There are plenty of chain hotels speckled throughout the region, particularly in Fredericksburg and Marble Falls, but you're missing out on the local flavor if you don't try or (at least investigate) the many bed-and-breakfasts, guesthouses, ranches, and small resorts in the area—it's the absolute best way to get a feel for the culture. From historic and authentically restored guesthouses such as Palo Alto Creek and Austin Street Retreat in Fredericksburg and The Gamel House in Mason to the plush mini-resort luxury of Escondida Resort in Medina and River Rock Ranch in Comfort, to even retro-country at the Roadrunner Inn in Fredericksburg, there truly is something for everyone here.

Before deciding on the place that's right for you, it's important to make a few distinctions. Bed-and-breakfasts and guesthouses are not the same thing, no matter how close they may be in appearance. B&Bs invite you to join your hosts and sometimes other guests for breakfast each morning. Guesthouses do not. Although you may receive a generous basket of muffins or other breakfast breads from the occasional guesthouse manager, you will more likely need to fend for yourself. When looking at reservation agencies such as the Gästehaus Schmidt in Fredericksburg, or Boerne Reservations, be sure to confirm which accommodation you are choosing. You may like the personalized touch and communal atmosphere of a B&B, or you may prefer the greater privacy afforded by a guesthouse.