seeking reports on Terlingua House

[dave2]

Just wondering if anyone has stayed here: http://www.terlinguahouse.com/

[sleepy]

have not stayed there, but it looks very interesting.  especially for three couples.  and the specials look appealing.

[SHANEA]

http://tinyurl.com/6znvgu

http://tinyurl.com/5mf3mp

But, there is not much there.

[Voni]

We visited friends who were staying there.  Great place!  You're sure to love it too.

The views!  The deluxe accommodations!  Plenty of room to spread out and enjoy cooking for yourselves, or pop next door for some of the best pizza you'll ever have.

Voni
  sMiling

[mbent]

The Terlingua House on Long Draw

'Be our guest at the finest house west of Terlingua creek! Enjoy the unparalleled adobe* craftsmanship that is a unique combination of wetback-rigged and jerryriggery.

We supply every one of your needs, oh, except toilet paper, paper towels, cold water and other superfluous items. Who needs to take a cold shower in the desert or wipe their butt anyway? As they say, "When in Terlingua, do as the Terlingweenies do"

Should a need arise, and you better hope it doesn't, call our list of disconnected phone numbers for help. If that doesn't totally frustrate you, call our 'on-site' care-taker. He couldn't care less! So what if you had to crow-bar your way in to your room late last night? He'll be sure to leave a "tally-ho and cheerio, all is well" sort of note and crawl back into the bottle, wishing you well, you're on your own Bloke. The no-signal excuse is a good one in this part of Texas, you know. The phrase, "call me if you need anything' means something else entirely at the 'Terlingua House'

All joking aside, I will not stay here again. My younger son accidentally locked the keys our room one night and the 3 local caretakers listed on the info sheets all had phone numbers which had been disconnected. The guy who was supposed to be the caretaker was very difficult to find (even though he knew we were trying to find him) and we had to get into the room that night by breaking the doorknob. The owner was not much help-giving us the one option of waiting until the next morning (?) until a locksmith could come from Alpine. Long story short, we had to break the doorknob to get in and now the homeowner (the Johnsons out of Bronte, texas) are charging us for 20 hours of labor, $87 for parts and $350 for 2 separate trips to Alpine to buy a doorknob and 2 pieces of cedar. We are being unfairly gouged (I don't agree with the 20 hours of labor and I don't think 2 trips to Alpine were necessary) and the homeowners will not compromise. I would never stay here again. Two of the rooms (kitchen and master bed/bath) are unbearably hot and if you are not familiar with the area and you have a serious problem, there would be no one available locally to help you, which is misleading since their information sheet is out of date.

*stacked cinderblocks smeared w/plaster is not adobe as any real local will tell you. To claim otherwise is, well, simply a lie. Besides the cracks that show the cinderblocks underneath, if the house was real adobe, the walls would be thicker and the house would stay much cooler.

[presidio]

The Terlingua House on Long Draw

'Be our guest at the finest house west of Terlingua creek! Enjoy the unparalleled adobe* craftsmanship that is a unique combination of wetback-rigged and jerryriggery.

We supply every one of your needs, oh, except toilet paper, paper towels, cold water and other superfluous items. Who needs to take a cold shower in the desert or wipe their butt anyway? As they say, "When in Terlingua, do as the Terlingweenies do"

Should a need arise, and you better hope it doesn't, call our list of disconnected phone numbers for help. If that doesn't totally frustrate you, call our 'on-site' care-taker. He couldn't care less! So what if you had to crow-bar your way in to your room late last night? He'll be sure to leave a "tally-ho and cheerio, all is well" sort of note and crawl back into the bottle, wishing you well, you're on your own Bloke. The no-signal excuse is a good one in this part of Texas, you know. The phrase, "call me if you need anything' means something else entirely at the 'Terlingua House'

All joking aside, I will not stay here again. My younger son accidentally locked the keys our room one night and the 3 local caretakers listed on the info sheets all had phone numbers which had been disconnected. The guy who was supposed to be the caretaker was very difficult to find (even though he knew we were trying to find him) and we had to get into the room that night by breaking the doorknob. The owner was not much help-giving us the one option of waiting until the next morning (?) until a locksmith could come from Alpine. Long story short, we had to break the doorknob to get in and now the homeowner (the Johnsons out of Bronte, texas) are charging us for 20 hours of labor, $87 for parts and $350 for 2 separate trips to Alpine to buy a doorknob and 2 pieces of cedar. We are being unfairly gouged (I don't agree with the 20 hours of labor and I don't think 2 trips to Alpine were necessary) and the homeowners will not compromise. I would never stay here again. Two of the rooms (kitchen and master bed/bath) are unbearably hot and if you are not familiar with the area and you have a serious problem, there would be no one available locally to help you, which is misleading since their information sheet is out of date.

*stacked cinderblocks smeared w/plaster is not adobe as any real local will tell you. To claim otherwise is, well, simply a lie. Besides the cracks that show the cinderblocks underneath, if the house was real adobe, the walls would be thicker and the house would stay much cooler.

This is a great plot for a 30 minute indie movie with ominous music and shadowy threats. It begs for something to 'go bump in the night'.

[mbent]

ah..presidio! The friend who was w/me at T. house taught there for 10 years and misses it terribly....we went through Presidio and visited our favorite old haunts...some great memories there....it's changed a lot. Yeah, we've lived in or continued to visit bb for over 30 years now, camping, hiking, staying in broken down shacks up at capote falls, stayed in abandoned adobes at terlingua ghost town (bf people moved up there in the 70's), camped out in the open all over the basin, did our geo field camp all over big bend, spent one summer in the mid '70's at the old ranch house across from boquillas doing hot springs research....my friend is good friends w/the chambers and spent lots of time up there on their ranch and i was married to a stillwell for over ten years and spent a lot of time w/hallie and guy over in that area and in black gap. we've kinda done it all but we are older now and have little kids...we leave the menfolk at home to work...need a little more amenities at this point in our lifes.......yeah, we've already seen lots of things go bump in the night...the norm in the desert....we're not unfamiliar w/the area. just saying-T-house people are taking advantage of us....not typical for people in that part of West texas....no, no indie material up there at t-house. Altho lots of it all over everywhere else down there.

[rgibson]

Present owners are in Bronte, near Abilene.  Not really West Texans.

[mbent]

I know! teehee They don't really 'get it'....if the only person they can get to 'caretake' their property is a brit who visits for a few weeks in the summer, what does that tell ya? There are plenty of talented, resourceful locals down there who could've fixed that door in less than 20 hours. As for some of the materials in the house being 'imported from mexico' such as the 'rare, weathered, irreplaceable cedar planks'...well, I can't help it if some people believe everything they're told but I'm glad they do bc it's pretty entertaining to me. I still don't see why we have to pay for their caretaker's stupidity in having to make two 100 mile trips to Alpine and to pay for his obvious inexperience w/simple carpentry but since these people are in the oil business, they must need the extra $$ right now

[RichardM]

Maybe you should've busted a window instead.

[mbent]

Yeah, that the first thing we thought (she's actually accusing us of doing that too!??) but the doorknob in the kitchen was completely loose and we stupidly thought this one might be easy to jimmy off...i know...from the looks of the windows, i thought it might be even harder to replace a window down there....anyway, dark, late at night, I realize it wasn't the right choice...it's not that I don't think we aren't responsible...just think they should plan better in case someone has a real emergency....just want people to know that if you do have trouble at this house, there will be no help and if you do incur damages, you will be gouged and, in either case, the homeowner will bear no liability...and I hope kelly gets a first class upgrade on his flight back home or wherever he's off to next and he should for getting over $600 for fixing a broken doorknob!

[TheWildWestGuy]

I looked at their website and kind of thought it was probably BS myself - but did enjoy the unusual "geology" section of the website which was interesting and unexpected.  Seems like someone should have been able to find a doorknob and some 2x4's or 1x4's somewhere in South Brewster.   Why make two trips - forget to buy bolts and screws?
Plastered cinder blocks are NOT adobe and the rare imported Mexican wood was probably just "recycled" from someplace nearby.  Kind of reminds me of those common internet land sales of West Texas creosote scrub which have pictures of grassy meadows with flowing streams and horses.   I think if I was the house-renting type I would just go to Terlingua Ranch instead and rent one of their cabins... TWWG

[kmck]

I looked at their website and kind of thought it was probably BS myself - but did enjoy the unusual "geology" section of the website which was interesting and unexpected.  Seems like someone should have been able to find a doorknob and some 2x4's or 1x4's somewhere in South Brewster.   Why make two trips - forget to buy bolts and screws?
Plastered cinder blocks are NOT adobe and the rare imported Mexican wood was probably just "recycled" from someplace nearby.  Kind of reminds me of those common internet land sales of West Texas creosote scrub which have pictures of grassy meadows with flowing streams and horses.   I think if I was the house-renting type I would just go to Terlingua Ranch instead and rent one of their cabins... TWWG

There is Bee Mountain Hardware in Study Butte.  They have a nice selection of stuff AND keep regular business hours.   

As far as Terlingua Ranch goes, you might want to check and see if the restaurant is open before you stay there, if you're inclined to want to eat there - things change down there often.

kmck

[Peach]

I now know why I tent it when I go to BiBe....

[SHANEA]

As far as Terlingua Ranch goes,

There is a huge uproar out at TR these days amongst the land owners having to do with the POA, etc.  I really haven't kept up with all the details  - having to do with assessments, changing the rules, certain owners being exempted, lawsuits, etc.