Ghost Town Casitas -- Stay Minutes from Big Bend Natl Park — Hotel in Manuel Benavides

(this review is of the Ghost House)

This is a really unique little house right in the middle of Terlingua, which is a neat location to stay if you want a well-placed access point to the wide and vast Big Bend (State & National Parks). It’s cute, it’s cool, it’s convenient. We chose it over more distant locations on the recommendation of a local and many positive reviews. However, if you’re after a remote, idyllic, and more-than-you-bargained for stay, this may not be quite what you’re looking for. With respect to our kind and very responsive host, here are some notes we had from our stay:

1. the one-way mirror technology only goes so far. There are times that looking out during the day or looking in during the night are valuable. But not only is it important to note that you do need to treat it like a normal window at night, the view outside at night is pretty foggy and not ideal for any stargazing, if you want that.

2. it’s really quite close to everything else. You won’t have the feeling of privacy, even if the town lives up to its “ghost town” designation.

3. when you sign up, you’ll be given the option to pay an $1000 deposit or a $45 waiver. This is still confusing to us, but we paid $45 and were on our way. This could be a bit better explained!

4. the house is quite small. We made do & it’s not exactly a tiny house. But be prepared to be in very close quarters with your companion(s).

5. cleanliness was not totally perfect (balls of hair on the ground, odd smells by bed/fridge) and when a resource or two ran out our request for refill was acknowledged but not fulfilled. I don’t think any of these things will make for a decisive negative experience if you have them. But they are aspects of our stay worth noting.

As you can see, none of these things are all that problematic. It’s just that sometimes you get more than you expect, & sometimes you get less. This is a little less – its chief advantages are novelty and convenience. But it IS cute and cool and comfy, especially the bed. If you are not nitpicky – and do not mind a trio of ravens who visit daily to check themselves out and peck at the foundation (we liked this) – you’ll be happy.

Thanks again to our hosts! These notes are given with respect and in the...

Tried to add separate review for separate room stay but can’t figure that out! Stayed our last night in Desert Pearl. Airstream-like trailer with comfy bed, roomier than expected, and nice coffee bar setup with sink, refrigerator, mini microwave, coffee maker and french press for coffee also. Both this room and the Ghost House have a bag of ground coffee available for french press and have a small Keurig. Bathroom is private but for the Desert Pearl is in an outbuilding next to the trailer. Easy to get to and not a problem. Has a heater inside and good shower. There’s an outdoor shower also, but given the cold temps that was not an option. Great night sky views. Note that it’s very dark outside if you arrive for your accommodations after sunset, but that makes stargazing great. Pearl even has a small telescope for you to take outside and use. Very pleased with our stay at Ghost House for 2 nights and last night at...

We had the opportunity to stay in Casa Piedra and the Desert Pearl for a few days during our trip to Big Bend and loved it.

The Desert Pearl is such a fun experience! The trailer is clean, nicely decorated, and surprisingly spacious. The landscaping is well done, the outside shower is great after a long day of roaming the desert, and the deck with sunshade is perfect for sitting back and soaking in the landscape.

Casa Piedra makes you feel transported to a desert spa retreat. It has a traditional adobe appearance with great desert landscaping on the outside. The room has a calm and relaxing aesthetic with a large adjoining bathroom, and the outside shower was a great bonus.

The property manager was helpful with our reservation, was available to help/answer questions, and went the extra mile to make our visit special.

No complaints, you can't go wrong with the Ghost...