Blisswood Bed and Breakfast Ranch

We’ve just returned from a 3-​night getaway at Blisswood. It was our first visit there. We stayed at The Texas Farmhouse & definitely enjoyed being away from city life.
Pros: Private house with nice front & back porches, quiet setting, rustic– style furnishings throughout, great rockers on the porch, relaxing environment, easy to make reservations
Cons: 5 towels were provided for a party of 4 people staying 3 nights (We requested extras & received a few more later.), upstairs bedroom was HOT! & the air conditioning doesn’t reach it, love seats in the front room are uncomfortable & very worn, downstairs bed creaks VERY loudly, accommodations seem overpriced.

My boyfriend and I were looking for a cute, romantic weekend getaway and this was the perfect place. Both Carol and Skeeter were very welcoming from the beginning. They were friendly and helpful and made us feel very comfortable. Carol’s ranch was magnificent. There are various cabins on the property. We stayed at one that has a fireplace and a pool in the back. Our place was very clean and neat and had all of amenities that we needed. We would definitely love to come back again.

I surprised my boyfriend for his birthday and took him here since he is a country boy. This was both of our first time ever staying at something like this and it was absolutely amazing. Once we meet Skeeter at the flag poles he was nothing but the best helper ever. We stayed in Kit Bungalow which was perfect for us. I ordered the birthday special which our champagne was waiting for us chilled in our room as well as the chocolate covered strawberries. That Saturday we had a scheduled picnic at the Gazebo which was perfect we sat out there for hours just relaxing and enjoying nature. That night his parents came down for dinner at Carols and we wanted to get them a bungalow as well and Carol was able to provide that accommodation at the last minute. The restaurant was fantastic the food was OMG so good. Im still bragging on the steak. Carol is just amazing she is very hands on with everything that is going on at the ranch, her personal calls and emails just made us feel so welcome and eager to return. I have recommended this place to all my friends because this is the perfect getaway spot for us. Blisswood is better than any 5 star hotel that we have ever stayed in. Thank you Carol and Skeeter for helping me make my boyfriends birthday extra special.
Monquie and Dariel

I was really looking forward to staying here but got terrible communication from Carol. I felt like it was more about the money than meeting my needs. Very disappointed. I was surprised at how pricey it was as well for everything.

My mother, who I love very much, gave me a $ 500 gift certificate to this bed & breakfast for Christmas. To many this may not sound very special, but she is retired and works part time for $ 8/​hr to be able to pay for Christmas for her 3 children. So, I went into this trip with nothing but happiness and thoughts of how much my mother loves me! I looked at the website, and picked the Magnolia Suite at the Dog Trot House. It had everything I wanted… a 2 person Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom, a nice charcoal grill, and a pool. Calling to make the reservation was very easy and Carol was pleasant. I asked questions about staying in the Dog Trot, because it seemed like it was a shared house on the website. Carol explained the grill and pool are shared, but the housing is actually separate with a wide corridor between the two. That sounded fine. I printed the directions, so the arrival was easy. Beautiful drive into the property… I even got out and petted some miniature donkeys and a horse in a field. The house was nice and cutely decorated, but there were dirty towels in the hamper and cobwebs on the chandelier over the Jacuzzi. Minus 1 star for cleanliness. The breakfast provided was definitely not what I expect from a Bed & Breakfast… fruit, yogurt, muffins, and bagels. I expected a nice ranch hand (hearty) breakfast. I get a better breakfast at La Quinta, so minus another star for that. Friday night the Jacuzzi tub worked fine, but Saturday afternoon when we got into it again it wouldn’t even turn on. We called maintenance, and the gentlemen came out to try flipping some breakers. But, that didn’t help, so he said we would have to go to plan B. Ok, that’s not terrible, but when someone specifically rents a house w/​a 2 person Jacuzzi that usually means they wish to spend some time relaxing in it together. So, subtract another star. Where was the offer to move to another house with a 2 person Jacuzzi? So, we went outside, and I cleaned the grill so we could cook. This is where things went downhill quickly! Up to this point we knew there was someone and a dog that barked a lot in the other part of the Dog Trot, but we had never seen them. As we are sitting on the deck after cleaning the grill, a man comes out and asks «Are you planning to grill tonight?» We both answered yes! He talks some about his dog, and goes back inside. We go into town to get 2 bags of ice, and come back to start grilling dinner. He has both sides of the grill going with their food. I asked him why he did such a thing, and he said they had been there since Thursday and that they would grill whenever they wanted. He even told me that I couldn’t confront him about it, because he could talk to the manager about us. And, he did call the manager, and the manager came out and said well you can wait until they are done. It is 7pm at this point, and they are just putting another round of food on the grill. When exactly where we supposed to have dinner…9,10pm? The manager kept saying you cant change people and what do you want me to do about it?! Well, let’s see… offer to let us use another grill somewhere on the property. Offer to move us to another house, since obviously we cant use 2 of the main features of this one. NOPE! His answer was just wait until they finish doing what they want with the grill. Ok, nice! So, we packed and came back to Houston so we could grill our food at our house, since there is no stove, oven, burner in the Magnolia. We couldn’t have another night with no dinner. This may have been a nice place at one time, but it is looking a little tired and neglected. The management and service quality are not what you expect for this kind of price.

Blisswood was exactly as advertised — quiet and relaxing. My wife and I spent our mini-​honeymoon weekend in the Maui Suite at the Oasis. We arrived late (after calling first to ask permission), and they sent a guy out in a truck to lead us down the gravel road. It’s definitely The Country, but the AC worked, the jacuzzi worked, and the rooms were comfortably furnished. It rained all weekend, so we didn’t get to see the farm or go on our picnic, but someone brought us the picnic basket so we could eat in the greenhouse. Did I mentioned it was quiet and secluded? There are no TVs or phone lines, and your cell phone probably won’t get reception.
I booked the trip last-​minute at 10:00pm a few days before we wanted to go, and Carol (the owner) called me half an hour later (!!) to recommend a better suite, which I ended up taking. There’s no check-​in or check-​out. If you want to eat out for dinner, there are towns nearby.
Overall, a great place. Highly recommended.

I don’t know where you guys were staying, but it was not at all what my boyfriend and I experienced.
We stayed in the Writer’s Cabin, Thomas went up two days before I joined him, and after my first night, we left as soon as we could. It really did look like no one had been in there for ages. Everything was dusty. My philosophy is: if you’re going to have knick-​knacks, keep them clean. No one wants to see a tiny fake tree covered in spider webs, or the bunches of fake flowers covered in a solid layer of dust. Even the ceiling was dirty!
What they don’t tell you before is that the tiny AC unit, who’s filter probably hasn’t been changed since it was installed, can’t be put below 74 degrees. If it freezes up, it’s on you to pay for the repairs. So now we’re sitting in a hot, sweaty, dust covered cabin.
Then I started finding the bugs. There are tiny dead bugs everywhere. I understand that this is out in the wilderness and there are going to be some creatures, but the kicker is that there were getting in through the front door. There’s a huge gap in the bottom of it where things can crawl through at will.
The shower was gross and moldy. Around the rim of the actual shower, and in the water handles. It was gross. Not to mention the sink had some weird deterioration going on. And forget about pooping on this trip– the toilet doesn’t flush anything bigger than a square of toilet paper with each flush.
The back door knob doesn’t even work. If you want to make sure no one gets in, you HAVE to lock the dead bolt, or they can just push it open. The paint is incredibly faded, and the back door is rusting. I didn’t even know that was possible.
Oh, here’s the real kicker– there’s no stove. They provide a fridge, and mixing bowls, utensils, the works… And then give you a tiny little rusted over «grill» the size of a baby.
For something so expensive, I was gravely disappointed. The lack of attention to detail (and cleaning) (and effort) was astounding.
And it took over a week to get my refund for the nights we didn’t stay there! (We spent seven dollars more and stayed at the king suite at the Hyatt instead) I called and left multiple messages and talked to two different people who said that I would have to talk to Carol, then finally talked to Carol who told me I’d have to talk to her assistant– whom I had already talked to!
It’s a mess, man. I’d much rather stay somewhere else.

We snatched up a Living Social deal for this place and were very excited to get away for a weekend to relax and not think about our hectic schedules. We were a little unsure of what exactly to expect, but the message on their site is clear: no phones, no TVs, no Internet. It’s a getaway from the every day. Armed with two movies and a laptop and some Claritin, we booked a 2 night stay in the Hibiscus Suite at the Oasis with horseback riding and bass fishing for Saturday morning.
First off — check out their site. It has been recently updated with much better pictures of what to expect in your room (just be warned that the rooms are staged). We were a little taken aback at the small size of the Hibiscus suite, but apparently that’s the smallest suite out there! The Oasis is a few miles away from the main ranch and very secluded — as in, you better keep your eyes peeled for the sign. :) However, we adored the grounds, the swimming pool in the Conservatory, and the abundance of Cardinals at the property. There are squirrels, frogs and lizards, and even deer wander around nibbling on the grape vines in the back. There were a few new cabins being built and they looked like they will be very inviting. Our room had a small fridge and cooking items, so we headed into Bellville and located a Brookshire Brothers to pick up some goodies. Be sure to get the directions before you go because it is easy to get lost!
The Greenhouse attached to our suite was much too hot (hello, it was JUNE) so we weren’t able to enjoy it like we’d planned. The fountain unfortunately was not working, but the place was very tropical and lush. I loved the big jacuzzi spa in our bathroom and all of the extra attention to detail that the owners put into it. The bed was a Queen sized and although the mattress isn’t a Tempurpedic, it’s soft and squishy for some aching bones. They also have a Snack Box with OJ, muffins, and other pastry items I can’t have. ;)
Horseback riding was a blast — this was not your average ‘plod around in a circle on a horse that really should be out in the pasture’ ride. We were on gaited Paso Finos and wore helmets for a reason. We went in and out of the woods, through creeks, across huge pastures of cattle, and a few times were moving at a pace that an experienced horse person like myself was a little surprised at. Definitely worth the money. Wear jeans, FYI! Shorts pinch and those saddles are not designed for comfort.
Bass fishing was very relaxing. My husband caught about 5 and I caught 2 — not bad for a girl who has never really ‘fished’. We fished in two of the property’s lakes and gave the cattle a good laugh at my horrible fishing skills. The calves went swimming in the lake while we remembered to avoid the bull. Mama cows were plentiful and had a lot of conversations while we were there — you really feel like you’re out in the middle of nowhere and could just stay there for days.
The on-​site gift shop was a little disappointing, but I did pick up their handmade coffee mugs. The staff that we did get to meet is incredibly friendly and easy going. We did not make it to the restaurant — as you all know –I am special needs when it comes to food and didn’t get to see the menu! :) The animals are a hoot — from mini horses to bison to unidentifiable bugs to the dogs that played with the armadillo (though I don’t think the armadillo was playing back…) we felt very at home in the place.
There is no Internet service and occasionally I was able to get a text but don’t expect to be checking Facebook until you are off the property. There is no formal check-​in, check-​out process. You just show up to your suite and grab your key. Be sure to explore Bellville (Sealy was a letdown, sorry Sealy kids…) for the antique shops and places to grab a bite to eat.
Cons? The Hibiscus suite was a bit tight for me, but I think if we’d been able to open up the greenhouse I would have been happier. If you have no intentions of cooking or being in the room except to shower and sleep, this is a great choice for you. I also would have liked the gift shop to have more color selections of their mugs and maybe a few more trinkets, but that gets expensive to keep up with. So the cons here really aren’t that bad. :)
We can’t wait to go back. Don’t go in expecting a 5 Star hotel, go in with no expectations and no plans. That’s the only way you will be able to unwind and relax. Take a swimsuit for the conservatory pool if you’re at the Oasis. Bring bug spray, a few books/​magazines, and lots of bottled water. Get out and explore the towns and sign up for at least 2 activities.
Next time we will rent a larger space possibly on the main grounds, get a massage and maybe archery, and bring more books. However, my husband and I enjoyed just talking to each other, wandering around taking pictures, and learning to relax. Yeah… I had to learn to relax.

I am very happy to write this review and share with people that might not otherwise know what a gem this place and it’s people are.
I was completely delighted by the entire staff of people at Blisswood and had a wonderful time there. The horse trails are beautiful, despite the unfortunate drought during this time. I could see well beyond that and the old oaks, beautiful ponds, creek beds and gorgeous natural landscape were magical. This was one time that the website could not come close to portraying the beauty of nature that Carol has captured here.
Debby– a lady who wears many ‘hats’ including manager, hostess at Carol’s Restaurant and country ‘concierge’ was cheerful, knowledgeable and was there when we needed guidance. I don’t know how she does it, but she does!
Skeeter, a friendly, bearded gentleman on property, is a Pulitzer prize winning photographer who gives the photography workshop there at Blisswood. My only regret is that I didn’t get a chance to get together with him for a clinic, but I will be back to cross paths with him again. He took some unbelievable photos of us riding and I can’t wait to get one of them framed to put in our new home.
We live in NYC so were pretty shocked when we had really great meals at Carol’s restaurant ;) Our group loved the steak and the Texas Iced Tea. The waitress was a lovely brunette – well traveled cheerful, funny girl with stories and a GREAT personality. Ask her about her trip to Scotland and the food there! ;)
Carol is hands on, and although she was out of town the day of our arrival, she was always available and worked with me directly to make a very complicated plan come together. We came with family, our own horses and another crew of friends who stayed in the log cabin and it was truly a perfect stay.
Fell in love with the Oak Trees in back of the Lehman House, and the swing… Will be back to stay at Dog Trot next time so we can enjoy the pool!

I think to get the right experience from Blisswood, you need to go in with the right expectations. First of all, it’s in the deep country. This is rustic. Expect trees, dirt, cute animals, and maybe even a friendly bug or two. The small town nearby is so sweet and quaint, but you won’t find all of the conveniences that you’re used to if you live in the city. Also, this isn’t a traditional B&B with a lot of conversation and people checking in on you, but I’ll gladly trade that for the seclusion. As far as the «breakfast» part goes, I knew what to expect before I booked our stay. They could most definitely provide a better experience in that department, but since I called beforehand I knew to bring something to supplement our breakfast. It felt like a breakfast I would get as a kid at Girl Scout camp. I would encourage the owners to bump that up a notch. I understand that warm meal isn’t to be expected in this sort of set up, but there is a whole world of packaged gourmet food available now.
We stopped at Whole Foods on our way out of Houston and picked up the fixings that would later make for a splendid picnic in the country and be a nice compliment to our breakfast the next day. Just driving onto the property, I knew that we were indeed going to have an «enchanting» stay at the Enchanted Cabin. We marveled at the beauty of the property. It’s a great piece of land. It was really neat driving by all of the B&B rooms/​homes on our way to the nicely secluded Enchanted Cabin.
I won’t deny that there is a certain old musty smell when you walk into the cabin. It didn’t bother me though and I forgot about it almost right away. That comes with the territory. These homes aren’t always occupied and they’re in the country. As far as I’m concerned, I’ll take that over a fake perfume smell any day.
I just really really loved the cabin! I felt right at home. I could live there, honestly. Maybe with a tv, of course. :-) As soon as we explored our cabin, we went for a walk and picnic around the nearby lake. It was a really nice evening. My only complaint about the room is that when we tried to use the jacuzzi at midnight, we couldn’t get anything but cold water. We didn’t want to call maintenance at such a late hour so my husband, being the Romeo that he is, filled every pot with water and boiled his way to a lukewarm jacuzzi for us.
This was our first day/​night spent without our daughter since she was born and the seclusion and simplicity of the place really allowed for us to forget about any responsibilities and really communicate with each other for the first time in months. We loved the experience so much that we would have come home with Blisswood mugs if the gift shop had been open when we left.
Why 4 stars instead of 5? The price. As much as we loved it, I just couldn’t justify ever visiting again unless we could get our hands on another great deal like we did through Groupon. If money were of no concern to you, then this may very well be a 5 star experience indeed.

We had a contest at my work and I won a weekend away of my choice. Yes, I like my job. I picked this place and sure was glad I did. They have about ten cabins all very unique that you can choose from. That was the hardest part. We picked the enchanted cabin because it was the most secluded. You never know when you might want to play naked chess. This cabin is right on the lake and really beautiful. It came with a fantastic jacuzzi tub. This place is romantic but also good for kids. If you stay with kids I recommend the log cabin which is beautiful in itself but also very close to all the animals and barn. Oh and the animals, where to start. There are horses, donkeys, pigs, peacocks, chickens, roosters, emus and a kangaroo. The kangaroo was real friendly til he bit my fiancé’s finger. I’m not taking a star off for that, because I couldn’t stop laughing and we were giving him some salami, so I think he just got carried away. We brought are bikes up here and rode around the grounds. There are over 200 acres and it’s all beautiful. We also booked a horse ride with Cowboy Bob, the 71 year old head wrangler. I recommend you do the same. If you like animals and the beauty of nature, then this is the place for you. I have every intention of going back./

Our home away from home. Carol runs a fine property, and we have made numerous trips out to her place to recharge our batteries. Easily within an hour’s trot out to Cat Spring. Carol’s restaurant is within a few miles, and is exceptional.
If you enjoy a relaxing atmosphere with hundred year oaks… look no further.
Thanks Carol! You know we will be back again and again.

I was at this Texas Bed and Breakfast for a quick Weekend Getaway from Houston. I stayed in the writers Cabin. It was very secluded and small but not too small, just right for my boyfriend and I. It was under all of these great big oaks, just like used to be around the town where I grew up.
We enjoyed long walks during the day through the property, which is inhabited by various wildlife and farm life. You should be into animals to fully enjoy Blisswood.
I would also recommend signing up for one of their packages. There are lots to choose from. We did the «Picnic Package» where we took a horseback ride to the lake, and then there was a picnic waiting for us in this adorable little gazebo at the lake. Awesome!