The Best Texas Hotel Awards

Though my list of the best new (or newly renovated) Texas hotels is deliberately not ranked, I did rely on score sheets to help me compare the properties, which varied greatly in size, scope, and setting, to say nothing of helping me pick just ten. Each of the finalists rose to the top of a category or two and, since no two travelers have quite the same criteria in mind when it comes to picking a place to stay (i.e., you may want a see-and-be-seen pool above all else, while I’d rather dive into a great cocktail menu), I’m sharing the results so you’ll have fewer reservations when making your next reservation.

Best pool: High Hill Farm // near Overton
runners-up: St. Anthony Hotel (San Antonio), South Congress Hotel (Austin)

#notSXSW

A photo posted by Jordan Breal (@jordanbreal) on Mar 15, 2016 at 10:08am PDT

Best nooks + front-porch sittin’: The Gage Hotel // Marathon
runner-up: the recently revamped Sage Hill Inn Above Onion Creek, which just barely missed the final cut (Kyle)

Where To Stay Now | And the award for Best Nooks & Front-Porch Sittin' goes to…the @gagehotel! There are rocking chairs and quiet corners and peaceful perches galore at Marathon's historic hotel, but my favorite spot was my private balcony on the second floor of the renovated Captain Shepard House, a two-story Colonial built in 1890 that's just around the bend from the Gage's original building. Find my full list of awards over on TexasMonthly.com/travel-home! #bestTexashotels #Texastravel #MarathonTX #WestTexas

A photo posted by Jordan Breal (@jordanbreal) on May 12, 2016 at 8:30am PDT

Best lobby + public spaces (tie): Hotel Emma // San Antonio + South Congress Hotel // Austin

Once a brewery and now a luxurious stay along the #SanAntonio River. We invite you to be our guest at www.thehotelemma.com. Photo by Scott Martin. #igtexas #hospitality #hotelemma

A photo posted by Hotel Emma (@thehotelemma) on Nov 30, 2015 at 9:45am PST

If a 3-day weekend isn't long enough to unwind, good news: South Congress Hotel opens tomorrow, Tuesday 9/8. #helloaustin #summersnotover #southcongresshotel

A photo posted by South Congress Hotel (@southcongresshotel) on Sep 7, 2015 at 10:14am PDT

Best room with a view: Hotel Saint George // Marfa
runner-up: the two standalone cabins at Camp Comfort, which face Cypress Creek (Comfort)

Where To Stay Now | The award for Best Room With A View goes to…@marfasaintgeorge! My deluxe king room (no. 405) had a perfectly framed view of the beautiful Presidio County Courthouse and Marfa's iconic water tower, the only structures in town that rise higher on the horizon than the new four-story hotel. #Texastravel #Marfa #WestTexas #bestTexashotels

A photo posted by Jordan Breal (@jordanbreal) on May 11, 2016 at 9:30am PDT

Best natural assets: Camp Comfort // Comfort
runners-up: High Hill Farm (near Overton), the Gage Hotel (Marathon), Sage Hill Inn Above Onion Creek (Kyle)

#cypresscreek #campcomforttx #getwet

A photo posted by Lisa @ Camp Comfort B&B (@campcomforttx) on Jul 1, 2015 at 10:31pm PDT

Best diversions: The Cell Block // Clifton
runner-up: the Gage Hotel (Marathon)

Where To Stay Now | Rolling out my "best of" awards later this week, but sharing a few sneak peeks here… And the award for Best Diversions goes to…@the_cell_block, in Clifton! Handmade longleaf-pine dominoes, a Fujifilm Instax camera, a flask of (free!) @balconesdistillery hooch, a collection of prison-themed records (+ record player), and, um, a real pair of handcuffs – what more could you need to stay entertained during your stay in the little big house?! #bestTexashotels #Texastravel #Clifton #MerleHaggard

A photo posted by Jordan Breal (@jordanbreal) on May 10, 2016 at 8:17pm PDT

Best gift shop: South Congress Hotel // Austin
runner-up: the Marfa Book Company at Hotel Saint George (Marfa)

Where To Stay Now | And the award for Best Gift Shop goes to…@southcongresshotel! With local shops @_sunroom_ & @revivalcycles as neighbors, a hotel gift shop could easily get overlooked, but not this one, which is just as superbly curated, offering everything from @costalots sunglasses and custom @southcongresshotel playing cards to @sortofcoal char oil cream and Bongers Japanese massage tools, which the helpful clerk told me are one of the best sellers. #bestTexashotels #Texastravel

A photo posted by Jordan Breal (@jordanbreal) on May 11, 2016 at 7:41pm PDT

Best food: Hotel Saint George // Marfa
runners-up: Larder at the Hotel Emma (San Antonio), 12 Gage at the Gage Hotel (Marathon)

TONIGHT Linguine & clams, ramp pesto, cherry tomatoes, toasted breadcrumbs at LaVenture. #Marfa #marfasaintgeorge #hotelsaintgeorge #laventure

A photo posted by Hotel Saint George (@marfasaintgeorge) on Apr 29, 2016 at 3:46pm PDT

Best decor: Sayles Landmark // Abilene
runners-up: Hotel Emma (San Antonio), the St. Anthony Hotel (San Antonio)

The #SaylesLandmark in #Abilene is Texan for "boutique hotel"! This six-room stunner, in a gorgeous 1889 #QueenAnne Victorian house (one of the oldest in town), is one of the most sumptuous B&Bs I've ever slept in (see also, the "Luxe" room that I posted over at @texasmonthly). Owner Terry Browder has an insane eye for design and his hospitality (which included a "welcome" pound cake and a tasty omelette breakfast) was indicative of the friendliness I experienced all around Abilene. (*a friendly reminder: I always travel as under-the-radar as possible and, per @TexasMonthly's editorial policy, do not accept freebies, discounts, or media rates!)

A photo posted by Jordan Breal (@jordanbreal) on Sep 8, 2015 at 8:45pm PDT

Best bar (tie): Hotel Van Zandt // Austin + Hotel Emma // San Antonio
runner-up: the storied St. Anthony Club at the St. Anthony Hotel (San Antonio)

Who's thirsty? Join us for a Willie's Cup tonight.

A photo posted by Geraldine's Austin (@geraldinesaustn) on Dec 19, 2015 at 12:24pm PST

#TexasTripGuides | After hiking or biking (or driving…no judgment) along San Antonio's Mission Trail, follow the river back north to check in at @theHotelEmma, a brand-new, 146-room getaway in the @historicPearl's restored 1894 brewhouse on the banks of the River Walk's Museum Reach. When you check in, you'll be given a La Babia "welcome" margarita (just tequila, naranja, y lime), which you can promptly enjoy in the breathtaking Sternewirth bar (pictured) before you sneak off to explore your room and the hotel's many photogenic nooks and crannies and repurposed relics. -@jordanbreal #Texastravel #SanAntonio #MissionTrail

A photo posted by Texas Monthly (@texasmonthly) on Feb 24, 2016 at 12:15pm PST

Plus, a few of the little touches that made a big impression:

• the boot jack in my closet at Hotel Van Zandt
• the homemade energy bars at Sage Hill Inn Above Onion Creek
• the plush slippers + the stealable swizzle sticks at the Saint Anthony Hotel
• the “welcome” marg + the turndown service (with macarons from Bakery Lorraine!) at Hotel Emma
• the ATV tour of the gorgeous property at High Hill Farm
• the Pendleton blankets and s’mores kits ($5, with proceeds going to the local library) at Camp Comfort
• the free in-room Drafthouse flicks + the intoxicating custom scent at the South Congress Hotel
• the cheeky and thoughtful map of Clifton pointing out local sights, shops, and restaurants near the Cell Block
• the homemade “welcome” pound cake + the bedside book of Abilene history at the Sayles Landmark
• the peephole (with a cover!) at the Hotel Saint George (side note: why so many hotel rooms these days don’t have peepholes, I don’t know!)