Highly recommend for many reasons! We came to southwest Austin for an adventure and have our children attend a nearby school for 6 months. We stayed at Thistle Rock Ranch for about a month and loved it! So far, it is by far our favorite place we have stayed. First, the location is perfect. You feel like you are in the country, yet within 30 minutes you can get to a thousand things to do in Austin and the surrounding Hill Country. It's such a sweet spot to have the best of both worlds, city and country. The cottage itself is cute and quaint with fun rustic-ranch style decor. It's a cozy little cottage, but it was more than enough room for my husband and me and our two children, 7 and 10 years old. We even had guests come visit and we were all very comfortable. We used the third bedroom as a lovely office. The bedding is high end, plush and super comfortable, and we slept amazingly well. It was easy to regulate the temperature, and occasionally we lit the fireplace. On a couple of cool nights, we lit and sat around the the outdoor fire pit and roasted marshmallows.
Early on, we asked for a few kitchen items to make our long term stay more comfortable and Jenny and Bruce immediately saw to it that we got what we needed. They always went above and beyond to make sure we were comfotable. All the appliances are new and work wonderfully (I want their washer and dryer now!). The wide 12-acre area is what you would imagine of an idyllic Hill Country ranch complete with beautiful live oaks. We loved the chicken coop and fresh eggs every day, the three adorable dwarf goats, and the well-maintained pool area with comfortable lounge chairs and large outdoor table for eating by the pool. The kids were thrilled to run around the ranch every day, swim, play, and even help Jenny and Bruce with some little landscaping projects here and there. We enjoyed the expansive bright orange and pink sunsets from the back deck of the cottage or by the pool. Our Border Collie-mini Aussie dog made best friends with Bruce's and Jenny's dog and they hung out happily, frolicking in the grass, checking on the chickens and goats, and gallivanting around. Last but not least, we think the world of Jenny and Bruce, our hosts. They are kind, generous, and beautiful souls, even inspirational, and genuinely care about people and their guests. They live in the main house and getting to know them made our stay in the cottage ever better. They valued our privacy and always gave us good recommendations when we asked and even pointed out a few local events and nearby spots for food and fun. We are so grateful for this unforgettable experience!!!