We arrived after 9 p.m. in Alpine and expected little or no activity at the Holland House. We were wrong. The hotel has a good restaurant specializing in German food and a microbrewery, along with live music every night. The restaurant had an old Texas feel, with friendly people and enjoyable local musicians. The staff was great, making sure we got dinner although the kitchen was closing. The microbrew was very good, with four selections. They also had a nice wine selection, including some very good Texas wines. According to our waitress, the bar stays open until the last customer leaves. She also provided great insights in response to our questions about the area, including the Marfa Lights. We actually enjoyed ourselves so much at the Holland House that we never made it to out to see the Lights.
We stayed in the Crow's Nest, which is a short flight of stairs above the third (and top) floor. The room is small and the shower is tight, but it is furnished nicely and had a good air conditioner. What makes the Crow's Nest special is a roomy rooftop deck from which you can see the town and mountains in all directions. We really enjoyed sitting out there in the cool summer air of Alpine. About the only thing which may be a negative is that trains come by the hotel during the night and often blow their whistles, which could bother light sleepers. We found that the air conditioner pretty well drowned out the train noise and the hotel does provide ear plugs in each room. We would also recommend that the hotel install a darkening shade to keep early morning sunlight out as it shines directly in your face if you are still asleep. The room includes a free hot breakfast which - like dinner - was very good. We loved the ambiance of an old, unique and historic hotel and would certainly stay there again.
Our friends stayed in Room 306 which had a comfortable king size bed and a large bathroom. The room was very nicely furnished and they were very pleased with it.
