Willow House Hotel

Texas

So effortlessly does Willow House blend into the wilderness that its neat row of concrete cubes is as striking as the landscape. Built to honour the raw beauty of the far-west Texan desert, the sleek facades of 12 casitas (ranging from doubles to four-person dwellings) come into view as you descend into the Chisos Basin, the ghost town of Terlingua just beyond.

Framed by indigenous ocotillo and paths of local stone, the casitas are fashioned in a contemporary colour palette of graphite, sand and timber, warmed with burnt orange furnishings, vibrant works of art and cosy alpaca throws, the four-poster beds doubling as front row seats to sunsets over Santa Elena Canyon.

The surrounding Big Bend National Park is a hiker’s paradise – traverse the rocky terrain for views across the Rio Grande and over to Mexico from the Boquillas Hot Springs. And don’t miss breathtaking panoramas along the Window Trail.

On your return, Terlingua’s historical haunts offer all-American favourites, but it’s in Willow House’s 13th block – the Main House – that guests will find a social hub. Here, make the most of a fully-stocked kitchen and cook up a feast in true communal style, a cocktail by the fire pit to finish things off before you retreat to your private patio for an evening of stargazing.

Two-person casitas from £266. 00 1 432 213 2270, willowhouse.co

Words by Jasmina Matulewicz.

This review featured in the June 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.