Iain S.
Yelp
"Modern" and "hip" are not words you would generally use to describe Wimberley, Texas. It's a cute little town, good for antiques, galleries, hiking outside of town, and generally getting away from the big city. But it's more about ornate furniture and old lace than it is about clean lines and cool surroundings. That is, until you step onto the grounds of Hotel Flora and Fauna. Because this ain't your grandma's Wimberley.
You pull up into a shell and gravel parking lot that is walking distance from the main town square, and the first striking thing is an expanse of wall, covered by an equally large expanse of mural by an Austin artist. It shows local wildlife in a natural setting. Step inside the gate into a serene courtyard, complete with a small swimming pool, a pergola, and bocce balls dotting the green. A few standing stones contribute to the feel of a Zen garden.
The rooms themselves are spacious with a king-size bed, a kitchenette with microwave and dorm-sized refrigerator and coffee maker (plus plates, cutlery, cups, and glasses for four as well as the essential corkscrew), a seating area that can comfortably accommodate four or more, and a bathroom with a huge shower. Little amenities are LED mood lighting on demand, a ceiling fan, and--just to burnish the hipster credentials--a portable turntable with a selection of '70s and '80s LPs. (Yes, Saturday morning found me sipping coffee and listening to Stevie Wonder.) The decor is retro modern--sharp, chic, and far more reminiscent of Portland, Oregon than Wimberley, Texas. And it works in spades.
True to its name, Hotel Flora and Fauna does its best to be environmentally friendly, with recycling bins near each room and using Earth-friendly cleaners without any strong scents. The room was spotless when I arrived. There's also the usual collection of snacks, bottled water, etc., on the kitchen counter available for a charge, like in so many other hotels. Unlike in so many others, however, they don't gouge you on the prices. Most stuff is only $1, only a bit more than you might pay at the local grocery store, not the 300% mark-up you find at most hotels.
Check-in and check-out are completely simple because there's nothing to do in either instance. Booking is online, and the room doors open with a numerical code that the hotel sends via email. You can go straight to your room without needing to stand around a front desk. But don't let that make you think Hotel Flora and Fauna is in any way impersonal. To the contrary, the management at this place is wonderful. Kharma, the manager, clearly cares about the business and wants it to succeed. Within an hour of our arrival, she was at the room with a folder full of suggestions about what to do in the area, complete with Google Maps directions (as well as an armful of extra LPs for the turntable).
If it sounds like I'm gushing, it's because I am. This is one of the coolest little places I've stayed in a long while, and they seem to have thought of everything. The price is right, the service is friendly, and the location could scarcely be better. This one's a winner.