9 Best Hotels in West Texas and the Panhandle, Texas

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.

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.

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 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.