As a recent study of hotel booking trends pointed out, us Texans prefer to vacation in Texas. Since our last roundup of the state’s most notable lodgings was in 2004, I thought it was high time to revisit the subject. So I drafted a list of 44 hotels that have opened or undergone significant renovations in the last 8 years. I then winnowed that list down and booked rooms (anonymously) at 24 properties across the state to determine my favorites.

Although my full reviews will be available next week (the November issue goes live on TexasMonthly.com on Wednesday and hits newsstands on Thursday), I wanted to go ahead and share my ten favorites (plus the five that nearly made the cut)…

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Tagged: Austin, Comfort, Dallas, Galveston, hotels, Houston, Marfa, Round Top, San Antonio, Talpa, Terlingua, Washington, Where To Stay Now

So I’ve been MIA from the blog lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse, as I’ve been busy putting the finishing touches on a Texas travel feature for our November issue. For the latest installment of “Where To Stay Now,” I picked up where Suzy Banks left off in 2004, and checked into two dozen new (or newly renovated) hotels and resorts across the state. It was, as you can imagine, an arduous assignment, what with all the breakfasts in bed and poolside lounging. On Friday, I will reveal my 10 favorites. So stay tuned!

Tagged: hotels, resorts, Suzy Banks, Where To Stay Now