Bruce F.
Yelp
I returned a couple weeks ago from a nice 3-night stay at Lajitas Golf Resort. Our stay was fine, unremarkable in any memorable way, except for the beautiful setting right outside Big Bend State Park. My party of four decided to stay in Lajitas, because of its proximity to two parts of Big Bend National Park we intended to visit during our stay--Santa Elena Canyon (about an hour from Lajitas) and Lost Mine Trail (also about an hour from Lajitas). I don't think there are better accommodations within this distance to the park, so we snapped up two rooms at $459/night, each.
I don't think its fair to assign a rating based on where Lajitas stands locally, so my rating is based on how I perceive the value of Lajitas to be relative to other resorts in its price range anywhere. Candidly, on this basis alone, three stars is pretty generous.
Let's start with the rooms. Our and our guests' room were more than adequate. Each featured a sitting area off the main room, with two nice sitting chairs--right off the veranda. The bed and linens were comfortable , but the bed was not "double sheeted" that bothered us. The decor was dated, the tv was too small by today's standards, and the bathroom was likewise dated, small, and lacking a bathtub. That being said, the rooms were clean and comfortable.
The lobby and the grounds (which includes a "bakery", a general store, a cantina and restaurant are western themed, which was fine. Perhaps a little too western--kind of like a western movie set. The grounds offers beautiful scenery in the distance, and we had a small lake out in front of the building housing our rooms.
The restaurant served a middling breakfast and average dinner, but the servers and overall service was top notch. The same desserts, chocolate lava cake and pecan pie are served nightly. Buffets are available at breakfast and dinner. Very "banquet style", truly not what you might expect from a $459/nt resort. Cold cuisine served in a chafing dish. The atmosphere is comfortable with beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing a phenomenal view to the mountains in the distance and a covered patio and lawn area.
Overall, I would recommend Lajitas Golf Resort as the ideal location to access Big Bend National Park. Perhaps its only competition may be Cibolo Creek Ranch which, more upscale, is far too far to make day trips into the most popular portions of Big Bend NP. Lajitas' proximity to Terlingua is a plus, too. It's about a 20 minute drive to Terlingua and if you're looking for more (and better) dining options, you may find yourself making the trek there occasionally.
A final note, remote as Lajitas is--and Big Bend NP even more so, I highly encourage spending a few nights at Lajitas despite its shortcomings, if for no other reason than to take in some breathtaking hikes and to experience the grandeur of Big Bend. It is well worth the effort to get to Lajitas from where ever you're coming from for these reasons.
Giddy-up!