For years I've been coming to and from Big Bend National Park, the main reason a lot of people are in this area of the state, and always stayed at an Airbnb (some a bit sketchy but affordable) or the pricey but historic Gage Hotel. So when I tried to book The Gage 9 months in advance and it was already sold out I thought, wow, better see if something less adventuresome is available for the party of four we'd be travelling with. So it was with delight that we howled upon opening the room to our motel door to step into the 1960-70s in a nicely maintained hotel room that we haven't seen in a very, very long time. Frozen in time, only with a few modern conveniences. But gone are the crappy beds from those times, and the heating and air conditioning actually work. Had a delightful stay that felt like a visit to a small town in Colorado when you were a kid. The parking lot is amply maintained with your own spot. There's a beautiful courtyard with fountain in case you wanted to get carry-out from town and eat there. Just beautiful. There's a dining spot on the premises but don't know a thing about it and it didn't seem to be open the Friday night we were there. No idea, might be an event space kind of thing. There are also RV spots available but can't comment on those. Behind our room was a 50s Airstream pull camper with a vintage Harley in seafoam green and light tan leather. Seemed to fit the entire experience. Check-in is also old school, something we enjoyed. And the price, for this area of the country with its attractions of the park and river are in line. Yes, as some pointed out, trains go by. We live a mile from tracks at home so didn't even notice, and not sure we would have over the hum of the heater. Only downer was the shower was kind of messy, but that might have been the responsibility of whoever cleans. Otherwise, a great experience. You're walking distance to town in case you want to hit The Gage's White Buffalo bar or their restaurant, or one of the other several places to dine in town, I'd say a half mile walk at most. Highly recommended, and affordable. All major credit cards accepted. Oh, and don't miss the blinking "TV" sign in front, a real hoot, tip of the hat to another time. Never mind their wi-fi connection was top-notch. read more

To call it simply, "Marathon Motel and RV Park" does not do this place justice. This is a magic spot on earth! YOU MUST CHECK IT OUT! The owner, Danny, has created a huge garden enclosed in Spanish colonial architectural walls and gates. In the huge garden is a huge fireplace in a covered communal area where visitors gather in the evenings to meet and greet. This often leads to new friendships among travelers. You will not feel lonely here. If you drink, bring! If you smoke cigars, just stand downwind. Everyone who works there is lovely and kind. Yes, it is an RV park in the West Texas desert, but it is unlike any other RV park I have ever visited in any of the lower 48 states. Put this one on your itinerary. read more

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This place is the best. Danny, the owner, is always kind and accommodating, and the views of the mountains are fantastic! There are "star parties" every night where you get to look at the stars and planets through a huge telescope and learn about space (weather permitting) and its so much fun for kids and adults alike. The pond is so relaxing to hang around and have a picnic, and the courtyard is great for entertaining groups large and small. There are also fire pits ready-to-go with fresh wood every night! Plus, the snow we just had was gorgeous, and the next day it was back up to mid-60's. Can't beat it. I love Marathon Motel! read more

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So many issues. Let's just start with the most obvious.. How do so few people mention the TRAINS!?! Booked a 4 night stay in our RV but were completely unaware a train would come blaring through the campground 5-10 times a night. And I mean BLARING. Horn and everything. We have a 5 month old (who is teething mind you) who woke up every time the stupid engine came through. Second. The spaces are ridiculously short and close together. There is hardly any space to hook back up. Third. Elextrical issues. We had constant issues with the electric hookups. Throughout the night, it would randomly shut off. We have been full-time in our 5th wheel for 5 months and this hasn't happened anywhere else we've stayed. Rolling blackouts in below freezing weather? That alone had us packing to leave. I would give this place negative stars if possible but will have to settle for 1. We WILL be leaving early and requesting a refund for our other 3 nights and we will NOT be returning. We do NOT reccomend this hole to anyone. Save your money and find a different place to hookup. read more

Awesome rv and camping. And cute little motel cabins as well! We arrived very late but they left our tags and information in a little drop box for us. We found our site and pitched it near the little pond and restroom. The shower and rest room is lovely and has heating and is lounge like. It was a cold night so having a morning poop in heated building was heaven. Very short stay on our way to big bend but well worth the stop! read more

It is a blast from the past, but keep well maintained and clean. We enjoyed sitting out on the porch, no one next door. Amazing telescopes to look at the stars when it is dark. It had a beautiful garden area with flowers in full bloom. Service was top notch. I left my laptop. The manager drove after us in town to give it back to us!!! We were very impressed with the customer care. We enjoyed watching a mom and pop bird feeds their babies in their nest. A unique experience before entering the Big Bend Park. read more

We stayed one night, on our way to Big Bend. I wish we'd planned to stay longer. Our room in one of the duplex cottages was lovely, clean, quiet, and wood paneled. The courtyard is beautiful, day and night. The office staff is quite helpful. Despite being tired from a long drive, we took some time to look through the telescope. Highly recommend! read more

I actually tent camped here so I can't speak about the rooms. The staff was super friendly and helpful. For tent camping the shower and bathroom was super nice. Really nicely tiled and really really clean. I can honestly say I have never seen a nicer campsite bathroom, really why I needed to review the place. The grounds and the place itself is really cool. They are not lying about the nigh time skies. Seriously have never seen the stars like that except in extreme northern Canada. Great little place, in an out of the way place. read more

Marathon Motel & RV Park - The view from the campgrounds. - Hotels Near Me - Marathon, Texas

This place was so awesome. I reserved The Apartment for wrong day but they were so great and accommodating. Nobody was booked for the Apartment so the just let us check in a day early with no hassle. Parking was easy and the Apartment was clean and welcoming. We asked for some information about Big Bend National Park and we were given precise directions. I wish we would have had more time to stay there. 5 starts for sure read more

Intending on a short overnight stop over on our way to Marfa, we decided to extend our stay by two days. The grounds are lovely with a beautiful courtyard that is perfect for an evening drink and conversation. The RV Park has everything a traveler needs, plus super accommodating and friendly staff. Our kitty Carey went missing for an hour or two and the staff showed genuine concern as we searched for him. The little bugger had found a new hiding spot inside the RV. He gave us quite the scare. The staff's true concern won't be forgotten. The view was pretty cool. Set in the Great Marathon Basin, the property is surrounded by mountains which lends to beautiful sunsets and silhouettes. We also, had the neat surprise of being invited over to the Marathon Skypark for a breathtaking view of the sky through a powerful telescope and a knowledgeable guide, Bill. It was definitely a serendipitous experience. My hubs and I are well pleased with our extended stay and can't wait to visit again. What a wonderful way to continue our time in the beauty of West Texas. It really was a treat to stay at the Marathon Motel and RV Park. Don't hesitate to reserve your space next time you're in this magical town. A true oasis in the desert. read more

For any rvers or tenters coming or going from Big Bend it's a jewel in the desert. Clean, well maintained yet still the feel of the open ruggedness of the Texas outback. Lovely plaza courtyard for a relaxing get-together. We were fortunate to be there over presidents weekend where several bands and great food was there for all to enjoy. Their hookups were full but they had a place in the back for dry camping. The solitude, birds and view were worth not having hookups. There is also a small, tranquil pond in the tent camping area. Reasonable and a Passport America facility. read more

Marathon Motel & RV Park - Our view - Hotels Near Me - Marathon, Texas

love it. beautiful.star watching. UFOs. observatory!!!!!friendly...1940's.dog friendly. only missing pool.

This place has it down. Affordable, simple and communal. The dance troupe and I rolled into Marathon after a beautiful hike at Seminole Canyon State Park (see my review!) in desperate need of a shower and de-grime-ification. We found that and more at Marathon Motel. The wonderful, vintage sign greeted us as we puttered into town...Emily B. took over the wheel after I had been pulled over in Sanderson...no need to thank me, Em! Yes, it's older and not your run-of -the-mill hotel suite but that's what makes it fun. Gorgeous views, a wonderful courtyard and cute porches for each unit were my favorite perks. Four days later when I asked Nins and Em what their favorite place to stay was, they both chose Marathon Motel. Boom. read more

It's clean, significantly more affordable than the Gage and the outdoor fireplace is great.

It might be rustic, but it's nothing short of gorgeous and perfectly designed to match the surrounding landscape. Marathon is cute, tiny and fun. Marathon Motel fits right in! This was my first stop on a four day West Texas road-trip with my girls, Samantha F. and Nina G. Tired from a long drive and a six-mile hike through Seminole Canyon State Park, we were glad to find our cute cabin and get cleaned up. **Marathon Motel has the SOFTEST towels. Ooh la la! But, it wasn't straight to bed. The chattering group on the central patio and the music playing from a motorcycle radio drew us back outside with our glasses of wine (best extra item Samantha brought along!). Marathon is the best place to look at the stars. What a sight! Up bright and early the next morning, we were greeted by dozens of swallows swooping around our porch to catch the lingering bugs. read more

This place is an easy 7/5 if you like small, nowhere near run of the mill roadside experiences. I've stayed here in an RV on multiple occasions, and for months at a time some of them. I've also had the pleasure of grabbing one of the hotel rooms. Much of the beauty of this spot is all you'll discover, if you just look even a little bit, but I'll just point to the focal piece of the park / motel, the fireplace. Surrounded by an adobe courtyard and several wooden benches, wood supplied for free, it beckons travelers from all walks of life to come and sit together, swap stories, and find a little community on the road. Some of us are full-time adventurers, other families passing through on road trips, still others rowdy bikers just looking to reminisce with strangers or the occasional cross country bicyclist happy for a night of comfort. Either way, unlike a normal hotel or campground where keeping to your own quarters is basically de facto if not encouraged, this is a chance at meeting faces you may never see again, but will take with you experience and a diversity of ideas for a lifetime. That you can walk to the thriving little desert town of Marathon is just a bonus. read more

we enjoyed three nights in a cabin. spotless room. fun night star gazing. close to restaurants and grocer in Marathon. easy drive to Big Bend. thoughtfully provided ear plugs on nightstand helped with nighttime train whistles. would definitely stay here again read more

This place left a bad taste in my mouth. If you're staying at the motel (rather than the RV park), you'll likely be in a duplex of two rooms. The decor is ... 70s rustic? Dark brown almost shag carpet with plenty of wood paneling. The room itself was larger than I expected. The bathroom is small. I'm 5'6", and the shower head was low enough that the water hit at about shoulder height. Compounding that issue is that the water only trickles out and occasionally will turn scalding hot on you for no apparent reason. Showering is an adventure. Towels are thin but get the job done. I would have given this place 3 stars but for the attitude from the staff. Check out is at 11 a.m. We overslept and checked out at 12:15. In the meantime, a staff member came by to clean the room. I told her we were getting packed up so we could get out, and she made sarcastic remarks about the fact that we weren't out yet. Seriously? Shit happens, and check-in isn't until 3 p.m. The attitude wasn't necessary. I stripped the bed myself and gave her what towels we had to placate her. Then, as we were leaving, we realized we had a bottle in the car we hadn't thrown out in the room. We stopped by the office to ask if we could throw it out there. They said no and that they didn't have a trash can. Yeah, right. So obnoxious. For $90/night, I'm pretty sure I can do better and not have to deal with the attitude, even if it means not staying in Marathon. read more

It was late...the hotels from Del Rio along the 90 left a lot to be desired....Until I got to Marathon. This isnt your typical West TX small town. What a pleasant surprise to see a town that isn't all beaten up. I saw the Marathon Motel and decided this is where I want to stay....the rooms are small but cute..the adobe patio with fireplace rocks..the beds are comfy and the owners are wonderful. For the price...Wow a great deal...this is deserving of boutique motel status....I haven't seen something like this since I stayed in Bend. read more

Very friendly and comfortable accommodations for overnight stay before visiting Big Bend. Close enough to town to walk in for dinner or breakfast, and the dark sky and stargazing were something special. Look forward to staying again. read more

This is only a review for the campground. We camped Memorial Day weekend on a Sunday night with only one other tent at the campground. We were greeted by a friendly lady at the front desk. The courtyard and pond hidden at the campground formed a tranquil oasis in the desert. The retro sign and red sidewalk lighting for stargazing added to the charm. Follow the sidewalk along highway 90 to the restaurants and businesses surrounding the Gage Hotel. The clean, private bathrooms were nice, but keep in mind when taking those long showers that there's only one bathroom for men and one for women. Tent campers may want to bring ear plugs for the frequent trains passing nearby, even though I slept through it just fine. The free WiFi access across the campground was a bonus. At only $10 per night for tent camping, we felt that our stay was a very good value. read more

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If you camp here, better bring your own toilet and shower. Only one for the women, one for the men. Also be prepared to hear the train roaring by, whistle blasting, all hours of the night. Ear plugs won't help. Tracks are only about 100 yards away and the engineers love their whistles! That being said, there was a guy with a huge telescope that was interesting. Night sky viewing here is great, with their "no lights" rule. The hostess came across as pretty unfriendly. But the other campers were nice. read more

Like the other reviewers said, not fancy but clean, easy, and inexpensive. The staff were very friendly and helpful. There used to be a restaurant in the motel, but that seems to be closed. (Perhaps for renovations, not sure.) Great courtyard and views from the motel. So many stars to see at night! Marathon is a sweet little town that has yet to be discovered. There are good places to eat and drink within two miles of the Motel. A perfect pit stop either before or after a trip to Big Bend. I can't wait to go back! read more

Basic lodging -- nothing fancy except for the very nice courtyard with fireplace in the middle of the property. Rooms are in a series of detached duplexes built in the 1940s. It doesn't appear that a lot of updating has happened since then, but our room was exceptionally clean and everything worked. Although we stayed in the motel rooms, there's an adjoining lot for RVs. The staff was laid back and friendly. One night, a small group of previously unacquainted guests (one with a guitar) had a sing-along next to the fireplace in the courtyard! Good times . read more

I stayed here on a road trip once with a person who was the love of my life at the time. (Ah, youth!) These were not swank digs (dark wood panelling in 1991) but we chose to stay here because it was where Wim Wenders filmed part of "Paris, Texas" and I think he and the film crew stayed here also. Folks here were friendly too and a restaurant in the environs of the hotel, whose name I have long forgotten, had the best huevos rancheros and fajitas that I have ever had. read more

Oh, how we loved our stay at the Marathon RV Park! Our original intent was to just spend our evenings watching the stars. Unfortunately, God had other plans and skies were overcast two of our three nights there. Our last night, we had the chance to do some stargazing and loved it. The Park has a laundry facility which was wonderful for us as we haven't yet had a washer/dryer installed. The sites were large and level with picnic tables. We really didn't make use of the facilities - and now wish we had. We'll definitely be back to Marathon, TX (the town and people were wonderful!) and will certainly stay again! read more

Pro: I love this place, very clean room, very friendly staff and it has WIFI, what else do you need??? =) Con: It is a bit far to Big Bend, about a hour. If I'm back in Big Bend again, I would love to stay here again. read more

I was quoted a price on the phone and it changed on my credit card statement. Also the heater did not work and when I tried to call the hotel number there was no answer. I called and spoke with a woman who didn't want to give me her name. She stated "you didn't know how to use it" and why didn't you call the number that is on the office door? The temperature was 34 degrees maybe? Stay at the Gage Hotel their prices are a bit more but well worth it. read more

This is an amazing place to stay if you have an RV. We have a class C and my best friend had a Casita travel trailer. No problem with the full hook ups. This is a dark sky area so you could see what seemed like millions of stars on clear nights. There is a lovely, quirky ambiance to the entire town of Marathon and some of it rubs off in the RV park. We had a pleasant stay and folks were respectful and friendly. It's located about 25 or 30 mins from Big Bend. Well worth the drive to visit that park. read more

Recently booked a stay for the upcoming holiday weekend. Due to Covid-19, Big Bend National Park has shut down completely and many cities (including mine) have issued stay at home orders. Therefore we are unable to take our trip. Marathon motel will not refund us for our stay because it's "within 48 hours". We cannot help the fact that updates and closings due to covid-19 occurred during this window thus forcing us to cancel our trip. It is unbelievable that there are not exceptions made during this unknown time we're in, especially since the motel has not rendered any services to us at all. read more

This place needs serious help with the management side of the property. Cancelling a room or getting a refund is a nightmare. It tells you on their website to cancel by calling. I did that; I have phone records to prove it. Then I get a call on the day of my cancelled reservation "Where are you?" I tell them I cancelled it, and they tell me I should have done it online. There isn't an option to do it online, your website tells me to call, which is what I did, AND, if I am supposed to do it online, shouldn't they have told me that when I called? It took 4 emails, 5 phone calls and two weeks to be reimbursed for their mistake. Fast forward two months. I decide to give them a second chance because I love the property. I needed to switch days around, so I called. Ok, we switched it, no problem. 1 month later I call to confirm since they never send any sort of confirmation of changes. As expected, they never changed anything. I anticipate another round of phone call and emails to get this simple process remedied. I love Marathon. I will continue to visit Marathon. But I would rather pay twice the price at The Gage to feel like I am dealing with a facility with an ounce of business acumen. read more

Fantastic motel, wonderful owner! The rooms have that rustic look and charm but are updated -- large, two comfortable beds, accessible electric outlets, wifi, plush towels, no problem with shower. Earplugs are provided in case you don't want to hear the midnight train whistle (a note on nightstand explains federal law requires trains to whistle at every intersection). I arrived at 9 p.m. after a leisurely drive from Socorro, NM. I had read about the wonderful night skies and it is TRUE. Moon was up until 1 a.m. so I decided to get up and back on the road at 5 a.m. I stopped along Highway 385 north of town to take photos of night sky which turned out well -- cars come along every 10 minutes or so -- including the omnipresent Border Patrol -- brilliant stars, beautiful Milky Way and dawn breaking, with flat view of Eastern horizon. read more

I have been travelling for 2 months across the US by bicycle and this is the lowest value for money I've stayed at. For 80$+tax, I got a very small room (12 m2) with an old small TV, no microwave and no fridge. I asked the staff if I could use the kitchen but they said no. There is no swimming pool either. There is a small coffee machine which had the coffee from the previous guest. I have stayed at motels for 50$ that were clean, modern and had all the things this place doesn't have. Clearly overpriced. They must abuse the fact that there are no cheaper options in town. Obviously the pictures on their website are not the pictures of the room we got (clever!). read more