Live Oak Lake — Hotel in Waco

Wow - what a beautiful and refreshing experience! God is faithful and this place is peace filled and shows His glory!

We just returned from our five-year wedding anniversary getaway at Live Oak Lake, and it was such a restful, refreshing experience. The property is absolutely stunning—thoughtfully designed, incredibly clean, and beautifully serene. From the moment we walked in, we could tell how much care had gone into creating a space that helps guests slow down and breathe deeply.

The bed was super comfortable, the lighting and natural textures gave the space such a calming vibe, and even though there are other cabins nearby, the way the trees are positioned made it feel private and tucked away. The floating dock was a fun touch, and the pool was an unexpected bonus that we really enjoyed! The hammock was so comfortable! They did have rental kayaks but we did not want to spend more money and it’s more of a pond vs lake. As a side note - the shower was 10/10! Solid warm and massive amounts of water!

We’re so grateful for the team’s hospitality and even the sweet welcome card waiting for us—it meant a lot. AND FRESH COOKIES!!!

To help future guests plan well, here are a few friendly tips and things to keep in mind:

The stairs are pretty steep and can be slick, especially in wet weather—so just be careful going up and down, especially with kiddos or older guests.

The sleeping and kitchen areas are quite compact, so it’s helpful to know in advance if you’re expecting a bit more space. Expect to do low maintenance and simple cooking.

There’s no screen door, so if you’re a fresh air lover like us, it’s something to consider if bugs are out.

The upper window doesn’t have a shade, which lets in a lot of morning light—beautiful, but worth noting if you’re sensitive to brightness while sleeping.

the “fire pit” was a pellet version. Not ideal for a romantic experience and it costs $22 to get these and they only last 45min. A slight improvement for the Live Oak Team would be to get an actual fire pit with wood - not used for decor but actually to burn that is included free in the initial pricing.

That said, these things didn’t take away from what was truly a memorable and joy-filled experience. We’d absolutely recommend Live Oak to anyone looking for a peaceful escape. We also had our 4 month old with us and it was smooth - beside the death defying spiral stairs! You have been warned! They did have a pack n play but we brought our own. All in all - we made it work and had very little issues with having a kid with us.

To the Live Oak team—thank you again for creating such a special place. And as a side note, if you’re not already running your business on EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System), I’d genuinely love to connect. I’m a business coach who helps mission-driven teams like yours bring more clarity, accountability, and follow-through to their vision. Would be honored to support your growth if you’re ever interested!

Highly recommend this place for a romantic get away!

Also as a bonus - absolutely NOTHING needed to be done on check out!...

Loved our 2-night stay at Live Oak Lake! The drive in was beautiful, check-in was easy, and the property is nicely maintained. It provided the perfect spot to relax and get away for the weekend, and we look forward to coming back (with or without kids)!

The highlights: The location is ideal: it's an easy 15-min drive to all the things in Waco (Magnolia, restaurants, bars, etc.), but, on property, it feels peaceful, quiet, and secluded. The cabin itself is cute and modern. The kitchen is small (as expected) yet packed with appliances (Nespresso, Chemex, electric tea kettle, toaster, Brita filter, etc.). It's clear the hosts have tried to think of everything. The giant cookies waiting for us upon arrival were the best!! The hot tub was great - easy to operate and clean. We actually sat out there while it was raining lightly and it was still enjoyable. The guest handbook is very useful, and the restaurant recs were on point. Milo in particular was delicious! There was a washer and dryer in our cabin, which was a nice surprise. The hosts stayed in contact via email throughout our stay. It was a good balance between being available/helpful without being intrusive.

Other things to note (only to be helpful, as nothing was a big deal): The bed was actually quite comfortable, but the loft area was a little too warm for the heavy comforter (even with the AC unit on). A lighter option might be nice outside of winter. The container pool was pretty dirty. Again, NOT a big deal. It's not swimming season yet, and I understand not cleaning it every day when it's too cold to swim. Just writing this in case you tell your kids "There's a pool!" and you're not planning a summer stay. They do have a swing set (with traditional swings and a bench swing), which I know our kids would love. I remember another person mentioning a tear in their hammock in their review, so I thought I'd touch on it. Ours had a tear, but I could still lay in it!

Overall, we had a wonderful experience and appreciate all the thoughtful details that went into making our stay...

We stayed in the Cedar Brook cabin which sleeps two. It was simply darling. We loved the modern and atypical cabin-in-the woods vibe. Decor was beautiful. Even though it's not far off the highway and close to the city, it gives a feeling of a deep country setting; very serene.

It has a very quaint kitchen with a good-sized fridge and microwave, but not much counter space, in case you're wanting to cook your meals. The next time we stay, we're thinking of bringing a narrow fold-up table to help with counter space.... Bathroom was great.... The winding stairs that lead up to the bedroom loft worked fine for us; however, know that it's extremely narrow. If you are a person that carries a lot of weight or are handicapped, the narrow-winding stairs may be an issue.... the hot tub was very relaxing. It's located on the side of the cabin and completely private, which was nice.... Bed was clean and comfortable..... the lake isn't an actual lake. It's really a pond. However, that didn't matter. It was very beautiful and peaceful. It has a small plunge pool, swings, grill area, canoes, catch and release fishing, and a relaxing dock that seats two.

The only con that I have is the view of the Cedar Brook cabin. It faces an overgrown small creek and wire fence that separates the property line. The website photo doesn't show that. It would be nice if that area was a bit more tidy with pleasant views as you relax on the outside patio. Next time, we plan to reserve a cabin that faces the pond which gives a more pleasant view.

Bring mosquito spray, good books to read, games, and a laptop in case you want to stream movies. There's no TV..... Check in and check out was a breeze.... Internet connection and speed was great.

Overall, I'd highly recommend Live Oak Lake for a quick qet-away and to disconnect from the daily hustle and bustle. We will...