The Retreat on the Hill

⭐️⭐️ The location is stunning and the overall experience felt magical, but unfortunately, our stay was marred by poor customer service and misleading expectations. One of the main draws for booking the dome was the beautiful lighting shown in the pictures—especially the upper and side dome lights. Sadly, those lights were not working during our stay. We contacted management at night to ask if we had missed any switches or if the lights were malfunctioning. They confirmed the lights weren’t working and had already been ordered for replacement—but this wasn’t communicated to us before booking. What made the situation worse was the manager’s rude response, accusing us of “threatening to leave,” which was completely uncalled for. We were simply trying to understand the issue and asked if they could provide extra lighting. The manager kept insisting the dome lights were just decorative and didn’t affect the experience. While we understood that, the ambiance shown in the photos was a big part of why we chose this place. For a stay that costs over $700 per night, we expected better transparency and respectful communication. We truly loved the setting and the concept, but the lack of working features and dismissive attitude from management made it hard to fully enjoy. A little more care for guests would go a long way.

We recently stayed in both the Stardome Suite and the Mirror House, and from start to finish it was amazing! From the moment we laid down, the beds stole our hearts. The king beds in both suites featured luxury linens and offered firm-but-plush support that made sinking in at night feel like floating. (I truly slept better than I have in a very long time.) Everything else was well thought out — the outdoor soaking tubs, the quiet serenity, the private decks with sweeping Hill Country views. Check-in was easy and the staff was always courteous and helpful if we needed anything.The restaurants on property were great as well. If you want luxury, comfort, and a truly memorable escape, this place nails it. We can’t wait to go back!

My husband paid for the birthday package which was not there the yurts are not sealed all the way so there are bugs everywhere. The see-through bathtub that they advertise highly did not work and you couldn't get in it even if you wanted because of the amount of bugs that accumulated just while filling the tub. Best part of my experience was the gentleman that drove us around shared his history. The restaurant was good and very convenient

Awesome weekend getaway for me and my wife! Beautiful views and surroundings, super peaceful and felt very private. We stayed in the Mirror House and we highly recommend it! Definitely a unique and fun experience. We had everything we needed and really enjoyed our stay. Again, you can’t beat the view from our room. There are fun little surprises tucked in everywhere in the room…I won’t spoil it. If you’re questioning whether this will make for a romantic getaway, take my word for it! Worth every penny! A couple of restaurants and a coffee shop in walking distance. Julie’s Cocina was really good!

It is my pleasure to share this review on behalf of my daughter and her fiancé. My soon-to-be son-in-law booked the Birds Nest for a romantic evening getaway and a proposal. We made the reservation on September 17th for a one-night stay. Greg Garza, the Property Manager, was our main contact and provided outstanding support. He kept in touch with both of us until the day of the proposal. The venue was stunning, with a comfortable bed and an excellent restaurant nearby. However, Greg's exceptional service truly made this experience special. We asked him to decorate the area while the couple was dining, and he did an amazing job. Greg was flexible and accommodating, even when we encountered delays. His excellent service and attention to detail made this evening a dream come true. I highly recommend this retreat on the hill, and I am confident that you will have a wonderful experience.

Update: Greg, the manager, called me back after seeing my review. He offered $42 to compensate me for the bad experience. $42. Wow, our romantic "retreat" getaway with blaring music all night, for $510 instead of $550. thanks Greg. Worst hotel experience in my life. We paid over $500 for Saturday night, and for the money we got to listen to loud, horrible live music all the way until 10 PM. This live band, down the hill from the property, blared the music so loud we had to turn up our own speaker to the max to drown out as much as possible. The band singer was horrible, like some drunk who somehow grabbed a mike. It was so loud, they seemed to be right outside our "door". I say "door" because you basically stay in a tent. When we complained to the management, all they did was offer a discount off a future visit. Are you serious?? that is it? What about the $500+ dollar visit that was ruined? This property has no control over the loud music, so perhaps they should have MENTIONED THAT when i booked? Terrible, business practices.

My wife enjoyed her birthday. A few small issues but they were addressed immediately! Definitely coming back SOON. Suite was very clean & ready when we arrived, excellent view with amazing vibe.

We stayed at the “The Bird’s Nest” for a 2 nights stayed and wish we would have done more days. It was an anniversary celebration and it was amazing. The staff was super friendly and answered any questions we had. It’s was a little humid when we stayed so we didn’t spend much time in the bottom section but we will definitely be back when it’s not hot. We did went to the top deck and enjoyed star gazing. We did walked down to the “Mythic BBQ” and it was delicious. If you forgot something. There is a Dollar General close by.

The property itself is just gorgeous & there are so many suites to choose from! We had the opportunity to stay in the Curves suite this past weekend & it was just delightful. The suite does not have a kitchen but is equipped with a few small kitchen appliances. The bathroom is an open concept which is very interesting; it runs through the center of the suite & includes the toilet, sink AND shower. The suite was ready to handle some chilly weather with heated blankets for guests along with robes! Keep in mind there are a few dinner options within walking distance; The Bay View Restaurant & Bar is the closest. The Retreat actually houses a walkway to this restaurant which is so convenient! There are additional bathrooms on the property along with sinks and hand sanitizer. The only drawback here is that there aren't any barricades of any kind to keep guests safe from falling into the hill country. I would advise anyone wanting to stay here to leave the kiddos at home. Sonia was so friendly & made sure we had everything we needed during our stay. I see great things in the future for Retreat on The Hill.

DO NOT STAY HERE -- please read -- and heed -- other reviews of the Stardome! The concept is sweet: sleep in a clear dome under the west Texas stars. And frankly we had gotten past the fact that the dome itself is so dingy you cannot actually see the stars. But what made us check out of our room within hours of checking in was that our room was literally COVERED in tiny bugs when we returned from dinner at the bottom of the hill. And while it should have been a red flag that the room had a bug zapper in it in the first place, the zapper zapped for 20 minutes straight as we tried to decide what to do -- texting and calling the on-site manager (as instructed at check-in) about our horrible situation at 7:45pm with not a single reply. Then after all this, they still kept half our money, when we had to pack up and drive at night, and pay a last-minute rate at a different -- but bug-free! -- hotel. I am a frequent traveler and adventurer and have never had a worse experience or worse customer service than this. Don't be fooled by the concept -- the execution is terrible.

Excellent experience - unique, fun and creative accommodations. Comfortable and clean. Spacious and enjoyable. Highly recommend for a getaway from the city to recharge.

Amazing Experience! So quiet. We took a bff trip to have some quiet time no kids and it was exactly what we needed. Veronica was so sweet showing us everything.

Wow! That's the best word to describe the feeling and ambience here. This little getaway is incredible. The views are amazing and the service is amazing. I cannot wait to come back, the bay view cliff house was the best spot to relax. The bathtub in the room was also incredible. Best place to stay in the area!

Never ever come to this place, I paid more than $300 just for one night for the BIRDS NEST and it's nothing the same as the promoted on the website

I'm all for paying good money for luxury accommodations, but this place was so disappointing for the prices they charge. We actually discussed leaving for another hotel down the road and just losing the money. When we arrived later than expected, there was no where to park. Our room was very difficult and confusing to find. (This was confirmed the next day when a woman in a robe was at our door trying to open it because she thought it was her room). The only seating option was a very uncomfortable couch that was not made for 6'1" adult male. No curtains on the bedroom window to block out the sun, only a few command strips to maybe hang a sheet. The bathroom was the worst part and a very poor design decision. The whole restroom was the shower so everything was soaking wet after a shower. No dry place to get dressed! Our room also flooded overnight from a storm. We woke up to all of our belongings soaked, the rugs soaked, and decided to cut our trip short and leave. We noticed water damage on the walls which would make mold a serious concern. After we explained the situation, they "generously" offered us 50% off our next trip. Like hey, pay us half as much next time for the same lousy experience. No thank you. They did finally give us a discount off our rate. Very disappointing experience.

Great Experience! The room was so clean, quiet and it was what we needed. Took a bff trip and as moms with young kids, we really enjoyed our full day off. Recommend this place and I will be back with my husband.