Sabinas Mt. Ranch in Boerne, TX: A Review

Sabinas Mt. Ranch in Boerne, Texas is a secluded dog-friendly hideaway with over 50 acres of countryside and trails. Located just minutes from the main street in Boerne, Sabinas Mt. Ranch is the perfect location if you are looking for the best of both worlds. Guests can enjoy the large deck which is home to a gas grill, an ample table, chairs and panoramic views. Sabinas Mt. Ranch in Boerne, Texas is situated at the top of Kendall County so guests feel like they are on top of the world.

However, this cottage (which is a converted barn) is not without its flaws - at least during our stay we experienced some issues. The first night of our stay was cold, freezing in fact, so we were desperate for heat but sadly Sabinas Mt. Ranch in Boerne, TX does not have central heat and air conditioning. Instead, they have space heaters and gigantic air conditioning units that I have never seen before and were very loud. I have to admit I was extremely nervous using space heaters during the entire night but they turned out to be safe. Unfortunately one of the space heaters stopped working almost immediately, another went on and off as the temperature increased and was very noisy (too noisy for sleep), and another actually blew a fuse so we were without TV as well as the outlets that were needed to use the space heaters.

We phoned the owners and they were able to tell us where the fuse box was. My husband sorted that situation so we were back in business with the electricity but we were disappointed the owners didn't warn us that the fuse could blow if we used all three space heaters at once. It was below freezing so what choice did we have?

The stairwell lights were out and unfortunately the owners didn't think to put a light switch at the bottom of the stairs but rather at the top, so even if the lights did work, we could not have seen our way up the stairs. Stairs that were just under the sloped tin roof so needless to say, we hit our heads each time. Fortunately I keep a flashlight in the back of my car so we were able to find our way to the bedroom at the top of the stairs.

Once again we noticed the owners failed to put the light switch in a convenient location. Instead they placed the light switch to the bedroom behind the bedroom door which meant we had to walk into the bed frame and behind the open door in order to even attempt to find the light switch. We finally found it next to the dresser. Not the best layout and one that left me scratching my head.

I hated that the bedroom was on a separate floor from the bathroom as going up and down the stairs (and hitting my head) was extremely inconvenient in the middle of the night. The website used the term "walk-in closet" which is really taking liberties. I'm not even sure my dog could have walked in.

The pillows were very old and flat but fortunately for my husband, he brought his own. I, however, was stuck with the not-so-comfortable pillows. I found sleeping upstairs so uncomfortable that I slept on the couch one night; a couch that was situated next to the lovely Christmas tree which had lights that we could not turn off. So sleeping on the couch was not any better as the bright lights kept me up.

There were no visible outlets in the kitchen so we could not use a space heater while cooking. Another issue with the kitchen was the back sliding door which looked as if it was over 20 years old. The screen actually fell off at one point but my husband, the engineer, was able to put back on and did so more securely than it was before. Wasps and bees came into the cottage daily and we couldn't figure out where they were coming from but at one point there were several by the sliding glass door and not just the usual wasps, but extra large ones. And I saw a bee come in through the tin roof in the bathroom - not exactly what you want to see after you step out of the shower.

The bathroom was adequate but didn't leave much room to put our toiletries. The owners did provide mini bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash as well as a basket full of other items like toothpaste which I appreciated.

There was a DVD player but unfortunately the DVD's were at the owner's house and they were not home. They did let us into their laundry room to get a light bulb for the stairwell light but we didn't want to venture any further to find the DVD's. It wasn't our place. We wished the owners would have told us where we could have found the DVDs though. After all, it was something that was advertised.

We enjoyed having a full kitchen but we were supposed to receive breakfast daily. Instead the owners only left a basket with two small containers of orange juice, two small containers of 2% milk, two bananas, and two muffins. That's great but not enough for three mornings so we went to the local Wal-Mart (which was the closest grocery store) and bought food for dinner and breakfast. We felt a bit gypped since Sabinas Mt. Ranch in Boerne, TX was supposed to be a Bed and Breakfast. This is what is listed on their website: " Every morning your hostess will start you off with a hearty breakfast to fuel you for your daily adventures ."

Sabinas Mt. Ranch in Boerne, TX is in the perfect location but it has some flaws. If you are willing to overlook them then you can have a fabulous stay. The property has animals which means guests have to be careful to keep the second gate closed (which is done manually so be prepared to get out of your vehicle on a steep slope). The road down to the cottage is not for every vehicle so be sure to bring your SUV. It is very steep, rocky and windy not to mention dark at night. The owners will allow guests to hunt (trap shooting and archery hunting) the animals on their grounds which I found to be offensive but I know some will disagree. I just do not think it is fair to trap animals and shoot them for fun but if you're a hunter you can shoot Rams, Bucks, Antelope and Does for a fee.

What I did like about the property grounds were the hiking trails. It was great fun for our dog and a good workout for us.

My husband loved Sabinas Mt. Ranch in Boerne, TX as did our dog but I have mixed feelings about it. The converted barn has flaws that I couldn't overlook as it they made my stay uncomfortable but to be fair, the rate was only $135/night which is a bargain in the Texas Hill Country and you get what you pay for.

Sabinas Mt. Ranch is located at 168 Sabine Road, Boerne, TX, 78006. Visit their website at Sabinasmtranch.com.

*Dislcaimer: This review is based on the writer's stay at Sabinas Mt. Ranch in December 2010. The writer encourages her readers to visit Sabinas Mt. Ranch so they may formulate their own opinion.