Dabbs Hotel is home-base for (and a major supporter of) the Llano EcoWeb (for the community, the river, the uplift).

Dabbs Railroad Hotel

Established 1907, the Dabbs Railroad Hotel and B&B on the Llano River enjoys an iconic stature within Central Texas, the Hill Country and the Llano community. This stature stretches back to the days when Llano was known as the City of Crystals due to its central position in the crystal-rich Granite Highlands of Texas, the state’s Central Mineral Region. The Dabbs, the last of the old Texas RailRoad and River Hotels, is a living and livable museum offering a one-of-a-kind hotel experience. Quaint and rustic yet charming and polished, the Dabbs Hotel is in a class of its own. Dabbs Hotel B&B Llano

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This newly renovated Bed and Breakfast (B&B) has existed as a hotel in Llano since the early 1900s. Located on the edge of the wild Texas frontier, the hotel was the final train stop along the old granite-quarrying, iron-horse path that ploughed through the Hill Country, linking Austin with Llano, following the general paths of the Texas Colorado and Llano Rivers. (To travel further west, it was necessary to transfer to stagecoach at the Dabbs Hotel.) This railway system meets the Llano River crossing in the center of the Llano Uplift (the very core of Texas) precisely at the Dabbs RailRoad Hotel. You can see Texas from here!

Not only Iconic, but Infamous

A favorite haunt of Bonnie and Clyde, the hotel’s heritage is rich, colorful and infamous! Train and bank robbers, gold and silver prospectors, miners, ranchers, lawmen and outlaws! — have all crossed paths at the Dabbs RailRoad Hotel. The hotel even served as a bordello for a short time during the peak of Llano’s old, wild frontier days! Today, as in the days of Bonnie and Clyde, the Dabbs Hotel remains a remote Texas path-crossing hub (while yet situated at Texas’ precise geologic center), an out-of-the-way connecting place and an exciting gathering space for a mixed assortment of travelers and characters, including artists, writers and musicians (to name just some).

View of Llano’s Town Lake, Water Falls and Iron-Truss Bridge (in the trees) from the Dabbs dining room, back deck, and yard (on the Llano River).

The Dabbs today is Llano’s oldest operating hotel as well as the town’s most centrally located event venue, B&B and hotel. It is also the only hotel or B&B in Llano that is situated on the banks of the clear-water, spring-fed Llano River. The hotel’s casual dining area, large back deck and beautifully landscaped backyard, all provide an unobstructed, close-up view of the Llano River Waterfalls, Town Lake and the picturesque, romantic, old-style iron-truss bridge linking the RailYard District and Llano’s Badu Park (both on the north side of the river) with Llano’s Town Square and Main Street District (both on the south side of the river) — all in very short walking distance from the Dabbs Hotel. The hotel is Llano’s only venue (of any kind) offering these views.

See and Do in Llano

Kayaking, swimming, hiking, a variety of dining experiences, unique shopping experiences, the train depot visitor center, an art gallery (with a focus on the Llano Uplift), a movie/dramatic theater / opry house, a Llano-area history museum, a rock and mineral store, a farmer’s market, a bakery, and Llano’s two famous “houses” — Badu House (a restaurant, nightlife, dancing and live music venue for private events only) and Fuel Coffee House (another live music venue and a non-profit community center) — are all in very comfortable walking distance from the Dabbs RailRoad Hotel.

SEE EVERYTHING IN LLANO THAT’S WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO THE DABBS HOTEL WITH OUR INTERACTIVE MAP APP

At Badu House, just across the street from the Dabbs Hotel, one may choose from over 100 different beers, including those from various Texas Hill Country breweries (special events only). At Llano’s wine bar, Main Street Affairs, just across the bridge from the Dabb’s Hotel, one may select from nearly 100 different wines, including Texas Hill Country wines from wineries near Llano.  When you’re ready to call it an evening, simply walk “home” to the Dabbs Hotel.

Are you a hunter? The Llano area is well known for its abundance of white-tailed deer and feral hogs! Do you like to fish? Walk from the Dabbs Hotel to the downstream side of the town’s dam on the Llano River and catch some bass and catfish near the Llano River Waterfalls!

Enchanted Rock

Upon the Uplift

One may drive less than thirty minutes in any direction from the Dabbs Hotel to find still more adventure. To the east of Llano are the Upper CenTex Highland Lakes and the Canyon of the Texas Colorado River. To the south of Llano is Texas’ famous Enchanted Rock State Natural Area — offering rock-climbing, cave-crawling, hiking and camping. To the west lies a mystic plateau of native myth and to the north a land rich in frontier tales of gold and glory. Come see why Llano is still known as Texas’ land of legend and lure!

The Dabbs RailRoad Hotel is in the middle of it all — and the history of this hotel is tightly interwoven with the history of this land and its people. Llano is the closest, still-unspoiled Hill Country town in easy reach of the Texas state capitol. Yet, Llano is also a town moving innovatively into its future. New initiatives in culture, healing, ecology, arts and community are all part of life in today’s Llano — and the Dabbs will be as much a part of Llano’s future as it has been its past. The Dabbs and Llano are now on the edge of a new Texas frontier.

The Dabbs Hotel and the Llano Earth Art Fest

The Dabbs Hotel was the initial sponsor to sign-on in support of the first-ever Llano Earth Art Fest (LEAF) in 2015, and remains a crystal-level sponsor of, what is now, the premier eco-event of the Llano Uplift.

The Hotel will again house Earth Artists arriving in Llano from out-of-town, while hosting the LEAF 2017 (March) Kick-Off Party and Meet-and-Greet (the artists) Reception.

Grenwelge Natural Area, home to LEAF (a short, beautiful walk over the Llano Bridge), is highly visible just across the Llano River from the Dabbs Hotel’s backyard, deck and dining area.

Laid-back and Relaxed

 Did we mention our fluffy, white cotton, terrycloth bathrobes? The Dabbs Hotel is well known for its laid-back family vibe and relaxed check-in/out times. So, whether you’re looking for a unique event venue in a very special small town, a home-base gathering place with friends from which to launch into area eco-adventures, a romantic get-away weekend for two, or a solo contemplative excursion to connect with the land of Texas, come stay at the always friendly and inviting Dabbs RailRoad Hotel and experience all that Llano has to offer — the community, the river, the uplift.

The Dabbs RailRoad Hotel — we’ve got your key to Llano!