Just a hop, skip and a jump from Austin proper, The Inn Above Onion Creek is the most perfect Central Texas getaway. Even though my partner and I stayed for fewer than 24 hours, we made the most of our time: we ate great food, we hiked, and—most importantly—we relaxed. Hard.
Lodging
The innkeeper was more than generous and put us up in the Nance Suite. After two flights of stairs, we found ourselves in a suite that spanned the entire length of the inn. The living room (with an electric fireplace) was cozy and quaint; the bathroom had a giant shower and a whirlpool bathtub; the bedroom had a king-sized mattress and the most comfortable bedding I’ve ever had the pleasure of sleeping in. The suite came with the most beautiful views of the surrounding hill country.
Amenities
The grounds are buried in greenery, despite the massive renovations the inn has undergone in the past few months. They’re currently in the process of building a new spa within a few yards of the inn proper—the current spa is a bit of a hike up the road—but the construction is both quiet and easy to overlook because it’s surrounded by the greenery of the flower garden.
There are miles of walking trails on the grounds with varying difficulty levels. We decided to take a quick hike down to the nearby creek the night we arrived, and then spent the rest of the evening in the inn’s new giant hot tub for some much needed R&R. We could hear other guests down the path at the inn’s outdoor fire pit and seating area, but besides that, we were completely secluded.
Food
We ate two meals at the inn: dinner when we arrived and breakfast in the morning. Dinner opened with a simple spinach-and-red-leaf salad, and then were served a delicious fillet of tilapia and zucchini on a bed of couscous drizzled in a tangy cucumber sauce. For dessert, we had each had a slice of lemon meringue pie. The meringue was the perfect density; the crust was perfect; the filling was the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. We left the table feeling full, but not gorged.
Breakfast consisted of the thickest, fluffiest chocolate chip pancakes I’ve ever eaten, topped with two strips of bacon and next to a ramekin of banana cream. We got seconds and thirds of the bacon because it was just that good, and even took some notes on how he was able to get it perfectly crispy but still retain its thickness.
That’s one of the best parts about the inn: everyone on staff was so friendly and kind. Their hospitality truly showed, both in our conversations and their attention to detail. The result was one of the most relaxing trips of my life, and we’re so grateful to the innkeepers for having us stay for a night. Because it’s a short drive from Austin, the Inn at Onion Creek is definitely a great choice for a quiet weekend, a business team trip or even a Texas-themed wedding. Even though it has only been a month since my stay, I’m already working on plans to come back and stay for another weekend to unwind and recharge.
