One of the most popular things wine lovers enjoy is to spend overnight at a winery instead of a hotel. We have a great list of Texas wineries who offer lodging and it is our pleasure to add another winery to the list: Compass Rose Cellars in Hye, Texas.
Update: The casitas are now owned and offered by French Connection Wines.
Compass Rose Cellars has one of the greatest views from their tasting room patio overlooking the hillside, and they recently announced availability of three casitas (Spanish for little house) on site. During our recent Labor Day weekend trip to the Hill Country, we were able to stay in one of the casitas at a discounted rate and tremendously enjoyed our stay.
The three casitas are located just below the tasting room. Forget keys for the casita because each has a combination lock which means one less key or keycard you have to carry around with you during your stay. Inside a casita is a small kitchen area, king size bed, and a bathroom with a large shower and private toilet room. It is easy to see just by looking at the fixtures and lighting (we recently remodeled our master bathroom) that top-notch materials were used.
Electronic amenities include high speed Internet via Wi-Fi and a flat screen TV that will soon have DirecTV. Even the alarm clock has two USB ports.
Each casita has a back porch where you can relax at night and enjoy a bottle of wine available from the tasting room while enjoying the quiet of country life and stargazing. I am not sure if it was intentional, but the three casitas are staggered in their placement so while you are on your porch, you cannot see another casita’s porch, hence giving you privacy.
There are still some things to finish with the casitas, like landscaping when the fall planting season arrives, but they are definitely livable now.
The casitas were originally built to have a place for wine club members to stay, but they are open to the general public if there is availability. There is a two night minimum stay required when booking Friday or Saturday.
Note this lodging is not a bed and breakfast, but a guesthouse providing lodging at a winery.
Nice review! The casitas really can pay off the line, “The stars at night shine big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas!” Now all you need is a cool star-gazers app for your phone, plus that bottle of wine, and you have a great night in the Hill Country.
Spot-on! I actually used a stargazers app on the phone and was amazed at some of the constellations and planets I was able to see when you have a dark night without lots of lights from a city.