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Fresh Look for The Fredonia! Our night at The Fredonia, was a perfect ending to a weeklong road trip.
This hotel had been on our "Must Stay" list. But it wasn't very high. The write up in the "Historic Hotels of Texas" book, didn't excite me. The featured photo, showed a formal table, with view of plastic pool chairs and wrought iron. decor.  But the historic town of Nacagdoches was right on our route. And one peek at the hotel website, showed me that the place had made some recent changes. We booked. November in Nacogdoches The drive into town was a breeze. The lack of SFA State University students, could have played into that. It was the Sunday, before Thanksgiving.  We arrived to find the sun shining, on the sprawling brick building. I could just imagine the excitement in 1955, when The Fredonia opened. The community got the first-class, modern hotel that they'd craved. The People's Hotel As we approached the entrance, I admired the "Creole Modern" wrought iron. I didn't know the term at the time, but I recognized the style. I'm pretty sure my Great Aunt Marguerite had some of that white-painted iron work, with acorns and leaves. As a kid in the sixties, I had no interest in it that look. It totally amuses me now.
The plaque near the door, reminded us that the hotel was built by the town! In 1952, residents saw the need for a modern hotel and the residents came together and raised funds. Could that even happen today? Mid-Century Fun I altered my photo to look like an old postcard. I love motel and hotel postcards from the fifties & sixties. Actually the stylish white lettering is new. The hotel changed names from the 1970's until it closed in 1985.  It regained its Fredonia name when it reopened in 1989. That was back when mid-century modern was not so hip. The 1950's decor disappeared. Today We checked in at about 3. The staff was welcoming and pretty cute, in their purple checked shirts.  I was thrilled to see the photo mural, spotlighting the swimming pool (with bathing caps!) in the fifties.  I noticed the glowing, pink terrazzo floors, later that evening. I'm glad they were saved, during recent renovations. I was also glad to see the mid-century furnishings were back... at least the style.  I liked the retro look of the stairs. I'm not sure where the stairs went and I'm not sure why I failed to find out. I'm usually a better explorer.  And then there was the purple guy on the wall, near the bar entrance! The angry Lumberjack, was a reminder that we were in a college town. First City Cafe The hotel's spacious, main dining area was recently given a new look. A new name was given to put a spotlight on Nacagdoches, which claims to be the oldest city in Texas.
I loved the bright, space age feel. It looked like it could have been a dining room, at the NYC World's Fair in 1964.  The curved shape of the room was extra mod. The view of the kidney-shaped pool and patio, was pleasant on a sunny afternoon. Patio Dining It was close to perfect weather, for dining outside near the pool.
I liked the critter, watching over the pool and garden. I asked the desk staff if that was a bunny and if so, did it have a name? They laughed and said no one had ever asked about a name. I will name him Astrobunny, after my one and only bunny pet. Pool The pool/patio was totally surrounded by the restaurant, hotel and the one-story motel buildings.  We wanted to stay in the tower section, because it was the part of the original building in 1955. But, the motel addition came soon after. I would pick the motel experience, next time. There are 10 "Cabana Suites" overlooking the pool. Autumn Patio Staying in November, wasn't the best time for enjoying the pool area. But there were a number of standing heaters and a fire pit.  There were 3 mature trees, on that patio. I wonder if they built around them, in 1955. Beautiful! 6th Floor We always ask for higher floors when we book. We hoped our room on the 6th floor might have a view.  We stepped out of the elevator on the 6th floor and found a nice little sitting area. There was hot coffee available in the morning. Our Room Our room was small but luxurious. (We usually book the cheapest) The bed linens were lovely, with simple, green stripes. Don graciously gave me the side, with the desk. There wasn't room for two bedside tables. Having a small room, meant the TV felt huge. There was a nice soundproofing feature.
The bathroom was also small, but very sleek. I wore a comfy robe and enjoyed coffee in the cute mug. The serious owl watched from above. Original Window My favorite renovations, don't remove all reminders of the past. The room felt fresh and new, but that funny window, happily took me right back in time. Why did they place it so high?
The height and the condensation, made it hard for me to get a perfect view. But it was a fun one, when I stood on my toes. I spotted a few fall colors and a church steeple. Autumn in Nacagdoches One of the nicest things about our stay, was being able to step outside the building and explore the historic old town. We had the most glorious afternoon walk, as the sun lowered. Next time, we'll take in more of the town's history. 9 Flags Bar and Grill In the late afternoon, we peeked into the hotel's bar. The sun was illuminating the glass bottles in the window. There was some very intriguing decor, that was very 21st century. Copper stools and lights, dripping from the ceiling like Spanish moss...  We weren't able to peek in the hotel's other restaurant, Republic Steakhouse. It was closed on Sunday. So for dinner we had to decide between the First City Cafe and 9 Flags Bar.
We decided on 9 Flags, since it seemed cozier and had an interesting crowd at about 7. The menu looked intriguing. We ordered a chicken Caesar salad and "Gruene Chicken Enchiladas". The cornbread croutons on the salad were good enough to be an appetizer. The Mexican dish was an amazing mix of sophisticated flavors! I can't begin to explain! Yum! Night Patio After dinner, we headed out to the patio and enjoyed the view across the pool and building, bathed in pastel lights.
The temps had dropped quite a bit, so we asked at the desk about the fire pit. It took a little while, but before long the fire was lit. What a treat! We sat outside on that chilly night, talking about our past week traveling through OK, MO and AR. A nice way to wind down. What's Notable? We were pleasantly surprised with our stay! We got to enjoy a retro modern hotel, in the oldest city in Texas!
I'm glad the the DeWitt family stepped in, to bring this hotel back to the community in 2017! What a great job. Update! 4.5 years later, Don and I hit the Fredonia for a 2-night stay in May!  The spring landscaping looked welcoming when we arrived. We stayed in a cabana room this time and got in a little pool & patio time in before the storms hit. The slide show offers some glimpses around the hotel. Republic Steak House The second night we were able to finally have dinner at the hotel's classic steak house.  The food, service and atmosphere was better than expected! We rarely return for second visits to our road trip hotels. It's too much find sampling different places. But I'm so glad we did. Who knows, we may give this one a third try!
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Ninety Notable
Nights My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains. I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth. Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years. The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures. I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding! Archives
June 2025
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