Down to visit Texas State with my older daughter we decided we'd get there a day ahead of time and spend the night rather than try to make the 5 hours or so drive in the morning. She likes things that are different most of the time so I thought I'd try a bed and breakfast with her and was able to find the Crystal River Inn, listed as a 3 star hotel on the travel sites. Seemed to be a discount and I found out why later, but everything worked out fine. This place is just a few blocks away from Texas State so location-wise for us was perfect for our tour the next day. Very easy to find and it's also just off the downtown square so right in the thick of things and allowed us to "check" out the area pretty easy. The reason for the discount is that one part of the hotel is being renovated and so only about half the rooms are available. We stayed in the portion they call the Thomas House. Now we got there on a Sunday evening and so no work being done. There is some bustling noise on the street which mostly goes away by sundown. Also some foot traffic as there seems to be students walking back and forth for various retail spots. Very cozy and quaint rooms however with their own bathroom. One of those small town places where you just pick up your key on the table amongst the other keys for expected guests. Open parking in the back and easy in and out. Supposedly there is a ghost there that likes to mess with the temperature but the thermostat was blocked off and it was quite nice throughout the night. Though my daughter is into that we saw no ghosts that either pushed us down the stairs or helped us up them according to legend...LOL... Has a coffee station for the morning which is help yourself. You can hear other people moving around in the other rooms but nothing too terrible at least on this night. We did not need anything but there was a contact number and the innkeeper apparently was on call if necessary. I think a cozy place. Decor was very nostalgic and man the bath water was nice and hot and plentiful! I don't know that I would call it a romantic getaway place as the surroundings aren't idyllic; but it was a great alternative to the regular motels/hotels for not much more. The bed and pillows were worth the extra 20 bucks....LOL.... I think we got the night for $120 and after all those taxes it was about $144. Don't mind staying there if we are out that way again. read more

Crystal River Inn - Check in Station - Hotels Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

See all

Do not book this hazardous hotel. Corley the owner just admitted to me on the phone that she did not report my injury to her insurance company when she saw my Yelp. This pace is a danger to the disabled, elderly and basically anyone. The backyard is a hazard for tripping because it is so uneven and even has dips. The transition from the front desk to the hallway is loose and it is several inches wide, a huge hazard. The railing on the extremely steep stairs is too wide for someone who is disabled and can't grip it properly. The entrance in the back has broken and uneven bricks, again a huge hazard. She had the nerve to say to me that they looked at the cameras and I was walking perfectly fine which is so untrue, it's shocking. I had to take my shoes off and scan the floor to be able to walk. I reported to my dr and he took a full report. So I did report the incident and she has been caught in a very serious lie. read more

See all

The room was fine minus the fact that there were sunflower seeds on the floor and the outlet had no cover. The bathroom was atrocious. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. We had booked for a two night stay but only stayed one night since we could not bathe here. We asked for a refund for the night we didn't stay there and the owner refused saying that the bathroom is described honestly in the one picture and on the website but it does not say anywhere that the bathroom is disgusting and the picture conveniently leaves out those details. read more

See all

Maybe I'm thinking wrong, but I've always thought that a bed-and-breakfast should be accommodating and actually make you feel pampered. Let's start with the good. The place was clean and quaint. The location is good and the restaurants around are excellent, many in walking distance. Right next door is Zelicks, a local bar with a food truck which is a great place to hang out. You're just a short drive to Gruene and Winberly, which is a great bonus. The breakfast was very good and the staff was very nice. Now for the negatives. Arriving was a bit frustrating as we could not figure out where to park. Ended up having to call and was directed with nobody personally here to show me (she was having to tell me over the phone ). It would have been nice to get a pre-visit text or email explaining where you'll park based on where you're staying (there's 2 buildings). Eventually, a staff member came out telling us that we were blocking the driveway (we were exiting). Ended up helping us figure out where to park and got us checked in. I got the feeling if that didn't happen, we would not have had anyone greet us and we would've just wandered around trying to figure out how to get in the building. Nonetheless, we get checked in and we get to our room. Again, the rooms are clean and quaint. There was no nice soaps (just the small bars that you get at any Motel 6), no hair conditioner, no lotion, & no blow dryer. The ceiling light was burnt out, the blinds had no way to open (so you just had to leave them closed all the time), the bathroom rug had a tear on the side & the commode seat had wear on the seat. A couple of things that would've been really nice are a mini fridge with maybe a few water bottles, and a bedside table on each side of the bed. There was a community coffee area out in the hall, that was very nice. When I went to make coffee for the morning, the coffee grounds had not been empty. I noticed days to follow that are dirty coffee cups. continued to sit there and coffee cups did not get replaced. We just eventually ran out of coffee cups. When we booked this location, it was actually four stars. When I wrote this it was down to 3.5, which is pretty sad because this place has a lot of potential. read more

See all

From reservations to check out, our improv girls trip experience was amazing at Crystal River Inn. It was a busy weekend for San Marcos and nearby town, and we're so happy we found the last availability at Crystal River Inn. We were not sure what to expect- when making the reservation, I was instantly welcomed with great hospitality and like I knew the lady from ages. They were great at creating that bed and breakfast family hospitality vibe. We checked in late in the night and the process what super smooth and the details from our room card to selecting our breakfast options - was so adorable! Our room was HUGE! we stayed at Cedar Creek, and she did not lie when she told me it was their largest room. The property is VERY well kept. Our room had a very clean Victorian decor. I told my friends I felt like I was somewhere in the country side of Paris, in that room. Breakfast was delicious, and included! The dining room was so well kept. Their staff was always very attentive and making sure they checked on us while our food was being prepared. The quality of the food was amazingly, something I would expect from a chic local restaurant since their fruit was so fresh and well prepared. We're already planning to add this place to future girls trips. I genuinely can't wait to come back and get to experience it again. Highly recommend, and until next time Crystal Day Inn! read more

See all

First, very close to the square. Easy walking to bars, cafes and coffee shops, which turned out to be a good thing......No more breakfast. I know kinda strange a "Bed and Breakfast" but no breakfast is served. Just coffee and a kolache, OJ or hot tea. What??? The breakfast here was great once upon a time so bring it back, please. The street in front is very busy and noisy now. What changed? The loud mufflers and noisy motorbikes went until early morning along Hopkins Street. There is a bar across the street and down a bit which was noisy as well. And, as another review pointed out, no water bottles in the room. The rooms just need something; drapes are looking drab, window blinds in disrepair, floor throws are looking very old. The quaintness is slowly turning to dullness. So, no longer worth the fairly high price of admission in my humble opinion. read more

I'll start with the positives: The location was near the square and walking distance to see our son's show at TXState theatre. The people who work there (and the owner) were lovely and accommodating to our middle of the night arrival. The breakfasts were very good (though not what we normally eat): Bananas foster stuffed french toast one morning, really great quiche one day, and eggs benedict (done perfectly) another. I enjoyed sitting with other guests at breakfast and sitting in the living area to read a book or watch tv between our other adventures around town. What I didn't like was in some way out of the control of the establishment, and other things they really need to get to work on. First, it's located next door to a bar with outdoor seating (and two doors down from a sorority house). I realized that it was Halloween weekend, so we weren't upset at the revelers, but the noise did continue until 3 AM not only on the weekend nights but also on Sunday and Monday night. I think that there were local kids who use the back patio to party when they think that no one is paying attention (which may be most of the time... I dunno). My husband and I were the ONLY two people in the building on Monday night, and the amount of noise we heard (from exactly where we weren't sure, but I did see a man walking in the driveway twice around 3AM) was unnerving. There is no video surveillance at this property and no 24/7 on site manager. This alone is the reason I won't be going back. Lastly, the Medina room: we had old windows where one pane had literally dropped out of it and was leaning against the permanent plastic that must be there to protect the original windows (which don't open and have obviously not been cleaned in years). The bathtub was last remodelled in the early 70's I'd guess because it was that old green we had at Grandma's. The showerhead is hung at about 5' so you have to do contortions to actually get clean if you're not a tiny person. There was evidence that the tile had been repaired poorly. You would not want to take a bath here. The wallpaper is probably as old as the tub and it was peeling everywhere with some questionable stains. One might call the old furniture quaint or rustic, but it felt like someone had just gone to various thrift stores to gather old looking things together in an attempt for an upscale feel, but it fell far short. The stuff was simply old and junky. I can see the potential of the inn, but the seat to the chair was literally not attached, and the extremely high bed, while comfortable and warm and clean, was simply difficult to get in and out of. There needs to be more outlets too in the modern world. I did love sitting out on the top veranda and rocking while reading and watching people go by, but if one stayed out there for long, one noticed that it wasn't cleaned often and the ceiling was literally falling in. I was hoping that this would be a lovely get away with my husband (since it did cost more than staying at the Hilton), but it was overall disappointing and stressful. I left realizing that I'm just not a bed and breakfast type gal. read more

See all

Our daughter and her new husband were to stay here one night and were looking forward to it based on the pics on the website. Cathy was very friendly when booking with her over the phone but that's where the "good" stopped. When my daughter arrived, there was very limited parking, the staff person at the property was rude, and the whole building was outdated and in desperate need of some work. Their room (the Medina) had old, worn out, stained carpet, peeling wallpaper and paint, a super tiny tub, and a musty smell. College students were gathering for a party in the other rooms. Needless to say, they left for better accommodations. Don't trust the website pics. It's not what the house looks like anymore. read more

See all

Recently, I stayed overnight in what I thought would be a nice mini escape with friends...Positive start to have access to downtown and visit a 100 year old home. First the confusion of where to park and the limitation both-no direct signage or direction. Also, I thought I had booked at the Inn-but it was next door. The dimly lit hallways and no lighted stairs did not add to my welcome. ( The hostess was kind and yet seemed annoyed with my not parking in the right spot...) The These are not victorian times, yet some of the modern ammenities are more appreciated than stale surroundings...The dwarf lamps on the nightstands did not pair with the decor or the huge bed. The color scheme was very sad and a misfit to the furniture trying to be Victorian. The left corner/front room was adequate, yet with the constant street traffic noise all night and the planes overhead...it made it hard to get a good nights' sleep. (it would have been okay to have to window panes replaced to present standards for noise) and a simple privacy vinyl on the bottom would have been welcoming (I don't mind the homes being so close, yet closing out the natural light just to have some privacy to sit to plan out my next day... The ceiling fan was so dusty and frightenedly too close overhead that having to first look behind the mirror to turn on and then not wanting to have on for safety/health concerns. The extension chords for use were not safe-looking to use-woukd have preferred ones with a surge protector and better quality.The bathroom was just as daunting-no privacy screen/vinyl where one's silhouette can be seen right away from the street and no vanity light to turn on...was very dimly lit. The claw tub was okey, but the duct tape on the shower bar seemed like it was struggling to hold together to the wall and so much of the baseboards both in the room and bathroom still had patches that needed to be completed (or a very rushed paint job that didn't get finished). Plus, the leaking under the tub was what soured my claw foot bath...Yes, it is a time to experience the 100 year old home, but be prepared to compromise with what it lacks. The staff was friendly and appreciate the lovely breakfast, but I would not repeat my visit to the Inn. read more

This was my second stay. Pros: Close to lots of things. There is a curry Indian place within walking distance that was delicious. There is a coffee shop up the hill that was fun to go and sit at. The inn was kept cold which I like. It was quiet all the time. Cons: Still wish an email or a call would happen before we came so we would know the check in process. If you had never stayed there you wouldn't know where to go. I wish there was a sign saying what was for breakfast that morning. That way we can decide if we want the breakfast or if it's to adventurous for us we could go out. There weren't enough plugs in our room and none in the bathroom. We had to unplug lamps to plug in our phones which was annoying. read more

We stayed for 2 nights during the week. The staff was incredibly friendly and breakfast was included was delicious. We had banana pecan French toast and bacon the first day and a delicious frittata the next (picture below). It was very quiet, but the layout was kind of confusing. We stayed at the building next door to the main on top of various businesses. The decor was outdated but the area was clean. I also received a 60 minute massage and 90 minute facial. Both ladies were absolutely incredible and so sweet and resourceful. My massage therapist Jan was amazing and had so many stories and was so nice. My only negative would be the decor and confusing layout but overall we enjoyed our stay. read more

Crystal River Inn - Hotels Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

we stayed two nights here and were sorely disappointed. The house was on ill repair and not really clean, " we found used drinking glasses hidden behind the tv, pet hair and dust on the floors". The breakfast was not very impressive nor was the service. Will not stay again. read more

Sorry to see the CRI's sumptuous breakfasts are now so streamlined. OJ is rationed, no water at the coffee bar, and there's a crusty housekeeper who will call you out for arriving early for breakfast. Room temps hard to control. The same housekeeper simply said the thermostat needed new batteries. The owners are terrific people and expect improvements over time. read more

Elegant old house, very authentic and beautiful. It was comfortable and the host was awesome. Breakfast was excellent and fresh. I highly recommend and will definitely go back. Parking is free and plenty. read more

One star for being in walking distance to lots of places. One star for a yummy, albeit very small breakfast. This b&b was a huge let down for us. I would not recommend. We stayed in the San Miguel room. And it is not as advertised. (ThThe website shows this room to be in great condition but it is not. We thought we were getting a beautiful room in a historic building. Instead it was a mediocre room, that was dirty, in need of repair and incredibly uncomfortable. Pics will show what you really get. read more

See all

Not great, but not bad. I have to say that the Bridezillas issue is not something I was worried about. I doubt I would stay here again since the place is run in such a laid back way that it seems life might be easier if you chose a big brand place on the highway. This said, my room was cute, and very B&B so I could see how it would be appealing to some, and you can walk to TX State from here. They ask for dietary restrictions, then make you whatever they feel like making each day for breakfast. This was odd. There was free WIFI which was nice and my room had a kitchen. Another plus for some travelers. The rooms near the back in the brick house faced the street and I could hear the walking talking and cars later than I wanted too. I would ask for one of the interior rooms facing the back yard or small parking lot or gardens. read more

See all

We had such an amazing girl trip and the owner went above and beyond to make sure all our needs were met and that we had the most perfect experience. Thank you Cathy for everything. Xoxox, Tori read more

Our experience was not good. When we arrived there was lots of construction going on in the back of the house and it was confusing where to park. We had to call to find out where to park and enter since no one was in the main house. We were told to go to the back and when we did the lady there questioned why we came in that way. Anyways no big deal with that but worth knowing the parking is a bit challenging. Our room was Barton Springs in the Thomas House next door. It needs to be updated. Paint is chipped, blinds are broken so you can't open them, blinds are dirty, no individual temp control....just needs an over all updated and cleaned. Breakfast experience was adequate. The coffee was the worst I have had in a long time. We went to Starbucks after we left..... The food was okay but I left hungry. When we checked out the same lady that appeared in charge at breakfast checked us out. The office is in the kitchen and the place to sign receipt was right next to plates being prepared for the other breakfast guest. I had given my entire credit card info when reserving the room. The lady said she could use the card on file or I could pay with a different card. I told her to use the one on file. Thought we were good so said thank you and got ready to leave but she rudely said she needed the credit card..... If you are looking for a warm and fuzzy type of B&B then this is not the one. Pros: great location. Good bed. Military discount. read more

When our original wedding venue was destroyed in the Halloween flood of 2014, we were in a big hurry to find a new place before everyone got booked up. We felt a huge relief when the Crystal River Inn had our date open. I could write a book about our experience with Cathy and her staff at CRI, but I'll just provide a few bullets. -Cathy was late to the first meeting to discuss the wedding. This is absolutely par for the course. There was not a single aspect of dealing with her that happened on time. -The amount of time between when we put a deposit down and when we got the proposal for the wedding was way too long. I honestly don't mind how long it takes, but the constant broken promises and outright lies about when it would come were very frustrating. We had to constantly badger Cathy to get it to us. After the fourth or fifth phone call, there was a convenient problem with her email that kept it from reaching us twice. -We received the final contract for our wedding three days before the wedding. The contract literally said that payment was due that day! I am really not sure we would have even received a contract if we wouldn't have been constantly calling and emailing about it. My wife even showed up at the inn unannounced one time because we simply couldn't get a hold of anyone. -Several of our guests asked who the rude lady at our wedding was. I'll let you guess who it was. -Three leftover cases of wine were left outside after our reception and subsequently stolen. We were not offered any compensation, even after asking, except for a voucher for a free night at the inn on our honeymoon (as if we would ever be coming back). In fact, Cathy told us that this had happened on several other occasions to other couples! I would like to make something very clear: Our wedding was absolutely beautiful, and I could not be more pleased with how it turned out. That being said, almost every step to get there was an exercise in frustration and self punishment working with Cathy and her staff at Crystal River Inn. I absolutely would not recommend choosing CRI as your wedding venue unless you have a blackbelt in patience and a doctorate degree in conflict resolution. read more

My hubby took me here for Valentines weekend. When I first arrived I thought the house was precious. We stayed in the Frio room. I was not impressed with "Valentine package" as it was some not so cute flowers and a few chocolates. I expected a little more for Valentines. How about spreading some of those flowers on the bed, just a though! It was tucked in the corner where it took me a few minuets to find the "Valentine Package". As we relaxed on the bed within an hour the t.v. turned on twice by itself. It scared the crap out of us. We told the front desk as we left for dinner which indeed they did something to make it stop. The room was very clean & cozy. It was a beautiful Victoria home with high vaulted ceilings. I must admit I hated the parking. It was a very tight squeeze if you are in a van, truck or suv. We were in a truck. What was most disappointing for me was that my hubby requested that they bring our breakfast to out room. You can choose to come out & eat or have it brought to you. We requested a 10:00 am time & by 10:30 it was still not delivered. My hubby has to call to see where it was. They didn't us down for breakfast, so not sure who screwed up there. All I know is that I was hungry & grouchy. They were very nice about it & quickly brought it to us. They never gave us a check out time so we have to call the front desk and ask them about that too. I wish they would have told us so we would plan out stay a little more accordingly. Overall our stay was relaxing and cozy besides the minor hiccups. I was kinda frustrated with the check out lady who didn't seem to know how to run the credit card machine and took forever to process us out. They also ask that you do not leave a tip in the room, but when you checkout as the whole staff splits it. My hubby left a $19 tip to make it a total of $170 for the night. I just hope the staff really does get it. They did recommend a restaurant down the street called Palmers & gave us a free appetizer coupon for it. We did take advantage of that & dinner was very reasonable. The drinks were very yummy. I would still recommend this place to friends & family as it was very central to shopping, eating, etc. I didn't get to hang out much outside, but from it looked gorgeous. read more

My wife had purchased a groupon for 2 nights at Crystal River Inn. The disappointments started from the time we started to try to make a reservation. When we called, and spoke to Cathy (the owner), we were informed that even though the groupon made no mention of it, the groupon was not good for Friday or Saturday nights. That was one of the reasons we purchased the groupon - no restrictions on use. After a bit of haggling, she agreed to split the 2 nights into 2 one night stays. We eagerly awaited our first booked one night on the Sunday before Christmas. When we arrived, boy were we disappointed again. Others had discussed the parking situation and the "parking tent", so I will skip that part. The first thing Cathy told us upon "checking in" was that she was "short staffed" and did not have time to leave the fruit and cheese in the room for us. Okay. As others have said in previous reviews, she was totally unprepared for us when we arrived. (Note we later found that only two other rooms were occupied. My thought, just lazy.) Next up during checkin, was a discussion about breakfast. After we had chosen a time to eat, we started a discussion on my low sodium/low protein diet. Even though we were told to discuss any dietary restrictions, rather than helpful Cathy projected that she was put out about the entire discussion. After maybe 10 minutes of hemming and hawing since most of their breakfasts are casseroles, she finally suggested french toast. After our enjoyable afternoon of shopping at the outlet mall, we came back to the Inn. My wife decided to take a bath using some of the supplied bubble bath. Two things: first we could not find a stopper for the tub - we ended up using a wash cloth to clog the drain. Second, it took over 5 minutes for the water to begin to warm up. Just a note if you do decide to stay here - the Inn is next to a bar so it is noisy just about every night until the 2am closing time of the bar. While neither of us were particularly bothered by the noise, it is there and occasionally loud. In the morning, while my wife slept, I decided to take a shower. Now I am not a tall man, 5 foot 8 on a good day, the shower head was at my neck level. Wow! A shower for midgets. Again the water took 5 minutes to warm up. Overall, we cannot recommend anyone to stay here. Bad vibe all around. read more

Meeeehhhhhhh. The good....free wifi...and......... quaint. ....if you like that. Nice location. The bad.....old....and all the things that go along with it. Old tub/shower made for 4' tall people. Iron bed. Squeaky everything. Sagging bed. Old furniture. Metal roof. 8' tall windows that love to reverberate noise. Miniblinds. And....the Frigging TRAIN!!!!! If I could rate the people separate I would give them 5 stars. read more

Simply put, we loved it. They had a super-friendly staff, great breakfasts, nice rooms (which they keep open so you can see them when they're not occupied), and conveniently located to downtown San Marcos and a few other places. The only negative is also one of the positives. It is located on a busy route, so traffic noise can be a bit loud, especially if you stay in one of the front rooms. Also, a bar opened up next door and can be a bit loud. The owner has been trying to fight it to no avail. You may want to ask for a room on the opposite side if you think this may be a problem for you. read more

I have no idea why this place has gotten such poor reviews. My wife and I stayed there this past weekend and really enjoyed almost everything about the place. Funny thing Im not really a B&B kinda guy. Im more of a highend hotel person but there arent any in San Marcos...the only half way nice hotels are out by the Outlet Malls and and I certainly didnt want to get into that. We found the staff friendly and the rooms clean. We given breakfast both mornings and it was good both days. They even have free WiFi for their guests The location cant be beat...its just a couple blocks from The Square. Still close enough to enjoy the Entertainment District but far enough away not to be bothered by the noise or crowds. Over all a very nice experience and we look forward to going back read more

Wife and I were stranded 600 miles from home on a holiday weekend. The Holiday Inn Vacation Club cancelled our reservation without notice after we were confirmed 2 weeks ago. This bed and breakfast that we had been to before stepped up and helped us. They gave us the suite and charged us the rate for the regular room. We were going to just stay the night and go home the next day, but after seeing the the suite, we are staying for 3 days. Oddly the first time we stayed here, it was supposed to be only for 1 day then to another hotel in San Antonio, we ended up stay here for whole vacation and driving to Austin and San Antonio for our activities. Sometime the middle is the best place to be. read more

I have no idea why this is so poorly rated! I moved to San Marcos for TXST in January but didn't have a place to live until February. I looked at extended stay hotels but they were all so expensive. After talking to the B&B and discussing my needs, they gave me a great rate for a 4 week stay included discounts for not having my room cleaned (I.e. I opted out of maid service). They had breakfast hot and ready every day for me before school (they ask what time you'll be eating so they can begin cooking on time). They usually have an extended stay room with a kitchenette apparently. This was booked so I only had a room with a bed, TV, sofa, and a nice bathroom. There was a microwave and coffee maker and fridge just outside in the hall. They had lots of sitting area outside in a beautiful garden and let me do homework in the dining room. There was a salon and cute little boutique downstairs. When I needed new sheets or towels they had them washed and ready for me. I thought it was a little hot temperature wise, probably because it's an older house with weaker window insulation and the sun shining directly into my room. I would go change the thermostat at the hottest times of day though and they never noticed or never complained. After my stay in the wonderfully located hotel, they encouraged me to drop by and say hi. I've done so once since and the ladies were so nice and happy to see me. I recommend for sure! Update after reading a few other reviews: The parking in the tent is a hassle. Park in the parking lot to the house next to the main house. It is still part of the B & B and easier to park there. The shower was an odd size of you're tall, but it's not that bad. The water heated up pretty quickly in. My opinion. The breakfast is pre-planned. I think dietary restrictions means egg, dairy, or a severe allergy. Not a diet that is against sodium. Since breakfast is free, they don't want to make a whole other batch for one or two people. read more

See all

We stayed in the main house. There is a bar next door and Sunday night, the music was loud until 2:00. Also, the house is on a busy street with a lot of construction going on right now. No way to sleep in. In my opinion the house needs a little TLC. Location is good for all the sights and restaurants. read more

We have stayed here twice and have LOVED it both times! The rooms are beautifully decorated and the beds are super comfortable. The location is walking distance to the local restaurants and bars. Make sure you don't miss breakfast, they really outdo themselves...the stuffed French toast was phenomenal!! read more

Overnight trip to visit son at Texas State. Lovely location close to downtown and a nice coffee shop. It is an older home that has a lot of character. I stayed in the Colorado room and was pleased with the bed and the silence. Room faces the bar and although I am a light sleeper, my Wednesday night sleep was wonderful. Occasionally heard the base but nothing like the sound of semi trucks vibrating through your room on the interstate. Breakfast was freshly made so I have no complaints about having to pick a time. Looking forward to staying again. read more

I needed to be in San Marcos for business and made a spur of the moment search for a B&B close to Texas State and called them very last minute. They were so nice, no pretension. It is simply lovely, what a nice surprise. One of the smaller and lowest priced rooms is just adorable with all the bells and whistles of a pricey modern hotel. Its really reasonable for how cozy and opulent it is. This is now on my list as an excellent Mom escape, and I may add a husband next time. read more

I am very familiar with the Crystal River Inn and have done business with them since January this year. Paula and Kathy are amazing people and you can tell that this is their baby. Its an amazing place to stay and something far more unique and comfortable then a standard hotel. It feels like a home not a hotel. I highly recommend this Crystal River Inn, thank you Paula and Kathy for everything! read more

quaint old house, lovely accommodations with a very attentive and caring staff. enjoyed our stay!

Found this place on google not knowing it was a bed and breakfast. (Boyfriend is not a fan of B&B's) but once we arrived we both fell in love immediately!! The ladies manning the house are incredibly sweet and the room we stayed in with a jacuzzi tub was amazing! Stayed in most of the day because we loved it so much! Went to the dining room for breakfast in the morning which was beautiful as well! They also have a salon, where I got a great hair cut and found some really cute things to buy! Plan on bringing the whole family back here as soon as we have a chance! Thank you Crystal River Inn! read more

Crystal River Inn - Barton springs room and bath! - Hotels Near Me - San Marcos, Texas

See all

First off, let me say that this is my first stay in a B&B. I travel alot, but usually only stay in chain-hotels. So, the review I'll give is very biased as this is my first :) We booked the Palisades room and checked in around 8PM... apparently late check-in is not a problem (however, we did arrange for this ahead of time). Parking is a bit tight and, depending on the room you book, may be located via a driveway other than the main one. We had pulled into the main driveway and had to relocate before heading to our room. No big deal; the other lot was roomier anyway. The B&B is in a good location... lots of restaurants and bars within walking distance. The room was a good size. We were given a key to both the main house entrance and to the room itself, so we could leave and come back late if we wished to. Our room had a claw-foot tub, which was a cool feature. The room was a bit loud at night.... the room is at the front of the house, so we heard cars and a few trains throughout the night. I would suggest putting a loud fan in the room to drown out the noise. They did supply a white noise simulator/ alarm clock thing, but we didn't use it. It may have helped... Breakfast was great. We met the owners; they were very personable and accommodating. They were hosting a murder-mystery weekend, so the adjacent dining room was packed. It seemed like alot of fun.... I believe we'll be back to try that out. Overall, the stay was nice. Next time, I may look into booking a room at the backside of the house to avoid so much noise from the traffic. Would recommend it to others.... I definitely plan on trying out one of their murder mystery events! read more

My wife and I stayed at the Crystal River Inn, bed and breakfast this past weekend. The location is perfect and within walking distance to everything. The staff is friendly and accessible. Our room was clean, comfortable and cozy. We love the atmosphere it is charming and welcoming as opposed to sterile and impersonal. I love the sound of the stairs creaking as you walk up and down the stairs. The breakfast is delicious. We are planning to stay again in the near future. We recommend the Crystal River Inn to anyone. read more

Hubby & i stayed here from a Sunday night thru Wednesday night. Staff was great. Breakfast each day cooked by Lexi was very delicious. Husband & i loved the poached eggs so much, we bought an egg poacher so we could have poached eggs at home. Lexi was very sweet and hospitable. Her personality & demeanor is well suited for her job! We also very much enjoyed the inn's resident kitty. Very sweet & friendly feline. Centrally located to a lot of things to do from shopping at the outlet mall to day trips to nearby cities such as Wymberley & Fredricksburg. Room didn't offer much of a view but the inn has a nice courtyard with seating and an area with a water feature as well. Room was nice & clean. Room was smaller than other B&B we have stayed in but we did have a king size bed. Bathroom was nice but didn't offer a lot of space for a woman to get ready. Had difficulty locating an electrical outlet near a mirror to dry & style my hair. But with older homes, this can be expected. We would stay again. read more

Very accommodating and gracious. Our group of 12 had a fabulous murder mystery weekend at the Crystal River Inn. I've given many murder mystery parties however none of them were as enjoyable as this one. First of all, it took place over a three day period and was divided into multiple acts. The timing of the events allowed us to truly enjoy and relish in the information as it unfolded. The food at Crystal River Inn was superb-especially the gourmet dinner on the final night of the mystery- Beef Wellington, wild rice, asparagus and cheese cake. Speaking of meals, there were several in our group that had food restrictions and the staff went out of their way to insure that everyone's meals were delicious and healthy. if you love live entertainment, you will thoroughly enjoy the talented performers brought in by the owners, Cathie and Mike. One of the chefs, Berry, is a gifted pianist and made our mealtimes even more delightful with his seasonal renditions. On the final evening we were surprised and delighted by the performance of a beautiful belly dancer. All of us agree--we will return for another wonderful weekend of pampering, delicious food, entertainment and mystery. One final note-- the beds were especially comfortable. read more

My fiancee and I selected the inn in May 2012 for our March 2013 wedding. We scheduled a meeting with Cathy, the owner, to begin planning. When we arrived, we were told that she was not in. We waited 10 minutes before she finally arrived. Apparently she was at a canoe race, hadn't eaten, and took another 10-15 minutes to eat before she met with us. Once we finally sat down, it was clear that she was completely unprepared. She did not have a copy of the proposal (we had to provide it), did not recall that we had already paid a $1,000 deposit to secure the date, and must have answered her cell phone at least 3-5 times. However, we liked the inn and decided to have the wedding there. She promised to send us a revised proposal with firm figures the next week and we left. Over the next 4-5 months, it was like pulling teeth to get an answer from Cathy. We would send her emails and leave voicemails and they would go unreturned for weeks. When she finally responded she had us work with an intern who would be quicker to respond to our needs. While she was more responsive than Cathy, she had no decision-making authority, so getting a true answer would take forever and sometimes we would never get it. By October, Cathy had not yet satisfactorily replied to basic questions over costs, options, and other things related to our wedding. More to the point - after almost five months, we still had NO IDEA how much our wedding was going to cost. Not even a ballpark figure. My fiancee sent Cathy a list of questions and requested a final proposal. Instead of replying, we got silence from Cathy. Our wedding coordinator contacted Cathy demanding a response, and boy, did we get one. Cathy told our coordinator that she didn't want to answer the questions, felt that we were stressing out, that our wedding was too far in the future to be concerned about these issues, and that she was not going to answer the questions. Again - 5 months in and we had no ballpark figures of costs and with 5 months to go, no idea what our final budget would be. For a couple paying for the wedding on our own, these are weighty issues. Finally, about three weeks after we sent her the questions and request for a final proposal, Cathy responded. She emailed us that it took her "over three hours" to reply to the questions. These were questions that any experienced business owner who knows their business and industry could answer easily. In her reply she told us that it was clear that we could not be satisfied and that we could rent the inn and we could bring in caterers and outside providers. Plus, she never gave us a final cost for the wedding. That was the last straw. A week or so later, we fired her. The proposal signed upon paying our $1,000 deposit clearly states that the deposit was to secure the date and as a security against damages. However, Cathy only returned $850 of it. She claimed that she kept the difference as payment for working on the proposal and answering emails! I emailed Cathy requesting the difference but have yet to hear back. We have since filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. While CRI seems like a nice place, the owner should not be in the wedding business. She is more of an innkeeper who decided to do weddings. She is flighty, unprofessional, dismissive, and rude. We are now having our wedding at a beautiful place in Austin. While we are probably paying a little more than we would have at CRI, we got a cost and a proposal the same day and have been treated with nothing but respect and responsiveness. Please save yourself headaches and wasted time. Have your wedding elsewhere. read more

I could've sworn I checked Yelp before I scheduled a meeting with Crystal River Inn, but obviously I didn't. Because I would have been properly warned. I requested to meet and discuss having my wedding at CRI. She insisted on calling me to discuss it, finally I agreed. We talked about a lot of different options. But everything I tried to explain what I wanted, she literally started talking over me. I gradually got more and more frustrated but decided to stick with it in hopes that it would work out. I loved the price, the all-inclusive nature, and the photos looked pretty. We decided to meet in person the following week. I showed up at the inn. The woman who answered the door was VERY nice. I wish she was the owner, but sadly she isn't. I wish I would've caught her name. Cathy showed up 20 minutes late. When she did arrive, she remembered my name but had forgotten EVERYTHING we discussed on the phone for an hour. She quoted me completely different numbers on the phone vs. in person. When I stated that it was a different number, she denied she said it. And these were big numbers. She quoted hors d'oureves as $8/person on the phone, and then quoted $20/person at our meeting. What?? She then answered at least 3 personal phone calls during our meeting (which I now read is something she does often). I was literally about to get up and walk out I was so frustrated at the unprofessional nature of everything. At the end she said she'd send me a proposal in 3-4 hours. Needless to say, that never came. A couple days later I sent her a review of everything we discussed... It's been a week... I've never heard back. Luckily I found another venue. I strongly suggest you just skip the headache of CRI and find another venue. read more

Not just a B&B or a wedding venue, Crystal River Inn provides a beautiful setting for a memorial service. Having lost my dad on April 19th, my sister and I went in search of a place to have his memorial service. Ideally, the perfect venue would be cozy, warm and allow us time to visit with friends and family long after the service was over. Funeral homes and the church just didn't feel right. We are from Dallas and not familiar with much in San Marcos, so a web search returned Crystal River Inn. Cathy, the owner, was very sweet and committed to help us plan the service and provide rooms for our family. We fell in love with the place and the staff after a quick visit, then finalized the details. Our dad loved working and spending time in the garden, so we held the service in front of the fountain in the garden. The sound of the water and chirping birds completed the setting for a beautiful and memorable service honoring our father. If you don't appreciate quaint old buildings and antiques, then staying at a B&B is not for you. The bedrooms are lovely and comfortable, with all the amenities and more, than you would expect from a chain hotel. Cathy made herself available to us over the couple of days we stayed. She, Renee and Regina took care of us like family and accommodated all our needs. They even invited our mom to visit them often, offering the gardens, patio and veranda if she just needed a couple of hours to refresh her soul and get away from her house. We love this place so much that we will be returning each year this time to celebrate dad's life. read more