The river house retreat is the perfect place to get away from it all. The two and a half acre lot is located on the beautiful San Marcos River, nestled under a canopy of pecan and cypress trees. It's your ideal home base for Texas State events, river fun and outlet shopping. We are a short drive from Austin so keep our property in mind for F-1 Circuit of the Americas, SXSW, ACL Fest & more!
AMENITIES Amenities include a full kitchen (stove, refrigerator, oven, dishwasher and cookware), a washer, dryer and three bathrooms. The main attraction of this property is the river and beautiful yard.
The house features one large master bedroom with a king bed and en suite bathroom. Upstairs has one small bedroom with a queen size bed, and one large room with three full size beds and one twin bed that allow for dormitory style sleeping. There is also a bathroom upstairs with a newly installed tub/bath combo. The main living area has a large sectional which seats 4 people, along with 2 other chairs. The second entertaining area which is located off of the kitchen has 2 couches with reclining seats. . Both rooms have smart TV's. and DVD players. The house offers a deck off the back of the house for relaxing as well as a large covered pavilion down closer to the river with a BBQ pit and large smoker. We have several long folding tables to place food, as well as a picnic table for seating. The cement bank allows for easy access to the river via a triangle metal swing or ladder. You will enjoy sunbathing or reading your book on the floating dock.
FOR THOSE WITH CAT ALLERGIES: Though there are no cats living in the house, the property is home to five felines friendly felines, who are known to show up in the backyard for some impromptu petting.
HOUSE RULES: --> Please read before booking with us! CHECK IN / CHECK OUT Check in after 2 pm. Check out 11am. We'll happily accommodate special requests whenever possible. NO PARTIES OR EVENTS Non-negotiable. Please don't even bother asking. QUIET HOURS Since this is a residential neighborhood, we ask that you please keep noise levels at a minimum throughout your stay, and that you especially observe quiet hours after 10 p.m. and before 8 a.m. NO UNREGISTERED GUESTS If more than the number of registered guests arrive, you will be asked to leave. Per VRBO policy, YOUR RESERVATION WILL BE CANCELLED WITHOUT A REFUND. Booking with us means you agree to All Things. Do us both a favor and book only if you find our rules acceptable.
The short term rental city ordinance requires that no more than 12 people be allowed to stay on the property during the rental. We have limited driveway space so all cars must fit in the driveway and cannot be parked out on the street. WE WILL NOT RENT OUT TO COLLEGE STUDENTS looking to have a party and violate noise ordinances or damage property.
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.
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This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
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 first aid kit
About the area
San Marcos
Located on the waterfront, this holiday home is in Rio Vista, a neighbourhood in San Marcos. Quail Creek Golf Club and Three Dudes Winery are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those in the mood for shopping can visit San Marcos Premium Outlets and Plaza East. San Marcos Discovery Center and Meadows Center for Water and the Environment are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking, scuba diving and snorkelling nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) - 36 min drive
Restaurants
Industry - 2 min drive
Herbert's Taco Hut - 6 min walk
Sean Patricks - 2 min drive
Fuego Tortilla Grill - 14 min walk
Toma Taco - 2 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is The House on the River pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at The House on the River?
As of 13 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The House on the River on 8 Sept 2026 start from £291, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at The House on the River?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at The House on the River?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The House on the River?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is The House on the River located?
Located in Rio Vista, this holiday home is within a 15-minute walk of Ramon Lucio Park and San Marcos River. Ramon Lucio Memorial Park and San Marcos Discovery Center are also within 10 minutes. San Marcos Station is 18 minutes by foot.
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Everything was great! The location is hard to beat if you want to stay on the river but also be close to HEB, the square, and restaurants. The beds and bathrooms were perfect for a group stay.
This place is really amazing from the house to amenities and back yard! Hands down a great place to stay especially when its on the river and has about 250' of waterfront! The host was great and gave us the history on the home as well as how long the home has been in their family!Had the best time with my three boys and will definitely be staying here again!
The host was fantastic - super responsive, friendly, and helpful. The property was perfect. Fantastic location, lots of space, and exactly what we were hoping for! Will absolutely book again next time we’re in the area!!
It was such an amazing home! Had everything we needed comfortably slept everyone the yard is large and beautiful and gave plenty of space for the kids to play. The pavilion was excellent it provided shade, while the adults bar b que and prepared the food. Eagerly waiting for another trip here
The authenticity of this charming home with the contents of decades of life there is something that cannot be staged or reproduced. The nostalgic feel is priceless. Our group of all ages loved it and didn't want to leave. The Green Family.
What an amazing property! I wish we could have extended our stay! We could not have asked for more, the house was amazing and the grounds and river access were icing on the cake. Our host Jennifer was so helpful and available for any questions.If you want to stay in a home that has a rich history and more character than a cookie cutter hotel, this is the place for you! We hope to return the next time we are in San Marcos!
Casey C.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Apr 2025
Thank you Casey. It was so nice visiting with you and your family. We look forward to hosting you again.
Jennifer
This house is great for family and friend reunions. We rented in the winter for a fishing tournament on the river and all said we are going to try and come back in the summer when you could really experience the property more. Great for kids too
After spending days of our lives floating past this home, it was a dream come true to stay here. The house and property were beautiful and it was the perfect place to stay for a large group. The host was very accommodating and friendly. I can’t wait to come back here again.
Matthew W.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023
Verified
4/10 Poor
Paul F.
14 Sept 2024
Liked: Location
Disliked: Cleanliness
River house
Great property with river access. Old house with the need for a deep clean.
We loved the house and property! Jennifer was an excellent communicator and provided lots of details when I asked questions before our stay. It was great to be right on the river - the house and yard were the perfect place for our family to gather. The house has a lot of character and the property is gorgeous - we would lover to go back - thank you Jennifer!
This place is AMAZING! The location is so close to downtown, but feels like a little piece of paradise on the river! All the feels of home. We will definitely be back on all our visits to San Marcos, Tx! We are so thankful we found it and it was available! Couldn’t have been more happy with it!
Mykel-Anne B.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Jul 2024
Thank you. I really enjoyed meeting your family and I'm glad you had a wonderful time. Look forward to having you stay again in the future.
My friends and I had a wonderful weekend get-a-way staying at Rio Vista! This house provided plenty of sleeping space for the 12 of us along with the ability to jump right into the River from the backyard. We will definitely be back!
Nichol S.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Aug 2021
Glad you and your friends enjoyed your stay. We look forward to accommodating you in the future.
We love this property and house. Location in on the water, great to hang out, grill, and watch people float by. This is the 2nd time I have rented this property and will definitely be booking again next summer. Our group, loved it. Owner is very nice and will walk you through the entire house to show you everything.
tammy w.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 6 May 2020
Thank you Tammy. We look forward to you visiting us again next year. You should also consider visiting in the fall/winter. San Marcos has one of the largest outlet malls in the county. Perfect for all of your Christmas shopping.
We love this place! This was our second summer here and you just can’t beat the location. It’s right on the river, the backyard is beautiful, and so spacious. The house provides lots of room for our group of 10-12 friends that come together for a weekend getaway every summer. It’s our little paradise and we love it!!
Our stay was fantastic, proximity to campus is great, the river, the beds are fantastic, tons of towels-we loved its old school river house vibe. We had some folks in our party who were a little concerned about the cleanliness, I can only imagine how hard a deep clean would be but may be appreciated by guests. We loved it, thank you!
Amy T.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Jul 2024
Thank you Amy. I definitely agree the house needed a deep cleaning. We had someone come in and deep clean the floors earlier this summer but should have had them also check the nooks and crannies that collect dust. We just focused on clean bedding and linens and fell behind on all the rest. I just spent 4 hours this week washing the outside of the windows and dusting and cleaning air conditioning filters and vents. We will make sure to do better by our guests from now on.
Thank you,
Jennifer
About the host
Hosted by Jennifer Richards
The River House was purchased by my grandparents in 1965 as a weekend vacation home. They retired from Southwestern Bell in Dallas a few years later and it then became their retirement home. They spent the next 30 years there entertaining family and friends. This property is near and dear to our hearts and we hope you will enjoy it as much as we have.
Why they chose this property
We inherited this property from our grandparents and plan on keeping in in the family for future generations to enjoy.
What makes this property unique
We are one of only eight houses located on the San Marcos River with the largest lot. Our property is located one mile from the beautiful Texas State campus.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests