Space Cowboys — Hotel in Manuel Benavides

I have no regrets about my choice to stay at Space Cowboys for our girl’s trip to Big Bend National Park and Terlingua last weekend! ||Experienced campers will call this glamping, experienced glampers will call this "roughin' it." I would consider it a perfect “in between.” In fact, I would lean toward the former: the pods have A/C and heat (and both worked—we experienced a 30 degree temperature drop overnight and rejoiced over this feature), 2 bathroom and shower units, queen size mattresses with linens and towels, a refrigerator, and a host of decorative pieces to get you into the theme for your stay. ||Everything you see in the pictures—little alien men, fun starlight projectors, etc—is what you’ll find in the pods and throughout the property. (I am especially intrigued by the 90’s JTT lookalike on the soda vending machine, but as an elder millennial, this would catch my eye.) There were creative details, is what I’m trying to say. ||Outside of your cutely decorated pod however, you are solidly on desert terrain. This is not a resort (nor does it purport to be), do not expect a concierge or to have room service available to you. You should bring all the things you would do when visiting a dark sky community out in the middle of the desert, such as water, hiking boots, a headlamp, and other essentials. Firewood can easily be purchased at one of the nearby stores as you approach the property. And you should, because Pod 12 has a private fire pit! ||In addition to what is already mentioned on their website, I would point out the following for anyone considering staying in Pod 12 specifically: ||- Fitness: They are not kidding when they tell you that Pod 12 is a 3-4 minute uphill climb from the parking area! Do not overlook this detail when considering this pod. A little self-awareness goes a long way here: will you be tired after long day of hiking and annoyed you have a little bonus workout waiting for you when you get back to the compound? Do you have a disability or condition that makes it hard to walk on rugged terrain? Do you think you’ll be too tired to hoist yourself up after a couple margaritas at Starlight Theater? In the pitch dark if you forget your headlamp? If you answered yes, maybe consider a pod closer to the bottom.||- Wi-Fi/Connectivity: We had intermittent service at best inside the pod. Outside the pod, if you walked around a few feet (closer to the bathroom), wifi would appear. If I were to come back for a longer stay and want to work remotely or need better connectivity, I might consider another pod closer to the parking/check-in area where the signal was strongest. ||- Awesome Views: The lovely man who helped us up the pod when we arrived, Chalo, said it best: This is the pod with the best view. Pod 12 distinctly overlooks the Chisos Mountains, which more than compensates for the 3–4-minute hike up the hill. And, just a few feet up from the pod is a small trail head that leads you to the very top of the compound, which features benches, fire pits and a wide-open space to gather and take in the best views. CHalo--te agradezco toda tu ayuda! ||- Privacy: Pod 12 seemed to be on the farthest upper-right of the property, which made it feel perfectly private while still being part of the overall community. We didn’t feel compelled to lower the privacy curtain, as the dark sky was enough. Waking up to the mountain view was also such a gift—it really felt like it was just us and the mountains having a little staycation, with the remaining pods beneath us.||- Bathroom: The website says this pod features a bathroom. It does not—not yet, anyway. My understanding is that there will be more embellishments to Pod 12, to include it’s own, standalone bathroom. The small trek to the communal bathroom is not bad—they even provide you a little lantern for the walk down should you need to go at night. Pro-tip: use your headlamp for night potty breaks—the lantern light can only go so far out. ||- Fitness: They are not kidding when they tell you that Pod 12 is a 3-4 minute uphill climb from the parking area! Do not overlook this detail when considering this pod. A little self-awareness goes a long way here: will you be tired after long day of hiking and annoyed you have a little bonus workout waiting for you when you get back to the compound? Do you have a disability or condition that makes it hard to walk on rugged terrain? Do you think you’ll be too tired to hoist yourself up after a couple margaritas at Starlight Theater? In the pitch dark if you forget your headlamp? If you answered yes, maybe consider a pod closer to the bottom.||Oh and, don’t miss the opportunity to check out Peso Supreme if they’re...

I have no regrets about my choice to stay at Space Cowboys for our girl’s trip to Big Bend National Park and Terlingua last weekend!

Experienced campers will call this glamping, experienced glampers will call this "roughin' it." I would consider it a perfect “in between.” In fact, I would lean toward the former: the pods have A/C and heat (and both worked—we experienced a 30 degree temperature drop overnight and rejoiced over this feature), 2 bathroom and shower units, queen size mattresses with linens and towels, a refrigerator, and a host of decorative pieces to get you into the theme for your stay.

Everything you see in the pictures—little alien men, fun starlight projectors, etc—is what you’ll find in the pods and throughout the property. (I am especially intrigued by the 90’s JTT lookalike on the soda vending machine, but as an elder millennial, this would catch my eye.) There were creative details, is what I’m trying to say.

Outside of your cutely decorated pod however, you are solidly on desert terrain. This is not a resort (nor does it purport to be), do not expect a concierge or to have room service available to you. You should bring all the things you would do when visiting a dark sky community out in the middle of the desert, such as water, hiking boots, a headlamp, and other essentials. Firewood can easily be purchased at one of the nearby stores as you approach the property. And you should, because Pod 12 has a private fire pit!

In addition to what is already mentioned on their website, I would point out the following for anyone considering staying in Pod 12 specifically:

Fitness: They are not kidding when they tell you that Pod 12 is a 3-4 minute uphill climb from the parking area! Do not overlook this detail when considering this pod. A little self-awareness goes a long way here: will you be tired after long day of hiking and annoyed you have a little bonus workout waiting for you when you get back to the compound? Do you have a disability or condition that makes it hard to walk on rugged terrain? Do you think you’ll be too tired to hoist yourself up after a couple margaritas at Starlight Theater? In the pitch dark if you forget your headlamp? If you answered yes, maybe consider a pod closer to the bottom.

Wi-Fi/Connectivity: We had intermittent service at best inside the pod. Outside the pod, if you walked around a few feet (closer to the bathroom), wifi would appear. If I were to come back for a longer stay and want to work remotely or need better connectivity, I might consider another pod closer to the parking/check-in area where the signal was strongest.

Awesome Views: The lovely man who helped us up the pod when we arrived, Chalo, said it best: This is the pod with the best view. Pod 12 distinctly overlooks the Chisos Mountains, which more than compensates for the 3–4-minute hike up the hill. And, just a few feet up from the pod is a small trail head that leads you to the very top of the compound, which features benches, fire pits and a wide-open space to gather and take in the best views. CHalo--te agradezco toda tu ayuda!

Privacy: Pod 12 seemed to be on the farthest upper-right of the property, which made it feel perfectly private while still being part of the overall community. We didn’t feel compelled to lower the privacy curtain, as the dark sky was enough. Waking up to the mountain view was also such a gift—it really felt like it was just us and the mountains having a little staycation, with the remaining pods beneath us.

Bathroom: The website says this pod features a bathroom. It does not—not yet, anyway. My understanding is that there will be more embellishments to Pod 12, to include it’s own, standalone bathroom. The small trek to the communal bathroom is not bad—they even provide you a little lantern for the walk down should you need to go at night. Pro-tip: use your headlamp for night potty breaks—the lantern light can only go so far out.

Oh and, don’t miss the opportunity to check out Peso Supreme if they’re...

My spouse and I stayed here 4 nights as our annual getaway, before our new baby arrives. We arrived and received the ATV shuttle service to carry our things (including a Blackstone, cooler, suitcases, wood, etc.) to the top pod up a very steep hill. The pod was nice besides the dirty floors. We had to clean our feet before getting into bed. AC worked well. Our pod did not have the laser projector, as advertised, which we were slightly disappointed with, but no big deal. There are also no mirrors in the pod outside of the one at the bathroom so definitely plan to bring your own. The pod was fairly close to the bathrooms which was nice. The community bathrooms were kept clean, slight sewage smell from the water. The problems with our stay began when we wanted to leave and there was no one available to provide the advertised 9am-9pm ATV service. There was no one on the property, the Ring doorbell for the shuttle service did not work. We called the owner and was told no one was available to help us take our things down and there would be someone to provide the service in the morning. We called at 9am the next morning and were told no one was available and they were unable to provide a time frame of when someone would be. Being at the top of the steep hill, it was next to impossible to carry everything down ourselves. We were offered a $150 credit towards our next visit however we will not be returning and do not recommend staying here due to false advertisement of services and risk of being stranded at the top of the property.

Edit to add: There has been no harassment nor blackmail. Our contact with the property stopped once we were made aware of the unavailability of the service. It was not about “getting our way.” If a service is advertised for a strenuous hike carrying heavy items up and down a steep mountain hill, it is frustrating and poor business when unavailable. We wanted to share our experience of our stay, including the good and the bad. My review is an honest encounter...