Take Me Away: Oohla Bean Inn & Retreat

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably noticed I got to slip away this past Memorial Day Weekend to a lovely inn in the Texas Hill Country.  Having opened only a few months ago, a friend told me about Oohla Bean and ever since I had been dying to check it out.  I am a big fan of boutique hotels and resorts that not only provide a place to sleep, but also a unique, one-of-a-kind experience.  Located on 85 acres in Driftwood, Texas (about 30 minutes outside of Austin), Oohla Bean provided just that- a complete escape from the busyness of life and a chance to slow down, reconnect, and enjoy the natural surroundings.

There are only 6 guest suites total (pictured above), and my roommate Katy and I stayed in #3.  As an interior designer, I especially loved the architectural details and decor of the rooms.  As I've said before, I am a big fan of steel-framed windows and doors, and the window panes in the suites could open to allow in natural light and air.  Each suite also features a lovely patio that overlooks the acreage:

{instagram snap of our patio and room}

When Katy and I checked in, we ordered a bottle of Oohla Bean's house red wine, Slingshot.  The robes were so comfy I didn't want to take it off all weekend!

The eco-friendly property features rooms with sleek decor and a decidedly minimal, mod feel.  Each room has a beautiful rug or piece of furniture that adds a splash of color to the serene whites and grays.   How fun is the pink velvet chair I'm sitting on?!  The showers have dual rainfall heads and use water that is collected in a rainwater storage system. Here is another room, shown on their website:

Saturday we woke up to a bit of sunshine, so we took advantage of it by lounging by the walk-in pool and hot tub:

First of all, any hotel that uses gray-trimmed Peacock Alley beach towels is a gem in my book.  Secondly, how can you get over this view!?

Saturday night, we went out to dinner in Driftwood at Jobell.  I had Katy take my picture before we left along the trail outside our room.  Each night, the staff would sprinkle lavender along the walkway which smelled amazing.

Sunday, we woke up and went to the dining room to eat breakfast with the other guests.  Robin Garrison, the owner of the inn, is an amazing cook and prepared a delicious farm-to-table breakfast for us all, complete with eggs from the chicken coop on the property.  

After breakfast, we walked down to the fitness center and took a stretching class with Oohla Bean's trainer.  

{Oohla Bean's fitness center}

Spending an hour stretching can do wonders for your body.  I still feel so good.  Afterwards, we tried out the infrared sauna:

Infrared light has the ability to penetrate our tissue which in turn produces a host of anti-aging health benefits.  I don't think I've ever sweated so much!  Sunday afternoon, we sadly had to leave the property and return to real life.  Nonetheless, Katy and I both felt so well rested and rejuvenated that we considered it a very successful 3-day weekend.  A big "thank you" goes out to Robin and her staff for the hospitality and fun.

Be sure to check out Oohla Bean's website and stay tuned, because there just might be a giveaway coming soon to the blog that includes a weekend stay for 2 at the gorgeous property!