Wide Open Spaces

West Texas ghost town bubbles up with luxurious new glamping experience

As if Houstonians need another reason to visit West Texas, a new glamping experience is bubbling up just outside of Big Bend National Park. Located in the small town of Terlingua, Basecamp Terlingua offers luxury vacation rentals that are far from typical accommodations.

When planning a visit to Basecamp Terlingua, choose from one of four types of rooms: a Lotus tent, tipi, casita, or bubble, which are the real showstoppers.

From the outside, the 225-square-foot inflatable bubble rooms may look otherworldly, but on the inside, it’s all luxury. Each bubble has a queen-size bed, air conditioning and heat, WiFi, a mini-fridge, and a coffee maker. Plus, they come with an attached indoor bathroom for ultimate convenience.

By far the best feature of the bubbles, however, is the transparent material, which means guests can get amazing views of the wide-open West Texas skies from the comfort of their own bed. But don't worry about privacy. While the bubbles are see-through, they’re positioned out of sight of the other dwellings on the property.

“Our goal is to create a unique lodging experience for visitors to the area,” says Jeff Leach, owner of Basecamp Terlingua. “Our lodging options are designed to maximize our stunning sunrises and sunsets.”

Different in size and amenities, the Lotus tents and tipis offer their own special glamping experiences. Reaching 16 feet in height, the 202-square-foot Lotus tents also come furnished with a queen-size bed.

The 400-square-foot tipis are a bit more spacious, with a king-size bed as well as a couch that folds out to a double bed. The most rustic tipi, the 180-square foot Nomad, offers a double bed and a private detached bathhouse.

Along with the bubbles, all of the other accommodation types at Basecamp Terlingua also have internet service to keep guests connected — even all the way out there in the expansive Chihuahuan Desert.

Rounding out the experience are hiking, walking, and Jeep tours provided by Basecamp Terlingua. Tours are led by guides certified by the National Park Service and with Wilderness Advanced First Aid training.

One of the most popular tours is the four-hour Santa Elena Canyon tour, which takes hikers around “some of the ‘must-see’ spots.” The three-hour Terlingua Ghost Town and Indian Head tour, a family-friendly option that showcases the Native American petroglyphs and pictographs in the area along with the town’s mining history, is also a favorite.

Those looking for something more off-the-beaten-path (literally) may be interested in the Ernst Tinaja and Historic Old Ore Road tour. This four-hour excursion bounds along on an unpaved road mostly inaccessible to tourists (it requires a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle) and into the backcountry where guests will find a large waterhole surrounded by picturesque rock formations.

When discussing why Basecamp Terlingua is the ultimate way to experience West Texas, Leach explains, “It’s about being outdoors. It’s about connecting with the landscape. And that’s what we try and do at Basecamp.”

Another bubble is set to be added by the end of this year. Referred to as Bubble X, this structure will have its own living room module, shaded exterior seating, and private hot tub. Bubble X bookings for December 1 onward are now available on the website.

The bubbles offer nearly 360-degree views of the West Texas landscape.

Basecamp Terlingua bubble tipi tent West Texas

Photo courtesy of Basecamp Terlingua

The bubbles offer nearly 360-degree views of the West Texas landscape.

hotels vacation

Out to Pasture

Restorative new hotel and restaurant now open at historic Texas 'pastures'

Photo by Casey Dunn

Henry's gives a chic, updated look to an old property.

Mattie's at Green Pastures, a Southern restaurant on a historic property with famous peacocks, already felt like a retreat from the more urban parts of Austin. Now the property at 811 W. Live Oak St. has reached its hospitality potential with the addition of the Inn at Green Pastures, with 63 new guest rooms, a private pool, a lounge, a bar, and even a whole new restaurant called Henry's. Room reservations will open Friday, December 12.

The Green Pastures property in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood used to cover 50 rural acres, but now it's down to seven — still a healthy size considering its always-changing surroundings. The pièce de résistance is a 120-year-old Victorian farmhouse that was built by local minister and physician Dr. Eugene W. Herndon and later purchased by lawyer Henry Faulk, who moved his family in and ran the surrounding land as a farm.

By 1946, the owner's daughter Mary Faulk Koock and her husband, Chester Koock, turned the home into a restaurant — the first racially integrated restaurant in Austin, according to Green Pastures — and more family members stewarded the property until it was sold by a local investment group of more than 100 members in 2015. The restaurant became Mattie's in 2017.

The biggest news for Austinites is the new restaurant, which will be open day-to-night for morning coffee service, snacks, full meals, and cocktails. For now, it's just open from 4-11 pm, and will open in its full capacity starting December 12.

Foodies can still get the famous mini-biscuits from Mattie's, plus hot smoked salmon on a bagel, a hotdog with relish, a burger using beef from Grassfield Farm in Hondo (about 50 miles west of San Antonio), and grilled redfish with German potato salad. These dishes will be served in the restaurant as well as to guests in their rooms. Small plates like charcuterie boards and oysters will be available at the pool.

Henry's at Green Pastures hotdog Not everything at Green Pastures is fancy.Photo by Jessica Stephens

Cocktails aren't relegated to the nighttime hours. Guests can order a breakfast martini with gin, red berry liqueur, lemon and strawberry jam; then they can come back at lunch or dinner for a Hugo Spritz or a signature cocktail. Draft cocktails like an Artemis Cup, Back Porch Tea, and Espresso Martini keep things simple and can be served without alcohol.

For travelers and staycationers, the guest rooms and nine suites in the newly constructed, three-story hotel offer a "quiet, restorative retreat," according to a press release. Both room styles show off high ceilings and windows that maximize that height, plus hardwood floors, marble sinks, anddeep bathtubs. The suites are all named after wildlife that might be found on the property, and the building is shaped like an "L" to work around existing live oaks. Even parking is out of the way, hidden underground.

Inn at Green Pastures guest rooms The guest rooms keep things simple and serene.Photo by Casey Dunn

The new structure was designed by the highly regarded local architecture firm Clayton Korte. Its many recognizable projects include other historically sensitive builds, like major renovations just announced in November at Austin's Paramount and State Theatres. On the interior, local design studio Noah Marion is responsible for leather goods around the property including catchall tray, decor, games, apparel, and more that will all be for sale to guests.

Completing the resort feel, a luxury spa is planned for a 2028 opening.

Finally, the property will also be available for events, including weddings, with access to its gardens, event hall at Mattie's, and Green Pastures ballroom. A cottage also provides a space to get ready for the events to come.

Inn at Green Pastures The new addition looks nothing like the Victorian farmhouse it accompanies.Photo by Casey Dunn

“The Inn at Green Pastures is our way of offering guests a deeper connection to this special place,” said Jeff Trigger, chairman of the investor board and president of La Corsha Hospitality Group, in a press release. “Whether you're here for a wedding, a quiet getaway or drinks at Henry’s, we want every stay to feel personal, elevated and rooted in the beauty of Austin.”

Rooms at the Inn at Green Pastures start at $395.

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