Lots of people visit Kerrville, Texas during hunting season or the summer, when they drop their kids at one of the nearby camps, or simply because it’s a beautiful area. Out of appreciation for how Kerrville has grown qualitatively and also where it’s going as a small town, I wanted to review what I think are the three coolest places to stay.

Sure, you could stay at one of the numerous larger hotels, which are typically part of chains, and you could get your hotel or frequent flyer points that way, or you could stay at a place that is uniquely “Kerrville.”

As a local business owner likes to say, “Kerrville is the new Kerrville.” (There’s the old Kerrville, which never changed. Now there’s a new Kerrville happening in place of that old one.)

#1 place to stay in Kerrville | “Avery House”

If ever there was a place that both typified the “new Kerrville” but, more importantly, gave you a place to experience Texas’s beautiful Hill Country while also being close to town, it is this small-from-the-outside but oh-so-roomy-yet-cozy-from-the-inside house just off I-10 and under 4 miles from the heart of downtown.

I was fortunate enough to use this place as a work retreat. A place to focus and get perspective on life during the COVID crisis. I can tell you first that it is just like what you see in the photos. Exactly like it, and better.

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Owners Jonathan and Heidi have hit a grand slam with this one.

There are two bedrooms: one off the open-plan LR and kitchen, and one upstairs in the loft, which has a desk in front of a picture window for those of us who like to pretend to work while staring through glass at awesome nature.

EVEN COMES WITH OUTSIDE SPACE

Outside you’ll find the front porch with comfortable chairs and a dining table so you and/or your family can dine in the dry, fragrant Hill Country air. And there’s a fire pit and more chairs around the side of the building.

Another quasi-drawback is that there is another house up the hill from you, so it’s not totally secluded, but it’s as close as you can get in a beautiful place and still be close to town. There are more excluded cabins, but they lack the aesthetic of the Quiet Retreat, if you’re visually motivated as many of us are.

The bathroom is off the bedroom, which also has a large picture window that looks out on secluded woods, so y

You have total privacy. One change I’d make, which there obviously was no room for, is to have a bathtub and not only a standing shower. But hey, that’s a minor amenity to miss out on when you get everything else.

The kitchen comes fully equipped with utensils and cooking apparatus and has a full-size refrigerator.

WHERE TO FIND | VRBO

PRICE | $114/night (Wow!)

FEATURES | 2 BRs including loft with desk, 1 Bath, LR, Kitchen fully-equipped, front porch, fire pit; wifi

GOOD FOR | Individuals and couples, business or leisure

KID-FRIENDLY? | No

SCORE | 9/10 (taking off one point for lacking total seclusion)

Why we use and recommend VRBO: VRBO was started by a family in Oklahoma that now does lots of charitable work. We like that. VRBO is also where you can be in touch personally with the property manager, if not the owner, about your personal needs. We like that, too.

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#2 place to stay in Kerrville | Custom 38 ft. Yacht (on land, that is)

Yup.

If you’ve ever seen “Gilligan’s Island” and wished you could spend more time on a boat — whether a 3-hour cruise or otherwise — without the sea-sickness, this place is for you.

The man who refurbished this also runs two other properties on the same footprint, located on the Old Ingram Loop, which itself is a pretty cool place to see while visiting Kerrville.

The qualifier is that in addition to being quirky, it’s not exactly the white glove of places to stay. The fixtures and interior/exterior are lovingly worn, but for unique and fun places to stay, this is hard to beat.

It’s also close to the river — this is one of the top reasons people come to Kerrville and surrounding areas — and minutes away from restaurants and stores in Ingram and downtown Kerrville.

WHERE TO FIND | VRBO & Expedia

PRICE | $99 and up

FEATURES | 1 Queen BR, 1 Twin bed (sleeps 3 adults, 2 kids); kitchen; wifi; access to river; within walking distance to antique shops and restaurants

GOOD FOR | Adults and families, business or leisure

KID-FRIENDLY? | Yes

SCORE | 7/10

#3 place to stay in Kerrville | River Trail Cottages

The main draw of River Trail Cottages is its near-central location without being a chain and its access to the river. Access to the river almost trumps everything else, because when you’re in Kerrville in the summer, you want to be able to easily get to the river for a quick swim or soak, or to go kayaking or paddleboarding.

We found the interior, however, to be uninspired and needing a bit of pizzazz. That said, it’s across the street from East End Market (very cool antiques/collectibles store), Monroe’s (cafe and bistro), and Wilson’s Ice House (bar). It’s a 2-minute walk from Mary’s Tacos, across Broadway — watch for pick-up trucks in the morning filled with hungry construction workers — and the same length walk from Kerrville Canoe and Kayak. It’s a brisk 15-minute walk from downtown. That’s a huge plus.

River Trails also has other units. For this reason, it serves a larger group. You and relatives would find a great place to stay and enjoy the local amenities.

WHERE TO FIND | VRBO & Expedia

PRICE | $139 and up

FEATURES | 1 BR, 1 bath (sleeps 4); kitchen; wifi; access to river; within walking distance to antique shops and restaurants

GOOD FOR | Adults and families, business or leisure

KID-FRIENDLY? | Yes

SCORE | 7/10

Sure, up on Sidney Baker, there is everything from the famous YO Hotel to chains like Hampton Inn, La Quinta, and even Motel 6. (And others.)

But, why?

Why not pay a little more, and it really is a little, when you can have in 2 out of 3 cases above, access to the river and walking distance from stores and restaurants. There’s no need to spend your money at the big chains. Give up a few frequent flyer/loyalty points and treat yourself.

You deserve it!