www.innaboveonioncreek.com
The last two months (which include the two busiest holidays of the year AND our daughter's birthday) have been a whirlwind of cookie baking, present wrapping, and party planning. Having survived another year of the madness, my husband and I were in serious need of a get-away. If I was a bettin' kind of gal, I'd bet you could use a get-away too. And nothing says relaxation and rejuvenation quite like a quiet bed and breakfast tucked in the Texas Hill Country, surrounded by a 100 acres of shady oak trees.
Are you ready to escape? Well, read on friends because I know you'll fall in love, like we have, with one of our favorite places...the Inn Above Onion Creek.
Last week, the hubby and I returned to the Inn Above Onion Creek for our 3rd visit to celebrate our 13th year of wedded bliss (I ain't lyin'...it's been that good). And just like our past stays, we enjoyed every minute of it! We just can't seem to get enough of the wide open spaces, incredibly delicious cuisine, and superb hospitality that comes along with every stay at this rustically-luxurious inn.
AROUND THE INN:
We arrived to find that although the ownership of the Inn has recently changed, all of the things we love have remained the same. Fresh produce and flowers blossomed in the garden. Upon entering the Inn, Amy, the InnKeeper, greeted us with a welcome smile. A vast selection of hot tea waited to be brewed. And the mouth-watering scents of supper filled the air in anticipation of an unforgettable meal.
A winter garden. One of the great things to love about TX.
One of two buildings for lodging.
Our room was on the second floor on the far right.
The backside of the main lodge. The dining room and kitchen on the first floor
and three guest rooms above.
Dining room - where the food coma begins!
We love how the dining experience is communal, but the lodging accommodations are extremely private. We find we have plenty of space and time to ourselves during our stay and then look forward to meeting different folks at mealtime who come from all parts of the country. At one point, we dined with a couple of Floridians and Alaskans and thoroughly enjoyed the conversation (unfortunately I can't say the same about our conversation with the Houstonian lawyer and his psycho-therapist girlfriend, but that's a different story).
Relaxing back porch with an endless view.
New fire pit and seating to enjoy a cool Texas evening (we do get those every once in a while).
WHERE WE LAID OUR HEADS:
After our first stay at the Inn nearly 4 years ago, the hubby and I made a plan to try a new room (out of the 12 different rooms available) with each visit. But, sometimes plans don't always work out the way we think they will. After staying in the Hayes room last year we just knew this is where we wanted to return. Being located on the second floor lends to incredible views from the private balcony. Inside, we cozy up by the fireplace or on the king size bed where satellite TV with a DVD/VCR player and wireless Internet are available.
Snuggling by a warm fire.
A wider view of our fireplace and sitting area.
The most comfortable bed we've ever slept in aside from our Tempurpedic at home.
All the rooms at the Inn come with a fireplace, over-sized room with seating area, plush bedding for either a king or queen bed, porch seating with hill country views, and more. (My worries begin to fade just thinking about it all.) Although every room comes with these amenities, each one has its own unique decor and layout. But it's the Hayes room that has something that none of the others possess. And this is it...
OK, I know, it doesn't necessarily look all that spectacular from this angle. But stepping inside this double shower with large bench and oversized window is so refreshing and relaxing. The view never ends. And neither does the hot water. Trust me, we let that water run over us for a looooong time.
So here's a view from inside the shower. The picture doesn't quite do it justice. You'll just have to take my word for it. In the mornings, we showered with a view of the sun rising over the horizon. And in the evenings, we allowed the water to wash any stress away as we gazed out at the lights of the neighboring towns.
Now that's a great way to begin and end a day.
WHAT WE FEASTED ON:
To say we feasted is no understatement. During our stays at the Inn, we've always had a breakfast so filling that come lunch time we were no where near hungry. So we skip lunch and simply snack on the cookies provided in the dining room to get us through till dinner.
Although the cookies are quite tasty, I'm gonna be honest...we didn't come here for the cookies. We came, and will continue to return, in large part because the food is amazing! Unlike most B&Bs that only include breakfast in the room price, the Inn Above Onion Creek also provides dinner.
I'll just let the food speak for itself here...
DINNER
Menu included:
-Romaine Salad with Beets, Candied Walnuts and Cheure
-Grilled Pork Chop with Cranberry Ginger Compote
-Spaetzle with Brown Butter and Sage (picture shows rice as I had asked for a dairy-free diet)
-Glazed Carrots with Dill
-Dinner Roll
-Croissant Bread Pudding with Orange Vanilla Bean Sauce
Don't worry if you aren't sure about what a few of those things are because neither do I. I just know it was good!
BREAKFAST
Menu Included:
-"Eggs in Purgatory" (Baked Eggs with San Marzano Sauce)
-Bacon
-Maple Sweetened Yogurt with Cinnamon Apples
-Fresh Buttermilk Biscuit with Jam
-Fresh Fruit
-Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
BREAKFAST ALL GONE
One of the things I really enjoyed about this stay (besides the darn good food) was how well the kitchen staff accommodated my food sensitivities. Since I've developed these nagging but unavoidable tummy troubles over the last couple of years, this is the first time out of five stays that a lodging facility (that advertised the willingness to accommodate food allergies) actually did it! Only once, when our first appetizer was served, did I have to remind the staff of my request for a particular diet and from there on out I didn't have to repeatedly ask "Is there dairy in this?". I was perfectly taken care of and really appreciated it!
HOW WE PASSED THE TIME:
Normally, when we arrive at the Inn it's for the soul purpose of seeking rest for mind and body. We almost hope for a few rainy days so we have no excuse to leave our little home away from home. I've finished a handful of books, lounged for several mindless hours in front of the fireplace, and have napped in a dreamy state of mind following a massage, all from the comforts of our room at the Inn. And we've been perfectly happy accomplishing next to nothing during past visits.
But this trip...this one was to be different. We planned to venture out to the quaint, little town of Wimberley for a high-flying adventure in order to put a check mark next to an item on our bucket list. Our plans included soaring over canyons and creeks while taking in 15-mile views of the Wimberley Valley. Just like this...
But it was cold. And windy. And rainy.
So instead, we did this...
...drank hot tea and put together a 1,000 piece puzzle. Call us nerds. Call us old fogies. But we call ourselves refreshed and relaxed and free from all responsibilities. Our only obligation was to show up for dinner and we had no problem fulfilling that commitment.
At one point we did actually make it out of our room and ventured a quarter-mile down the road to the Inn Above Onion Creek SPA for an hour massage. "Worth. Every. Penny." is all I have to say about that.
The entrance to the Spa.
I intended to have our picture taken for our side-by-side massages,
but once my face hit that pillow I forgot all about my good intentions.
Once we returned to our room in a near comatose state, we knew we were worthless for the next few hours, so we called it a day till dinnertime and then hung this sign on the door...
***************************
The next time we have an opportunity to zipline through the Wimberley Valley or simply need to get-away and feel a million miles away from it all, you'll know where to find us...
