Alamo Inn B&B, Gear & Tours — Hotel in Alamo

We just got home from birdwatching in southwest Texas and absolutely loved staying at Alamo Inn B&B, Gear & Tours. It is housed in a two-storey, restored 1919 commercial building as well as in several attractive buildings a few doors away. Owners Keith and Audrey and their employees are exceptionally helpful, kind and friendly, and aim to make you feel at home. Prices were very low, especially when compared to nearby hotels and airbbs. Unlike a hotel, the atmosphere is very personable, but the inn is also big enough that you can come and go with ease and privacy. Rooms are private and quiet. Staff respond instantly to requests (for another pillow, to stay an extra night). Rooms range from small to medium to large, with some including a kitchen and they are kept spotlessly clean. The dining room area is open 24/7 for guests to help themselves to food which is handy if you're getting up early or arriving home late; the fridge and pantry are stocked full of eggs, breads, yogurts, cheeses, peanut butter and jams, granola bars, a range of fresh fruit, good coffee, caffeinated and herbal teas and more. Keith bakes homemade cookies daily, for guests, and during last week's cold snap, the cookies were a welcome treat when out birding in the field. There's a bookstore and gift shop in the dining room area, where you can buy sunhats, tee shirts, maps, guides, books, handmade cards and more at low prices. You also get to share birding info with other guests, who were a mix of solo birders, couples, families and groups. Keith is a birder and understands our passion for birds and he and Audrey have thought of everything to make the inn comfortable and easy to use, 24/7. The Rio Grande Valley is becoming popular for birdwatching and we felt lucky to have discovered this gem and definitely plan to stay there next time...

We stayed here the first week in April and loved it. We've never been to a place that catered so well to birders. All the room choices are very similar in price and there are great descriptions on their website. The suites are very affordable, and we slept great. We stayed in the African Safari themed garden suite and we highly recommend it! There's a full kitchen, fantastic hot shower, your own thermostat, and plenty of filtered water. Also, plenty of parking. There was free wifi, and a TV (which we didn't have time to even watch since the birding in the area is so fantastic). We preferred the garden building over the historic building. It was just a short walk down the block from the main building. The food area is open for you to pack lunches for day trips and have breakfast - even at 5am, as birders like to get out early before sunrise! There is a wonderful self serve kitchen area, including cage free eggs and organic whole grain breads which we appreciated. They also have an incredible shop which is worth a visit even if you are not staying. We also did a full day tour with Mary Beth (one of their birding guides there) and she was incredible. She is so knowledgable about the area and can identify all the birds by sound. She helped us plan a route based on the lifers we needed and we got them all. In addition, we went on a parrot tour that evening with the owner Keith, which was also fantastic. The knowledge and information you get here is priceless.

Can you tell - we really loved...

In 2017 two friends and I made reservations at the Alamo Inn for a few nights as we spent time birding the Lower Rio Grande River valley. The Alamo Inn had been recommended by a friend who raved about this amazing place in Alamo. Surely I thought the facility and staff could not live up to his enthusiasm, but I was proved wrong as Keith and the staff at the AI not only lived up to expectations, but exceeded them! My friends and I vowed to return to the Alamo Inn, but it took us 17 years. The Inn, the facility and the staff were every bit as welcoming and wonderful as I remembered as my wife and I spent four wonderful days birding in the greater Alamo area. Sabal Palms, Santa Anna, Bentsen State Park, Edinburg Marshes and several other terrific birding locations were on our itinerary. Keith was most helpful in making recommendations of places to visit and his suggestions were spot on. The Alamo Inn is a real treasure, run by folks who are thoughtful and caring in their efforts to provide quality accommodations for birders and for folks looking for a reasonable and comfortable place to stay. I hope it is not 17 years before my...