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    Texas getaways

    First-of-its-kind Hill Country resort blends acclaimed Texas winery, brewery, and spa

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    Feb 27, 2023 | 12:00 pm

    When he’s a beer-loving outdoor enthusiast and she’s a wine-loving spa junkie, agreeing on plans for a quick Hill Country getaway can be tricky. My husband likes to spend the day climbing hills in state parks; I’d rather climb on and off a wine tour bus. He hunts down hoppy craft beer in town; I search for lavender bath products.

    So a new(ish) Hill Country resort with our vacation trifecta — winery, brewery, and spa — beckoned to us for a weekend away. Carter Creek Winery, Resort & Spa stands high on a hill overlooking U.S. Hwy. 290, just off a swerve-fast-or-you’ll-miss-it exit outside Johnson City.

    Thirty miles east of Fredericksburg, it’s along a stretch of the famous “Texas wine road” between Johnson City and Stonewall that’s become an attractive destination for a slightly more laid-back oenophile experience. (Locals are quick to make Napa-Sonoma comparisons.)

    Carter Creek Family Winery has been bottling wines in the area since 2016, and they come with fine Texas pedigree: Head winemaker is Jon McPherson, son of Texas wine industry pioneer "Doc" McPherson and brother of renowned winemaker Kim McPherson. Jon McPherson has teamed up with winemaker Javier Flores to turn out award-winning Carter Creek wines for several years.

    In December 2019, owners Jim and Dawn Carter opened Carter Creek Winery Resort in Johnson City as a sister property to their South Coast Winery Resort & Spa in Temecula, California. Knowing how much Texans like their beer, they say, they threw in a microbrewery, too. The Hill Country resort debuted with a winery and two tasting rooms, onsite brewery, restaurant, seasonal smokehouse, outdoor events center, and 78 luxe private villas.

    Then COVID-19 hit weeks later and shut it all down.

    As restrictions loosened and tourists came back to the area, the owners continued with their plans, finally adding a long-anticipated spa in summer 2022.

    Carter Creek now has the only spa in the eastern section of the Hill Country. It’s also the only winery resort with a brewery in the area.

    Rooms and brews
    After a longer-than-usual drive from Fort Worth to Johnson City (who knew Marble Falls and Burnet had rush-hour traffic?), we checked into villa #2704, our own private palace: separate living room and bedroom, two 55-inch flat screen TVs and an electric fireplace, bathroom with double vanity, and porch with seating area.

    We couldn’t help but compare this $209-per-night Hill Country castle to more high-profile Texas hotel-resorts - with tiny rooms - that cost double or triple as much. We were also thankful our quiet villa was one of the farthest back from the highway.

    A (recommended) dinner reservation at the resort's Old 290 Brewery Restaurant awaited, just a short walk down a well-lit path across the property. “Old 290” refers to the road that runs along the resort - the actual old 290 road to Fredericksburg from Johnson City.

    Here, head brewmeister Justin Zimmerman crafts award-winning small-batch light ales, medium-bodied pale ales, and stouts. Folks were buzzing about his Hell Raiser Bourbon Brown, aged for two months in nearby Garrison Brothers Bourbon Barrels, which won a coveted gold medal in the Fredericksburg Craft Beer Festival last summer. His El Bigote Mexican Lager took home a bronze.

    The brewery’s adjacent Hill Country-fine dining restaurant serves the steaks, burgers, and CFS Texas diners demand, with some cheffy twists. The Old 290 Bison Burger, for instance, is topped with brie cheese, tomato bacon jam, horseradish pickles, and crispy onions on a pretzel bun. At a breakfast buffet, “Chef Trey” cooked eggs to order for every guest.

    Over housemade garlic knots with tomato garlic compound butter, my husband sampled a flight of Old 290 beers - the IPA earned a rave from the self-proclaimed "hophead" - and I tried Carter Creek wine for the first time. (Tip: Take advantage of the free samples offered before committing to a glass.)

    Without evening plans, we’d considered driving 30 miles to legendary Luckenbach to enjoy some live music. No need. A local musician entertained on the restaurant’s stage for hours. Outside, guests gathered around fire pits on the patio and played cornhole on the lush lawn that doubles as a wedding venue with beautiful vistas.

    Spa with panache
    The next morning, I arrived far too early for my facial and had the intimate spa all to myself. The 1,500-square-foot Carter Creek Spa might be small, but it’s got a mighty name behind it. Spa director Gülçin Johnson is a well-respected aesthetician with an eponymous skincare line called Gülçin Johnson Botanicals carried at top spas across the country.

    Carter Creek Spa offers a variety of massages, body treatments, facials, and foot reflexology treatments for individuals or couples. A dry sauna, outdoor pool, and hot tub are just steps away. While priority is given to resort patrons, the spa welcomes day guests for appointments, too.

    My refreshing, 50-minute Carter Creek Classic Facial - featuring some Eminence Organic products I've long loved - ended with a glass of crisp Muscat Canelli wine in the relaxation area. (So what if it was not quite 11 am?)

    Wine time
    An afternoon wine tasting revealed that, unlike other Hill Country wineries with lists as long as a Cheesecake Factory menu, Carter Creek zeroes in on a handful and does them well - currently, four whites, four reds, a rose, a sparkling, and two dessert wines.

    The winemakers lean into European varietals, producing crisp whites such the popular Gloriosa ($24), a not-too-sweet blend of Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Muscat Canelli; and complex reds, such as the top-selling Maverick ($39), a Rhone-style blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Viognier.

    Carter Creek also makes a Sparkling Peach ($35) that’s such a sensation, they have trouble keeping it in stock. It also has a fun backstory: When the Carters asked Jon McPherson - a master winemaker with special expertise in sparkling wines - to create a peach sparkler as a nod to the Hill Country, it took some arm-twisting. He wasn’t going to make some cloying hot-tub sipper, he told them; he would make it his way, as a “serious” wine.

    A blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat Canelli, and Pinot Noir results in a lightly sweet, refreshingly crisp and only slightly “peachy” bubbly. It won Double Gold at the 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, in fact.

    We couldn’t resist purchasing a bottle, along with three other favorites. (Looking back, we should have joined the wine club on the spot and saved 25 percent; there was no pressure to do so.)

    Outdoors and out-of-this-world
    After spa-ing and sipping, it was time for an outdoor adventure together. Pedernales Falls State Park was just a picturesque, 30-minute drive away. We laced up our hiking boots and drove down hilly backroads to the park, where my husband’s handy Texas State Parks Pass got us in free.

    On this sunny afternoon, a lot of other people had the same idea. We hiked out to the famous river rocks - mostly dry after a season with little rain. To break from the crowds, we sat for a spell in the bird blind and viewed bright red cardinals a chirpy finches darting around the trees.

    At dusk, we drove up to the park’s star theater for a stargazing session led by a state park ranger. While we bundled up in a blanket and gazed up at the stars, “Ranger Steve” laser-pointed to constellations and recounted their humorous and harrowing origin stories.

    Then, he paused and told us to look up at a blinking light streaking overhead. We waved hello to the International Space Station as it cruised by for four minutes, then disappeared among the million stars in the night sky.

    We left the Hill Country, this time, having sampled a bit of everything we were craving - wine, beer, pampering, and nature.

    Everything, that is, except bluebonnets. Now, to plan that spring wildflower excursion.

    ---

    Carter Creek Winery, Resort & Spa, 4064 W. U.S. Highway 290, Johnson City. Rates start at $209, plus $19 per-night resort fees. Discounts available for AAA, AARP, and more. Family-friendly and pet-friendly. Check website for days and hours at tasting room, restaurant, and spa.

    Carter Creek Winery, Resort & Spa
      

    Photo courtesy of Carter Creek Winery Resort

    Head winemaker is Jon McPherson, son of Texas wine pioneer "Doc" McPherson and brother of renowned winemaker Kim McPherson.

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    Montrose's new boutique hotel

    Houston influencer opens an antiques-filled boutique hotel in Montrose

    Emily Cotton
    Jul 3, 2025 | 2:18 pm
    The Marlene Inn boutique hotel
    Photo by Julie Soefer
    The Mattingly Room at The Marlene Inn.

    A shared existential crisis dreadfully looms over Houston preservationists when a beautiful old home hits the market: what will happen to it? What if a cash-hungry developer buys it as a tear down, what if it gets sold as a multi-unit rental space by some conglomerate and it falls quickly into disrepair, just to see the wrecking ball anyhow? Let’s try this on for once — what if it doesn’t? What if, for once, the perfect person buys “her.”

    There are no aggravatingly “millennial font” house numbers attached to 109 Stratford Street in Historic East Avondale — recently-opened as a boutique hotel called The Marlene Inn and its soon-to-be-hopping Bar Madonna. Instead, the original, iconic blue-and-white one-by-one tiles hold fast to tradition on the welcoming steps to this historic Montrose home, as they should. The addition of “The Marlene” tiled one step above the address assures guests and visitors that nothing short of tradition lies beyond the deep, rocking chair-outfitted porch stretching the width of the house — for added comfort, the porch ceilings are painted the faintest, Haintest shade of blue — original, of course.

    Lily Barfield, known to her nearly 50,000 Instagram followers as Lily’s Vintage Finds, has literally done what every antiques and vintage lover longs to do — open a boutique hotel, fill it with antiques, and attach a lobby antique store and jewel box bar to it to boot. Barfield’s “new,” nine-key boutique inn and bar offers every antique lover a glimpse of the dream, front and center.

    Spread across three residential lots, The Marlene invites guests beyond her stately iron gates, salvaged from an old bank in downtown Houston, and into this newly-protected landmark property. Thanks to the assistance of helpful and sleuthy Stratford Street neighbors, Barfield was able to work with Preservation Houston to gain protected landmark status for The Marlene, once known as the John S. Stewart House (of Stewart Title fame). Interestingly, three of the five previous owners have already stopped by to visit and chat with Barfield, offering stories and tidbits about the home’s former lives. As it turns out, The Marlene has always taken in visitors in one way or another. From taking on boarders to being a bed and breakfast and a pseudo antique store, the property is continuing a legacy Barfield knew little about when she purchased the house — which is something she finds delightful.

    “I always had wanted to do something in hospitality, it has been my pipe dream,” Barfield tells CultureMap. “I didn’t think it would happen when I was 29. I thought this was a dream I’d accomplish when I was 50!”

    Suites at The Marlene Inn start at $290 per night and offer en suite bathrooms, Bellino bedding, Grown Alchemist bath products, Nespresso machines, and more. Each suite offers an entirely different style. With everything from Brunschwig & Fil fabrics to Isidore Leroy wallpapers, there is something for everyone. Guests in the Nanette Suite have access to the second story porch, with bistro table and lounge area, plus a hidden, speakeasy style in-room bar. The Mia Suite and Mattingly room have access to a large sun porch, and can also be connected. The Marlene also offers a carriage house that sleeps up to six people, making this an ideal property for groups.

    “I’ve always thought there is a really natural connection between antiques and hospitality. I think that selling an antique is one thing, but experiencing them in a fully-immersive experience where you look to the right and there is this big, old antique cabinet, and there is a refurbished light fixture, and these mirrors, and this art. Just the experience of sitting in it, in a full room that’s decked out with these special pieces and the feeling that it gives you, to me, is the beauty of antiques. I always, always wanted to run a bed and breakfast, and my husband will tell you he’s always wanted to open a bar.”

    A bar to behold

    Situated to the rear of The Marlene is Bar Madonna. Large, light-filled windows offer a gorgeous view of the meticulously-landscaped grounds and European-inspired garden patio. Bar Madonna earned its name from the nearly nine foot wooden painting of the Virgin Mary keeping a watchful eye over her patrons. Taken from a decommissioned 18th century church in France, the gem of the room is sure to be an Instagram staple.

    Inspired by the Church of Saint-Germain-des Prés in Paris, the hand-painted ceiling mural is the work of Mary Evans of Verdigris Finishes and is truly a sight to behold. Notably among the very few items that were not sourced by Barfield on one of her sourcing trips to Europe, tabletop lights by Pooky Lighting are sprinkled throughout the bar and adjoining sunroom, offering the perfect backdrop for one of Bar Madonna’s gorgeous libations.

    General manager Tom Hardy, formerly of Hotel Saint Augustine and the Bludorn Group, created a unique menu of cocktails that embody both European sensibilities and southern flair. With names like the “Southeastern” and “Wild O’uest,” guests are invited to experience cocktails that embody the best of both worlds.

    The Marlene’s namesake, Barfield’s late grandmother, was an avid tennis player. In honor of Marlene, her now vintage tennis trophies play double-duty around the bar, functioning as both decor and swizzle stick storage.

    Hotel guests are treated to a daily breakfast of fresh pastries, fruit, and charcuterie in the dining room and adjoining sunroom. Hanging over the breakfast buffet is an impressive full set of 18th century Majolica plates. Finding a full set of these dishes is no easy task. In a fun twist, Barfield made a plea to her Lily’s Vintage Finds followers and they were happy to oblige.

    A little help from my friends

    In the year and a half it took Barfield to complete The Marlene, she worked closely with designers she’s known for most of her life. “I love interiors, I love beautiful things, I love furniture, I love art, but there is something that only an interior designer can do,” says Barfield. “I couldn’t have done this without her,” she says of working with childhood friend and designer Helene Dellocono (formerly of Marie Flanigan Interiors). “There is a lot of back and forth that you can only get with a friend.”

    Barfield also enlisted the help of her family’s longtime interior designer and color specialist Ellen Kennon to create a customized color palette throughout the house. Kennon designs full spectrum paints, which include all seven spectrums of visible light.

    “Her paints have this unique quality where they almost feel alive — it’s like a chameleon color. It’s really, really interesting, and it’s something everyone who has come here has commented on,” says Barfield.

    Neighbors welcome

    The Marlene has already attracted members of the neighborhood who want to visit and mingle with one another, something that Barfield warmly encourages: “I want this to be a place for the neighborhood. I want to have people walking over from a street away and coming to hang out and enjoy it, have a cocktail. I want it to be a place where people enjoy being, and a place where people connect.”

    Multiple rooms and seating areas sprinkled throughout the main floor allow people to find a nook to relax and enjoy a book, or work on their laptops. Cozy seating areas invite multiple parties to join in one another’s conversations, should they be so inclined.

    “I want people to sit on that front porch and feel like they aren’t being rushed out,” says Barfield. “I want them to feel like they can sink in and really be here whenever they are.” Montrose locals are already getting familiar with Barfield and the house, with people popping in for drinks multiple nights in a row. Holidays at The Marlene promise to be something to behold. The home’s Neoclassical design truly lends itself to festive decorations, and Barfield invites the community to visit for holiday photos and festive holiday gatherings.

    Check out antiques at the hotel during the day, then stick around for Bar Madonna to open at 3 pm on weekdays and 12 pm Saturdays and Sundays.

    The Marlene Inn boutique hotel
      

    Photo by Julie Soefer

    The Mattingly Room at The Marlene Inn.

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