D6 Retreat — Hotel in Dripping Springs

HORROR STORY:||This was the worst rental experience ever! You’ll want to read every detail…||I’m an author with a tight publication deadline looming. To meet it, I decided to escape my usual distractions and embark on a two-week writing retreat. Without transportation, I needed a place with a kitchen and high-speed internet so I could stay put and focus. I also preferred somewhere remote to minimize interruptions. After browsing various options, I settled on D6 Retreats, believing it would be ideal based on their photos. I chose their “Stargazer” RV, one of the few units equipped with its own kitchenette and bathroom. Although I anticipated a bit of rustic charm, I wasn’t picky, having previously traveled in an RV for seven months.||Upon arrival, I was stunned by how misleading the photos had been. The RV was significantly smaller and in far worse condition than depicted. It smelled strongly of mold, and the floors were so rotted that they almost felt springy with each step. Despite this, I tried to stay positive and unpacked my belongings. Soon, I noticed swarms of tiny, biting gnats and an air conditioning unit so loud it overpowered my noise-canceling headphones and music. Determined to focus on my work, I set up my laptop, only to discover that the Wi-Fi was down.||I contacted the resort using the provided number, and they instructed me to try again after resetting the router. This started a frustrating exchange that dragged on throughout the day and night. By the next morning, the Wi-Fi was still non-functional. I explained that my primary reason for being there was to work on my book, which I couldn't do without internet access. The resort staff were unhelpful, continually blaming AT&T.||Eventually, the owner, Tara, reached out. She was kind and admitted they were aware of the issue, offering me a cabin at their other location until the Wi-Fi was fixed. The cabin had no bathroom, kitchen, or running water—just a bed—and despite being charming, it became unbearably hot. Even with the A/C running, it was like sitting in a puddle of sweat. The lack of a bathroom meant frequent trips to the “outhouse,” adding to my discomfort.||By 5 pm, with no Wi-Fi fix in sight, I requested a refund to find alternative accommodation. Tara provided a portable hotspot for the RV, and later that evening, the Wi-Fi was restored. Despite the rough start, I hoped I could finally concentrate on my project. The next morning, while working in the RV, used the bathroom. When I flushed, the toilet backed up, filling with water that had disturbing black objects floating in it. To my horror, these turned out to be black soldier fly larvae.||A quick search confirmed that larvae in an RV toilet indicated serious issues with the holding tanks and sewage lines, which would require hydroblasting and fumigation. The larvae began climbing up the toilet sides, trying to escape. I contacted the retreat immediately, but no one responded. After 40 minutes, hunched over the toilet of terror and battling larvae, I encountered a maintenance worker at a neighboring RV who agreed to try reaching the retreat on my behalf. An hour later, I received a text saying someone would be sent, but it was clear a simple maintenance fix wouldn’t be sufficient.||I sent the retreat an article about the severity of the problem & the necessary treatments & insisted on leaving, but they refused to acknowledge that as an option. As larvae contined to try and escape the toilet, the maintenance worker returned, promising that bleach would solve the problem. I watched him pour half a gallon of bleach down the toilet. Unfortunately, within minutes, larvae began reappearing.||My ride arrived shortly after, & I quickly vacated the premises. The first thing my friend said upon entering the RV was, “Oh god, what is that smell?” followed by, “Who would ever want to stay here?” Nearly ten days later, after following up, the retreat finally issued a partial refund. A partial refund after such an ordeal was infuriating. It was the final straw that prompted me to write this review. Beware...

HORROR STORY: This was the worst rental experience ever! You’ll want to read every detail… I’m an author with a tight publication deadline looming. To meet it, I decided to escape my usual distractions and embark on a two-week writing retreat. Without transportation, I needed a place with a kitchen and high-speed internet so I could stay put and focus. I also preferred somewhere remote to minimize interruptions. After browsing various options, I settled on D6 Retreats, believing it would be ideal based on their photos. I chose their “Stargazer” RV, one of the few units equipped with its own kitchenette and bathroom. Although I anticipated a bit of rustic charm, I wasn’t picky, having previously traveled in an RV for seven months. Upon arrival, I was stunned by how misleading the photos had been. The RV was significantly smaller and in far worse condition than depicted. It smelled strongly of mold, and the floors were so rotted that they almost felt springy with each step. Despite this, I tried to stay positive and unpacked my belongings. Soon, I noticed swarms of tiny, biting gnats and an air conditioning unit so loud it overpowered my noise-canceling headphones and music. Determined to focus on my work, I set up my laptop, only to discover that the Wi-Fi was down. I contacted the resort using the provided number, and they instructed me to try again after resetting the router. This started a frustrating exchange that dragged on throughout the day and night. By the next morning, the Wi-Fi was still non-functional. I explained that my primary reason for being there was to work on my book, which I couldn't do without internet access. The resort staff were unhelpful, continually blaming AT&T. Eventually, the owner, Tara, reached out. She was kind and admitted they were aware of the issue, offering me a cabin at their other location until the Wi-Fi was fixed. The cabin had no bathroom, kitchen, or running water—just a bed—and despite being charming, it became unbearably hot. Even with the A/C running, it was like sitting in a puddle of sweat. The lack of a bathroom meant frequent trips to the “outhouse,” adding to my discomfort. By 5 pm, with no Wi-Fi fix in sight, I requested a refund to find alternative accommodation. Tara provided a portable hotspot for the RV, and later that evening, the Wi-Fi was restored. Despite the rough start, I hoped I could finally concentrate on my project. The next morning, while working in the RV, used the bathroom. When I flushed, the toilet backed up, filling with water that had disturbing black objects floating in it. To my horror, these turned out to be black soldier fly larvae. A quick search confirmed that larvae in an RV toilet indicated serious issues with the holding tanks and sewage lines, which would require hydroblasting and fumigation. The larvae began climbing up the toilet sides, trying to escape. I contacted the retreat immediately, but no one responded. After 40 minutes, hunched over the toilet of terror and battling larvae, I encountered a maintenance worker at a neighboring RV who agreed to try reaching the retreat on my behalf. An hour later, I received a text saying someone would be sent, but it was clear a simple maintenance fix wouldn’t be sufficient. I sent the retreat an article about the severity of the problem & the necessary treatments & insisted on leaving, but they refused to acknowledge that as an option. As larvae contined to try and escape the toilet, the maintenance worker returned, promising that bleach would solve the problem. I watched him pour half a gallon of bleach down the toilet. Unfortunately, within minutes, larvae began reappearing. My ride arrived shortly after, & I quickly vacated the premises. The first thing my friend said upon entering the RV was, “Oh god, what is that smell?” followed by, “Who would ever want to stay here?” Nearly ten days later, after following up, the retreat finally issued a partial refund. A partial refund after such an ordeal was infuriating. It was the final straw that prompted me to write this...

Considering the lack of traditional hotels in the area, this would be a great place to stay for visiting relatives although we used it as a local staycation at Thanksgiving. ||The beds were comfortable, the sofa was comfy, the water was hot, the tiny houses were well insulated, and the kitchen was well equipped. The full-size refrigerator was a plus since we prepared and ate our family Thanksgiving dinner there. It was a beautiful day so we dined outside at "our" picnic table - good thing since our cabin had no inside table. For other meals, it's a quick 10-15 min drive to downtown Dripping Springs where there's a full-sized HEB for shopping and several restaurants and food truck parks for eat-out food. A large person might be a little squeezed for space between the foot of the beds and the walls so if this is you then you might be more comfortable in the ADA-compliant cabin that they have.||The 23 acre property is fun to hike all over although I advise using a short leash for your dog (they are an on-leash dog-friendly property) since there are lots of trees for them to get wound up in if they're on a long leash. My kids and the other kids there all loved the pool (heated) and all adults loved lounging around in the hammocks, chairs and lounges. I would have liked it if the party lights were turned down or off after midnight though - it was a little distracting for stargazing. ||Every time we contacted the staff they were quick to respond: before, during, and after our visit. We'd gladly stay here again in the future! Weekends at D6 are booked up pretty far in advance for weddings but weekdays seemed to be pretty open 6 weeks out. All 4 cabins were full for Thanksgiving although we were the...