The Villa Del Rio captures the international influences of the Mexican border. Not quite interior Mexico or downtown Texas, the bed & breakfast in Del Rio provides lodging with a worldly flavor.
The two-story mansion was once the home of Judge John Foster, the grandfather of folksinger Radney Foster. With its mission-style roofline, the house could be described as a Spanish-style Mediterranean villa with American Southern charm. The upstairs bedrooms open to large windows overlooking a pecan orchard accented by swaying palm trees. The centerpiece of the back yard is a fishpond off the patio with a bird sculpture.
The inn consists of three guestrooms and a two-bedroom cottage in back of the main house. The quarters are spacious and uncluttered with a touch of eccentricity. Downstairs is a large television room and dining room with a European look. As you walk into the house you get a feeling you’re stepping into another world.
Innkeeper Sarah Boone credits the owner, Jay Johnson, for the eclectic furnishing of the turn-of-the-century mansion. “He likes to call it ‘funky elegance,'” Boone says. An artist and designer, Johnson’s sculpture, decorating, and landscaping have been influenced by the art of Europe and Central Mexico.
With her background in banking and the inns of Granbury, Boone brought a more minimalist attitude to the Villa. Her arrangement of the Judge Roy Bean room and the Lily Langtry room tells a story as well as providing comfortable accommodations. Frontier Justice of the Peace Bean was infatuated with actress Langtry, and rumors swirl about whether they ever met. The two rooms share a bath and are roomy enough for a family or couples.
The Peacock Suite is the best room in the house. The high ceiling accentuates the spaciousness of the bedroom. The private bathroom is small yet still adequate. A small sitting room branches off to one side of the room, and on the garden side of the room is a small, screened patio. From this vantage point a person can see the vineyards of Texas’ oldest winery.
Frank Qualia, an immigrant from northern Italy, started the Val Verde Winery behind the Villa in 1883. The state’s oldest winery survived Prohibition by selling table grapes and is still owned and operated by the Qualia family.
Pancho Villa’s Cottage is very different than the main house, Boone says. The two-bedroom adobe building offers privacy as well as room for large groups. Capable of sleeping as many as seven, the house has a full kitchen, a bath and vanity, and a good-sized living room. Decorated in Mexican accents, the house is a favorite with families and couples traveling together.
Each morning, Boone delivers coffee to the rooms before heading to the kitchen to prepare one of the inn’s famous breakfasts. The Villa rotates between three different exotic menus that surprise many first-time guests.
Calling itself “The Queen City of the Rio Grande,” any time is a good time to visit Del Rio, but winter is especially nice. “People tend to forget that we have a much more temperate climate than San Antonio or Austin,” Boone says. Last year the city only had three freezes all year. Most days are cool with low humidity.
The international bridge is only a couple of miles from the inn. Cab companies provide transportation across the border for those who don’t want to drive or walk, but Boone doesn’t hesitate to take her car across. “The shopping in Cuidad Acuna has never been better,” Boone says. “The prices are low, and the selection is great.” Of course, some people just go across the Rio Grande to eat at Crosby’s Restaurant and to have a drink at the Corona Club.
The Villa Del Rio Bed and Breakfast Inn’s rates range from $110 to $220 for a room. For reservations, call 800/995-1887 or 830/768-1100. The inn has a very interesting Web site at www.villadelrio.com.
Texas’ oldest winery is next door and is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm. The award-winning wines are sold primarily at the winery. To reserve a bottle or a case, call 830/775-9714.
700th in a series. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of Day Trips 101-200, is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in November 12 • 2004.
