22 Best Hotels in West Texas and the Panhandle, Texas

Once a stop on the transcontinental railroad, the rancher-themed Holland Hotel is now a historic landmark still hung with its original sign on the bustling main drag in downtown Alpine—just doors down from shops, cafés, and galleries. It shows its age in places—not necessarily a drawback—but renovations have largely kept pace with the times. Rooms have Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, refrigerators, and coffeemakers. Choose from a light-filled penthouse at the top of the hotel, a 1,000-square-foot loft, or basic rooms on the second and third floors. The stately, high-ceilinged lobby is a grand throwback to the past and houses a bar, restaurant, reading nook, and billiard room. Mendias & Co. spa offers a range of massage and skin treatments.

Cowboy, Native American, and Hispanic cultures are reflected in the furnishings and artwork of this gorgeously restored historic hotel, built in the 1920s by renowned architect Henry Trost, across from the downtown railroad tracks. There are several types of accommodations: the original upstairs rooms, some with shared hallway baths; a hacienda-style courtyard with posh adobe quarters; and three renovated homes with elegant bedrooms. The property sits on 27 acres with fragrant gardens.

Next door to Far Flung Outdoor Center and just 3 miles from the western boundary of Big Bend National Park, the outfitter operates 12 freestanding casitas with hardwood floors, flat-screen TVs, kitchenettes, two pillow-top queen beds, and back porches with rocking chairs. There are two common courtyards with propane grills, dining tables, and tidy Southwestern landscaping.

A continual stream of global celebrities have arrived by private aircraft on the airstrip at this luxury ranch. It was converted from a military fort by a 19th-century cattle baron and occupies 30,000 acres of a volcanic caldera cupped by the Chinati and Cienega mountains. You'll be welcomed as a friend and relax in one of three 1800s-era forts, each at a different site, but all beautifully restored. Everything here is first-class, authentic, and memorable, including meals featuring international flavors based on ancient Mexican culinary traditions. You can choose the pace for your activities: ride a horse or read a book; jump in a Humvee or slide back under the covers; go bird hunting or bird-watching.

As Amarillo's only downtown hotel, this 10-story Courtyard is in the 1920s Fisk Medical Arts Building, within five blocks of the convention center. Rooms are well configured and feature amenities appropriate for both business and leisure travelers. Although breakfast is not included in the price of the room, the Bistro restaurant offers a decent variety of options, including Starbucks coffee plus health foods and comfort foods, with both indoor and outdoor seating (weather permitting). The bar opens each evening. There is no elevator in the parking garage, so it's best to unload your luggage for checking in before parking your car.

The quirky denizens of old Terlingua ghost town have renovated these long-abandoned miners' homes into one-of-a-kind retreats. Artistic flair complementing traditional Southwestern features such as kiva fireplaces, Saltillo tile, and ceiling vigas (wooden beams) define accommodations named El Patron, Cinnabar, Candelilla, and the Rockhouse—the latter sleeping up to eight—as well as six rooms in the elegant Perry Mansion. The faraway vibe of the property works for those seeking romance, adventure, or simply an escape from civilization.

Built in 1912 as a summer getaway for wealthy Texas cattle barons, this Victorian-style hotel evokes a genteel era. Accommodations include 10 standard rooms and two suites in the original two-story building, all furnished with period pieces and updated with modern amenities and private baths. The peaceful property includes a veranda with rocking chairs, a reading room, and a garden. There's a pool on the east side of the property, and the enclosed Blue Mountain Bar & Grill serves well-prepared American comfort food.

Once the playground of Liz Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean, who stayed here while filming Giant, the Paisano has maintained its glamour with glistening Mediterranean architecture, a fountain in the courtyard dining area, and dress and jewelry shops in downstairs hallways. Completing the scene, big-band music from the 1940s wafts through the lobby, and both locals and visitors love dining in stylish Jett's Grill. The most popular booking is the room in which Dean stayed while filming the movie. The hotel is amid downtown Marfa's quirky buildings and just down the street from the historic courthouse. There's a small pool open late April through early October.

A National Historic Landmark, this 1930 Spanish baroque–style hotel provided the set for the 1956 movie The Giant, starring Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. Rooms vary in size and amenities. The small pool, lounge, courtyard, gallery, gift shop, restaurant, and memorabilia room where you can watch The Giant make for a pleasant stay.

Near downtown, in the Plemons–Eckle historic district, the "little house of the sun" is a 1927 Spanish-eclectic-style home, restored and renovated as a bed-and-breakfast. It feels somewhat like an art gallery, with interior style created by local artists (most of the display art is for sale). Each of the four intimate rooms has a private bath and either overlooks or opens onto a generously sized walled garden, in the Spanish tradition. Shared areas are great for getting to know your fellow guests, many of whom are repeat visitors. Chef Bonnie's breakfasts play a starring role in the experience here—even the jams are made in-house—so budget your calories accordingly.

The former cavalry post turned ghost town is now a privately owned collection of Western-theme tourist attractions with a golf resort, spa, riding stables, convenience store, RV park, and hiking trails, adding up to the nicest place to eat, shop, and overnight within 25 miles of the park. The main lodge is the Badlands Hotel, a two-story affair with a lobby staircase and an opulent Tiffany chandelier. Upstairs hallways have the slightly saucy aura of an old bordello. The rooms, to be sure, are outfitted with everything modern. In addition, there are time-share condos across the "boardwalk," a Pueblo-style motel, the Cavalry Post, down the street, and a nearby RV Park. Badlands guests can use the motel's swimming pool. An upscale but casual restaurant and lounge are a walk through a breezeway.

This affordable, retro lodging comprises 10 rustic but attractive Southwestern rooms with double beds, private baths, and cable TV, as well as an apartment with a full kitchen. Amenities include an adobe courtyard with native plants, fireplace, and fountain. There is also a 19-space RV park with full hookups and an area for tent camping.

A self-described "roadhouse for wanderers," the Maverick is an updated motor lodge that defines Alpine's artful personality. Opposite Sul Ross State University, it offers Southwestern-style rooms and kitchenettes that whisper back to gentler times. Outside, there's a loose sense of community among the guests who gather at the swimming pool cabana or in a yard with horseshoes and a charcoal grill. Then there are the outdoor cats that act like they own the joint, and the guitar in the lobby that Willie Nelson played when he stayed here.