8 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.

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.