Lake Amistad/Del Rio place to stay

[WayneR]

Have a early November trip planned to BIBE.  Will be taking a couple of "newbies"; my Mom (79 yrs young) and sister and traveling from Houston.  I already have reservations to stay at the lodge (BIBE) but am looking for a unique stopover in the Del Rio area on our way back.  Anybody know of a place to stay (must be at least a 1 star!) around Del Rio?  Sure, I can grab a motel in Del Rio  but was looking for something more unique say around lake Amistad to complete our West Texas adventure.  Any suggestions?

[BigBendHiker]

Hi WayneR!
We used to stay at the Best Western Villa Real (across from Del Rio in Acuna).  It was about four blocks off the main road after you crossed the bridge.  Accomodations were quite nice.  Staff was good and the on-site restaurant had a great breakfast.  Unfortunately, the hotel must no longer be a part of the BW chain as you cannot book reservations with the Villa Real thru BW any longer.   Kinda sad as we really enjoyed staying there.

Even though you may not be able to stay in Acuna,  I do recommend that you head over the bridge to eat at Ma Crosby's.  VERY nice restaurant.  Plus, a rather cool looking bar if you wish to enjoy your favorite beverage.  You can walk across the bridge, although it is a bit long.  For about $12 you can take a cab from the American side to the front door of Crosby's and $12 to come back.   Just before you get to the bridge, there are several taxi cab places.   Just pull into one and you will be good togo.

Just a bit of boring trivia...Ma Crosby's is mentioned in the George Strait song "Blame it on Mexico".

In a bar in Acuna called Ma Crosby's
I found myself not feeling any pain

And, while on Acuna and Del Rio trivia...none other than the Wolfman himself (Wolfman Jack) used to broadcast from the 1 million watt AM radio station, XERF in Acuna.  There is a thread on this board  (search under Acuna) that also has some more interesting factoids on Del Rio and Acuna.

And, if you have time, be sure to check out the Whitehead Museum in Del Rio as well.

There is a fellow on the board, AggieHiker, who is from Del Rio and recently moved back there.  You could PM him.  AggieHiker...you recently moved back to Del Rio.  You probably have the latest on the neat, out of the way places to stay over there.

Enjoy your stay while out there.  There is no better place on earth than the West Texas area.  It is truly the promised land out there.


BBH

[cjacob]

I grew up in Del Rio.  There is a new Hampton Inn that was built very recently.  All the nice hotels from yester years has become run down.  It was nice to see this BRAND new hotel built.  We are very loyal Hilton brand customers.  Last year we had stayed 389 nights per our year end summary with them. (Strange since there is 365 nights in one year).  We have booked rooms there for 2 trips west, and my **GASP** my 15 year high school reunion.   

[mbent]

Funny to mention del rio and the people...this summer, on our way out to bibend, my vehicle started doing this lurching thing...we had stayed in brackettville at the fort (which is a cool place and only about 20 miles east of DR, right?-anyway, the rooms are not bad-very cheap, clean enough and the spring is wonderful! I'm kind of picky in my old age and it's good enough for me! Anyway, the next day we limped into Del rio and stopped at a little hamburger joint that looked awesome (was too early to eat) and asked if they knew of a good mechanic....they pointed us down the way towards this guy with a small used car lot near downtown. We got down there and he couldn't help us but I knew we had arrived in west texas when he offered to take us to someone (he said, 'ah, it's too complicated for me to fix, i'm not doing anything (he was), I don't mind (he didn't) he knew who was the 'best in town'. I wish I could remember both of these guys' names. Anyway, he got in his truck and we followed him over to this local Mexican's busy mechanic shop and the guy ran diagnostics on our vehicle...said he could fix it, but was too busy....anyway, the first guy didn't just dump us off there. He waited around and told us what the guy was finding (translating both mechanic lingo and from spanish) and, when he saw we were still in a jam, he sent us down to his OTHER friends at the dealership where he used to work! I was sooo frustrated at having my vehicle do that (esp after having payed the rip off mechanics up here for the big 'trip check' but I felt relieved when we ran into such a true gentleman (wish I could remember his name!). He was going to make sure a group of women and kids headed for the desert were going to be ok! I told my traveling buddy, 'hey, we're back in west texas!'

[homerboy2u]

Your right MBent. There are very good and nice people along the border. Now Wayne, for lake front accomodations: As far as my concern there are no hotels in Amistad lake, there are tons of RV Parks left and right on HWY. 90 too many to mention , but there is a nice hotel (no webpage) where we stayed there for Easter week in Del Rio... Regency Inn... $ 34.00 bucks a night for two queen beds, nice good a/c, good parking,very  near from Walmart.

PH: (830)-775-7414
3811 Highway 90 West
Del Rio, Tx. 78840

 There could be some information, by now if you Google it up.

 The places BBH is recommending to check out in Acuña are tops too, specially the food.

[WayneR]

Thanks all for the replies!  Checking out Acuna sounds very cool.  I have stayed at the new Hampton in Del Rio before and agree it is one of the nicest in town.  Seems odd no one has opened a nice resort on the shores of Lake Amistad.  Maybe an opportunity??? 

[homerboy2u]

.  Maybe an opportunity??? 

 You do the math: More than 1,000,000 visitors per year ( according to local figures provided by the  C of C) flock the Amistad waters ...maybe it is a no brainer

 The Hampton Inn is by far the best hotel, IMO in Del Rio, but for what it is worth a cheaper hotel, no frills, nice beds,good a/c and t.v. the Rengency Inn did alright too.

[cjacob]

Thanks all for the replies!  Checking out Acuna sounds very cool.  I have stayed at the new Hampton in Del Rio before and agree it is one of the nicest in town.  Seems odd no one has opened a nice resort on the shores of Lake Amistad.  Maybe an opportunity??? 

There was Anglers Lodge and Lake Amistad Lodge.  The later was a nice hotel, but with the NPS / Fed Gov having control of the lake you could not build right up to the lake.  Would be nice to have a boat house and be able to walk to the boat. 

I think part of the issue with a nice hotel at the lake is most of the vistors come for fishing and bass tourny's there is a limited season for these users.  There is some water sport activies but nothing like Lake Travis or Canyon Lake which are mad crazy.  IMHO Amistad is far nicer as a lake, however Del Rio is not a booming town with lots of disposable income.  As a result the lake does not get used as much by locals then people from out of town. 

Now most of the hotels are used mid week by the Maquiladora's with the vistors/clients comming to Acuna.  Now they would not want the commute from the lake into town and back even with the damn crossing there is no real food options out there.  I can recall when the Best Western on Ave F about 8th street would be booked with 10-15 rooms for my dad's Maquiladors.

[McTullis]

Just a bit of boring trivia...Ma Crosby's is mentioned in the George Strait song "Blame it on Mexico".

In a bar in Acuna called Ma Crosby's
I found myself not feeling any pain

Totally replying late to this thread, but more trivia about Ma Crosby's...the bar in there is the same one in Desperado and El Mariachi.
Order the jumbo margarita at the bar. It'll make the rest of your day fly. 

[tjavery]

Totally replying late to this thread, but more trivia about Ma Crosby's...the bar in there is the same one in Desperado and El Mariachi.
Order the jumbo margarita at the bar. It'll make the rest of your day fly. 

Actually, the bar in those movies was the Corona Club just across the street from Crosbys.

But either place is filled with old photos and has a lot of history. I love the black-n-white photos from the early 1900's in Crosbys.

[McTullis]

 

[aggiehiker]

Sorry this is so late in coming, but I was late getting Internet after moving back to Del Rio and don't usually check this thread. There are a couple of lakes at Amistad, or rather near it with views of the lake. Amistad Lodge has a very good restaruant and a deck overlooking the lake (it's about 1/2 mile away, not next to the motel). For a different hotel, stay at the Villa Inn B&B. It 's an old building, like most B&B's, and is very close to our local winery.

If you plan on going across to Mexico, you now have to have either a passport, a government issued ID card, or your birth certificate along with a driver's license. This new law has really cut back on tourism but it does make it easier to get into Crosby's now!

Anyone coming this way, give me a hollar and I'll be glad to help any way I can.

[homerboy2u]

We should do something, now that you are living in DR, it is still about 45 minuters drive from here but with time i think i can manage something. I am trying to find some time to camp out in the Lake with the kiddos. They are more than ready to get out and check the area.

[BigBendHiker]

Hey, Homero!
I remember your saying there is a really good Mexican food restaurant in Del Rio.  What is the name of it?  We will be going through Del Rio in late December and want to stop there to eat.


Thanks,
BBH

[homerboy2u]

Yes BBH...you answer is Right Here Señor...Mexico Tipico is your choice to eat.

 Please extend us your reviews when there.