Modern Six Bedroom Lodge in AustinN°001
Texas, USA
Private PoolSea ViewWaterfront
From $1,499 per night
Texas is the vast, culturally rich heart of the American South, where cosmopolitan cities meet open Hill Country and Gulf coastline. Renting a luxury villa in Texas places you near world-class dining, live music and rodeo culture, with private pools, generous space and concierge service tailored to families and groups.
- Private-pool villas near Houston, Austin and the Hill Country
- World-renowned barbecue, Tex-Mex and inventive fine dining
- Live music, honky-tonks and landmark festivals year-round
- Rivers, lakes and Gulf coastline for paddleboarding, fishing and floating
- Concierge service and direct booking with Smiling House
Known forBarbecue and Tex-Mex cuisine, live music, rodeo culture, cosmopolitan cities and the scenic Hill Country
Best time to visitMarch to May and September to November, when temperatures are mild and festival season is in full swing
Nearest airportGeorge Bush Intercontinental (Houston), with Austin-Bergstrom and Dallas Fort Worth also serving the state
Ideal forFamilies, multi-generational groups, music and food lovers, and city-and-country itineraries
Luxurious Lakeside Villa in AustinN°002
Texas, USA
Private PoolSea ViewWaterfront
From $1,399 per night
Lakeshore Six Bedroom Villa in AustinN°003
Texas, USA
Private PoolSea ViewWaterfront
From $999 per night
Lakeside Six Bedroom Retreat in AustinN°004
Texas, USA
Private PoolSea ViewWaterfront
From $999 per night
Luxury Villa with Concierge Services in AustinN°005
Texas, USA
Private PoolSea ViewWaterfront
From $973 per night
Spacious Eight Bedroom Villa in AustinN°006
Texas, USA
Private PoolSea ViewWaterfront
From $926 per night
71homes available
1–11bedrooms
up to 44guests
33with a pool
Where to stay in Texas
Events not to miss in Texas
- Late February to March
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The world's largest rodeo pairs championship riding and livestock shows with major concert headliners at NRG Stadium. Texas tradition on the grandest possible scale.
- March
South by Southwest (SXSW)
Austin's famed convergence of music, film and technology fills the city with premieres, showcases and ideas for ten days each spring. Book accommodation far in advance.
- April
Fiesta San Antonio
More than a century old, San Antonio's ten-day citywide party celebrates the heroes of the Alamo with parades on land and river, food and music.
- Late September to October
State Fair of Texas
Dallas hosts one of America's great state fairs, presided over by Big Tex, with the Texas-OU football classic, auto shows and legendary fried food.
- October, over two weekends
Austin City Limits Music Festival
Zilker Park hosts one of the country's premier music festivals across two autumn weekends, drawing the biggest names in rock, pop and country.
Texas through the seasons
- Spring (March – May)
Bluebonnet season in the Hill Country
Wildflowers blanket the roadsides between Austin and Fredericksburg while festival season peaks. The prettiest months for a Hill Country ranch or lake-house stay.
- Summer (June – August)
Lake days and long evenings
Hot Texas summers are made for private pools, boating on Lake Travis or Lake LBJ and tubing the Guadalupe and Comal rivers, with barbecue joints for refuelling.
- Autumn (September – November)
Football, fairs and perfect patio weather
The heat breaks into the state's most comfortable stretch, with the State Fair, college football Saturdays and harvest season in the Hill Country wineries.
- Winter (December – February)
Mild days and festive small towns
Gentle winters suit golf, city culture in Austin, Dallas and Houston, and Hill Country towns dressed for the holidays. A cosy season for ranch stays with fire pits.
The Area
The second-largest American state, Texas spans a remarkable range of landscapes and identities. Vibrant cities anchor it: Austin with its music and tech energy, Houston with its global dining and space heritage, Dallas and Fort Worth with their blend of cowboy culture and metropolitan polish, and San Antonio with its historic River Walk. Beyond the cities lie the rolling vineyards and limestone hills of the Hill Country, the dramatic canyons of Big Bend National Park and the easygoing coastal charm of Galveston. Each region carries its own character, so a single trip can move from skyline rooftops to riverside ranches. This diversity makes Texas a natural fit for villa stays that balance urban access with space and privacy.
Where to Stay
A curated collection of luxury villas across Texas lets you base your stay around the experience you want. Houston suits those seeking refined dining, museums and easy international access, with elegant homes set in leafy neighbourhoods. Austin appeals to music lovers and active travellers drawn to Lady Bird Lake and the surrounding hills. For groups wanting seclusion, the Hill Country around Fredericksburg and the Guadalupe River offers ranch-style estates with sweeping views and total privacy. Smiling House properties feature private pools, generous entertaining space and concierge service to arrange chefs, transfers and bespoke itineraries, so families and groups can settle in comfortably wherever in Texas they choose to stay.
Things to Do
Texas rewards the curious. Paddleboard on Lady Bird Lake beneath the Austin skyline, float lazily down the Guadalupe River on a summer afternoon, or cast for redfish and trout off Galveston. Music runs deep here: catch live blues and rock at Austin's Continental Club, or two-step at Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in the state. Culture and spectacle are never far, from the world-class festival programme of South by Southwest to the rides and showmanship of the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. RodeoHouston, among the largest rodeos on earth, pairs competition with major concerts. Nature lovers should venture west to Big Bend for hiking and star-filled skies.
Dining & Nightlife
Texas cuisine is a confident blend of smoked barbecue, Tex-Mex and ambitious modern cooking. In Austin, Franklin Barbecue draws devoted queues for its slow-smoked brisket. In Houston, Ninfa's is celebrated as the birthplace of the Tex-Mex fajita, while San Antonio's Cured turns out inventive charcuterie and farm-fresh plates. After dark, the state hums with energy, from honky-tonks and historic music venues to sprawling outdoor spaces such as The Rustic in Dallas, where live bands and good food share a buzzing patio. Your villa concierge can secure sought-after reservations and arrange private dining at home, letting you sample the best of the table without the wait.
When to Visit
Texas is a year-round destination, though spring and autumn are the most comfortable times to explore. March to May brings mild temperatures, wildflowers across the Hill Country and the buzz of South by Southwest in Austin. September to November offers warm days, thinner crowds and the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. Summers are hot and well suited to river floats, lake days and pool-side villa living. Winters are generally mild and a fine time for city breaks and barbecue pilgrimages. Whatever the season, a private villa with its own pool and outdoor space keeps the Texan climate working in your favour.
Getting There
Texas is exceptionally well connected. George Bush Intercontinental in Houston is a major international gateway, while Dallas Fort Worth ranks among the busiest hubs in the world and Austin-Bergstrom serves the capital region with growing international links. Direct flights arrive from across Europe, Latin America and Asia, making the state straightforward to reach. Distances within Texas are substantial, so a hire car is the natural way to move between cities, the Hill Country and the coast. Your Smiling House concierge can coordinate private transfers, car hire and a seamless arrival, so your villa stay begins the moment you land.