#255 - The Dilworth Inn

Gonzales, Texas

We spent the third night of our "back to road trips" adventure, in Gonzales. We stayed at the Dilworth Inn Bed & Breakfast.

The inn sits on one of the corners, of the old town square. It's not an historic hotel, but it's housed in an old bank building from 1912. 

​A Bank in 1912

The historic Dilworth Building, once held a bank. At one time, it held Gilmer's Department store.  At some point, it housed a church.

The original interior looks impressive... and Texan. In this photo, you can spot longhorn and deer heads, mounted on the far walls.

Entrance

The small town of Gonzales has some interesting history, but it doesn't exactly draw crowds of tourists. 

That's why it was easy to park right in front, near the side entrance. It looked neat and tidy and I was curious to see what a small town, boutique hotel was like.

​Lobby
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By Day 3, Don and I had already tested the post-pandemic travel waters. Actually the pandemic did not end, when the 2 of us got vaccinated. So for this trip, we just put on our masks whenever we headed inside anywhere. It's easier to just wear them, than to waste time overthinking mask usage.

The owner Tiffany, was working behind the desk when we arrived. Her name sort of fit the style of the decor. That doesn't make sense. There were no Tiffany lamps. But Tiffany did decorate with some festive colors and appealing mirrors and lamps.

Ladies Hotel?

The lobby had a Ladies Spa feel about it. No criticism there. It just felt like a  Boutique Hotel that was catering to women. That's really sexist. But I think there probably are more women who find boutique hotels and B & Bs appealing.

Luckily Don doesn't cringe at either, like some men. Like me, he's just happy when old buildings are preserved. And we appreciated it even more when we talked to Tiffany and heard her story of moving here 5+ years ago and being passionate about preserving some history. It was nice to hear her enthusiasm about the town and how its improvements.

Men in the Hall
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Tiffany showed us to the small elevator. As we stepped inside, she cringed at some muddy footprints on the carpet. She made a comment about the oil men who were renting some rooms, then headed off to get a vacuum.

We got off on the second floor. I didn't spot any Antiquing Ladies or Bunco Gals, but we did greet a couple of the very polite men, wearing boots with caked mud from the oil fields. They left a little behind on Tiffany's carpet, near the coffee station. Moments later, we could hear Tiffany's vacuum.  

​Room 2
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The inn has 14 rooms and we got the prize room. We aren't usually able to afford the best room in a hotel, but this was just over 100 bucks!

I love a corner room, especially when there's a rounded window.

From the Street

Our corner room faced the southeast. 

We had a total of 5 tall windows. 3 facing the stoplights and the 2 arched windows to the left.

Modern Decor

​This photo better shows the rounded wall. I'm guessing this was once office space on the second floor. Bank President?

Sometimes I like authentic and sometimes I'm happy with modern updates. The new carpet (no mud) and modern king bed, bedside tables and TV, were all welcome.

Window Views
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Our rounded window looked out towards the town square. The streetlights and wires, were the first thing we saw.

I didn't get a photo of the "Come and Get It" bar across the street. Much further away, we could spot the courthouse, which is pretty impressive when you get a closer look.

Another View
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There was a tall window in the bathroom. When the thick velvet drapes were pulled we had a different view.

This Madonna and Child would have been a jolt, if I hadn't noticed it when we parked. It was actually a sweet thing to see.

Long Bathroom
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The bathroom was curiously long and narrow. I really loved having the bench for my stuff. 

All was very clean and roomy. 

Lazy Dinner

Our dinner was just an elevator ride away. La Bella Tavola was right below us. 

Don picked up our pasta sampler dinner and we ate in our room. I'm kind of sad we skipped eating in the dining room. That was the original bank space and I missed out on an opportunity for snooping. I love peeking around and comparing the then and now.

Morning

The town went to sleep early, so we slept well in our room on the square. We got up early and wandered in the cooler morning temps.

The giant "Come and Take It" flag was waving as we passed. This was a reminder that Gonzales is the home to the first battle of the Texas Revolution. It was 1835, when the Mexican army demanded Gonzales return the cannon they'd given the community, few years before. The Texans refused and a flag like this, greeted 100 Mexican soldiers when they arrived in Gonzales. Sounds like a movie! Maybe there is one?

Come and Crepe It

Our B & B offered breakfast, but we had to Go and Take It at a breakfast cafe a few doors down.

Tiffany and her husband Alex, recently opened this cute breakfast place just a few steps away from the hotel. The building is from the 1800's. Older than the Dilworth building. It was cozy and comfy, with its twinkly lights.

Alex

Alex made our crepes and it was fun watching. He was very chatty and personable, while he did some pouring and swirling and spinning and flipping. That means he really knew what he was doing. I can't talk and cook.

We could have chosen omelets or other breakfast treats, but Don and I both wanted the crepe experience. Don had the Prestige, with smoked salmon. I of course had to try the Come and Take It, with chicken, bacon, mozzarella, creamy dill and BBQ sauce! Both were delicious!

Around Town
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We walked off breakfast, by wandering around the main square and a little further.

We window shopped and peeked in at the old jail. We spotted King's Service Station, that's been run by the same family since it opened in 1940. I found some old houses that I wouldn't mind living in and I eyed some antique stores that I'll visit next time. It was a nice way to end our visit.

What's Notable?

This town of around 7,000, doesn't have a whole lot going on. We didn't really need to stay more than a night.

But I'm glad we stopped. It was nice to feel comfy and safe in our second floor room, looking down on the old town. I liked being able to park on the street and walk to breakfast. I liked that it wasn't noisy at night. (maybe weekends?) I liked that our hosts were enthused about their inn and restaurant and the town of Gonzales. It was a simple little getaway that was well worth 110 bucks!