off a complete renovation, the property sparkles with a stylish design that boasts Art Deco flair and pays homage to its heyday during the cattle trading era. The restaurant Ámbar gets rave reviews for the fantastic food that marries Mexican and Texan influences, while rooftop bar La Perla offers panoramic views in what was once the penthouse suite where Taylor lived during her marriage to Nicky Hilton. The hotel also boasts the largest collection of agave spirits in North America.