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Cozy hilltop guesthouse at Barkspin Oaks Ranch. Beautiful views!

Photo gallery for Cozy hilltop guesthouse at Barkspin Oaks Ranch. Beautiful views!

Bluebonnets March 2024
Swing in front of Cowhouse. Swing faces northeast.
View from Cowhouse front yard
Front view of the Cowhouse, 30 foot by 12 foot front porch
DIning area with gas grill on front porch looking north
Reviews
10 out of 10 Exceptional
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 248 sq m

Popular amenities

  • DryerDryerDryer
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Air conditioningAir conditioningAir conditioning

Explore the area

Map
Dripping Springs, TX
  • Popular LocationOnion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm13 min drive
  • Popular LocationDeep Eddy Vodka Distillery24 min drive
  • Popular LocationJacob's Well Natural Area31 min drive
  • AirportAustin, TX (AUS-Austin-Bergstrom Intl.)54 min drive

Most relevant reviews

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shampoo

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen

About this property

Cozy hilltop guesthouse at Barkspin Oaks Ranch. Beautiful views!

The Cowhouse is a charming hilltop guesthouse nestled within Barkspin Oaks Ranch, a 61-acre ranch in the picturesque Texas Hill Country. Located approximately 8 miles southwest of Dripping Springs, this cozy retreat offers breathtaking views that stretch for miles. It’s conveniently close to local wineries, distilleries, and wedding venues, including Alexander at Creek Rd, Camp Lucy, and Cricket Hill Ranch. Other scenic hill country towns like Wimberley and Blanco are within a 30-minute drive, while Fredericksburg is easily accessible within an hour.

The Cowhouse provides a secluded and private haven for relaxation, complete with a fully equipped kitchen and laundry facilities. The kitchen seamlessly opens to the living area, featuring recently updated stainless steel appliances. The living room boasts a large window with an eastward view, perfect for enjoying spectacular sunrises. For entertainment, there’s a TV that receives local network channels and a DVD player stocked with assorted movies.

Step outside onto the expansive 12 x 30 ft covered porch, which also faces east. Here, you can savor the breathtaking views throughout the day. The porch is equipped with a gas grill and multiple seating areas, making it an ideal spot for relaxation and outdoor dining.

Inside, the bedroom offers a comfortable king-sized bed, a spacious closet, and blackout curtains for restful sleep. The bathroom features a combination tub/shower, toilet, and vanity. Additionally, the laundry room houses a large top-loading washing machine and a sizable dryer.

The Cowhouse has a heartwarming backstory: Built in 2008 by the owners, Andi and Jerry, it originally served as their weekend home. Back then, there was no fence to keep out the livestock, and the curious cows would often approach the house. Their grandson affectionately dubbed it the Cowhouse, as he and his sister loved watching the cows up close. The name stuck, capturing the essence of this rustic retreat.

Barkspin Oaks Ranch, part of a larger ranch settled by Andi’s grandparents nearly 100 years ago, remains rugged and teems with wildlife. Deer, rabbits, and a family of foxes call it home. Bird feeders attract a variety of avian visitors, and occasionally, a pair of hawks graces the skies. It’s a place where nature and tranquility converge, inviting guests to unwind and connect with the land.

The Cowhouse is over 200 feet away from the owners' home and both are on top of a hill inside a 4-acre fenced area. The main house is located where it does not impact the great views seen from the Cowhouse. Outdoor living areas for both homes are separated by trees and there is enough space between them to ensure privacy. The owners and guests will share the private road to the public road but the Cowhouse has a separate parking area. The Cowhouse is 0.3 miles from the public road.

Guests will be allowed to walk around the mowed areas of the fenced 4 acres at their own risk. Guests are not allowed outside of this fenced area except when entering or exiting in their vehicle.

No Smoking or Vaping.

Check-in is 4pm and Check-out is 10am.

No Pets are allowed.

Property manager

Andi Berry
Premier Host
Premier Host

Languages

English

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Air conditioning

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Adults only

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Guests are not allowed outside of the 4-acre fenced area on the hilltop except when entering or exiting the property in their vehicle.
Fireworks are not allowed.
Discharging firearms is not allowed.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Cashless transactions are available
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

About the area

Dripping Springs

Located in Dripping Springs, this cottage is in a rural area. Blue Hole Regional Park and Pedernales Falls State Park reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Jump Wild and Hill Country Lavender Farm. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Dripping Springs, TX

What's nearby

  • Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm - 13 min drive
  • Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery - 24 min drive
  • Jacob's Well Natural Area - 31 min drive
  • Blue Hole Regional Park - 39 min drive
  • Hamilton Pool Preserve - 39 min drive

Getting around

  • Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) - 55 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Whataburger - ‬23 min drive
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬22 min drive
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬22 min drive
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬22 min drive
  • ‪Mazama Coffee - ‬22 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Cozy hilltop guesthouse at Barkspin Oaks Ranch. Beautiful views! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Cozy hilltop guesthouse at Barkspin Oaks Ranch. Beautiful views!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Cozy hilltop guesthouse at Barkspin Oaks Ranch. Beautiful views!?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Cozy hilltop guesthouse at Barkspin Oaks Ranch. Beautiful views! located?

Situated in a rural location, this cottage is 3.4 mi (5.5 km) from Field of Dreams and within 12 miles (20 km) of Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm and Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery. Driftwood Estate Winery and Jump Wild are also within 12 miles (20 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 21 out of 21 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 21 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 21 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 21 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 21 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Laura D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful Place
I have to say this was probably our most enjoyable stay. The house was lovely and so was the view that goes along with it. Will definitely be back.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
our favorite place to stay…
is here at the cowhouse! this is our second stay. we chose to be here for the eclipse and it was spectacular. we needed nothing during our stay, because andi thinks of everything. she’s the best host. the stars were beautiful, the Olive Company is always fun and delicious and there were deer and birds galore. thank you again for a memorable stay!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

George T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Spring break getaway
Perfect for the 2 of us. Quiet, easy check in and very helpful host. Spent the days hiking/birding the state parks and the evenings relaxing at the cow house.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Katie V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect! Amazing!
The perfect weekend! Andi is an incredible hostess from the drinks and snacks in the kitchen right down to extra toothbrushes if you forgot yours. The view was amazing. You can’t come to Hill Country and not stay somewhere with a view. We changed plans and decided to grill out at the house just to enjoy the view one night! Cowhouse is a short drive to anywhere you want to go. I really can’t say enough wonderful things. We will definitely be back and we will recommend the Cowhouse to everyone we know!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Dudley T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The best ever
Host was phenomenal! What a delightful property. Exceeded our expectations. The very best Vrbo experience we have had. Everyone needs to come to the Cowhouse!!!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

About the host

Hosted by Andi Berry

Host profile image
My mother's parents lived on a large ranch that Barkspin Oaks was originally part of and my father's parents lived on a farm about a mile away. When I was a kid I would ride around the ranch with my uncle. I grew up in Austin and then moved to San Antonio, but continued to spend a lot of time at the family ranch and Dripping Springs. The hill that the Cowhouse is located on was, and still is, my favorite place. And in 2015 I was finally able to move to the ranch and have my home on that hill.

Jerry and I are retired but we are very active doing projects around the ranch. We are here most of the time and are available if you have any questions. We also will respect your privacy. Please let us know if you prefer no contact. Feel free to ask for something you need or to inquire about the area.

Why they chose this property

The first thing everyone who visits does is stop and take in the view. Our 4-acre fenced tract covers most of the hilltop and you can walk and see in all directions in minutes. Sunrises and sunsets can be spectacular. We are far enough away from cities to have great views of the stars. We see storms coming from miles away.

What makes this property unique

The Cowhouse was our weekend home for seven years. We designed it to be comfortable for us and have the amenities we needed. We wanted it to have enough room and feel homey and not like we were in a hotel room. Jerry insisted that we have the 12 x 30 ft covered front porch so we could relax, grill, and eat outdoors, and enjoy the views. We want our guests to enjoy what we also enjoyed for years.

Languages:

English

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Premier Host
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