With a stay at this guesthouse in San Marcos (Heritage), you'll be a 1-minute drive from Texas State University and 8 minutes from San Marcos Premium Outlets. .This guesthouse is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Witliff Collections and 0.4 mi (0.6 km) from Hays County Historic Courthouse.
Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park - 15 min walk - 0.8 miles
Rio Vista Park - 15 min walk - 0.8 miles
Strahan Coliseum - 3 min drive - 1.2 miles
Getting around
San Marcos Station - 15 min walk
Austin-Bergstrom Intl. Airport (AUS) - 37 min drive
Restaurants
Blue Dahlia Bistro - 7 min walk
The Square - San Marcos - 8 min walk
Gumby's Pizza - 4 min walk
Zelicks - 2 min walk
Urban Bird Hot Chicken - 5 min walk
About this property
The Downtown Abbey- The Parlour
Enjoy a one of a kind stay at the Downtown Abbey. Eloquently designed and conveniently located.
We are just off of the town’s charming historic square in the heart of San Marcos
Are you visiting Texas State? 10 minute walk Do you want to cool off in a spring fed river? 5 minute drive Are you hungry for a bite to eat or a couple drinks on the square? 5 minute walk
The historic Belvin Street in parallel to Hopkins. Enjoy a stroll down this beautifully conserved street and learn a bit of history about San Marcos. The Downtown Abbey is charming late victorian era estate centrally located in the center of San Marcos. It is walking distance to several incredible natural landmarks like the Blanco and San Marcos rivers. It is a short drive to both Austin and San Antonio. A perfect place to stay and relax or to explore Texas from.
A kitchen is outfitted with a refrigerator, an oven, and a stovetop. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and a DVD player is provided for your entertainment. The bathroom has a bathtub or shower and a hair dryer. Conveniences include a desk and a microwave.
Take in the views from a garden.
Guests will find features like internet access and onsite parking.
Property amenities
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Internet access
Things to do
Billiards/pool table
Boat
Books
Games
Golf
Kayak
Tennis
Video library
Outdoors
Garden
More
Smoking not allowed
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
Bathtub or shower
Hair dryer
Towels provided
Entertainment
DVD player
TV
Food and drink
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Dining table
Kitchen
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Stovetop
Toaster
More
Air conditioning
Desk
Heating
Iron/ironing board
Living room
Policies
Check-in
Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 21
Check-out
Check-out before 10:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Pets
Pets not allowed
Note from host: No Pets
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Events
No events allowed
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Property is also known as
DowntownSanMarcos78666_158529
The Downtown Abbey- The Parlour Reviews
Reviews
9.2
Wonderful
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 19 out of 25 reviews
10 - Excellent
19
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 25 reviews
8 - Good
3
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 25 reviews
6 - Okay
2
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 25 reviews
4 - Poor
0
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 25 reviews
2 - Terrible
1
9.6/10
Cleanliness
10/10
Amenities
10/10
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Gretchen J.
Jan 1, 2026
Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely place and perfect location for exploring San Marcos!
Gretchen J.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025
6/10 Okay
Warren D.
Dec 2, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
The coffee maker would not work until it was Descaled - no vinegar around so didn't take the chance it would clean with water only which was disappointing as I need my morning coffee. Something the cleaning crew should not have overlooked. Got woke up both nights by neighbor guests in the Great Hall as the walls are paper thin - second night worse, loud and drunk 'til 1 AM. Bathtub not ideal and curtain would not fully surround so keeping the water in and not on the floors was a task - would have preferred a shower. Someone with mobility issues certainly would have a hard time getting in and out of the tub. TV needs to be hooked up to an antenna for local channels or cable as the apps did not work properly - one in Spanish only (Netflix). If you are looking for a quiet getaway - this isn't it. If you like niche old building which was once a Lutheran Church and close to campus it is fine. Old hardwood floors that creak when you walk is nice and overall the place is clean. Why the host would instruct the guest to clean the dishes and put the linens near the front door is odd considering the cost, seems like that should be housekeeping's responsibility.
Warren D.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
10/10 Excellent
Rena S.
Nov 12, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Great place with historic flare. Easy to work with Ryan. Beds were comfortable and great seating for lounging. We will definitely stay again when we return. Thank you for the great hospitality!
Rena S.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
10/10 Excellent
Adam S.
Oct 9, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Nice
Adam S.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025
10/10 Excellent
Rebecca J.
Sep 27, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Love this place. Perfect location
Rebecca J.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025
10/10 Excellent
Beth C.
Aug 18, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Cute place and good location. We enjoyed our stay!( might get some spoons for the coffee bar)
Beth C.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
10/10 Excellent
Daniel G.
Aug 2, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Great historic property
Great property with a solid location in downtown San Marcos. Great communication from the host
Daniel G.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025
8/10 Good
Karen H., Dallas, Texas
Jul 11, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Drive up appeal was rather poor with high grass. Wi-fi did not work. Impossible to figure out how to get TV to play. Recommend instructions.
Karen H.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025
10/10 Excellent
James G.
Jun 17, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Relaxing home base for NSO
Perfect stay for our needs while we attended student orientation. Quiet and peaceful. All of our needs met. Love the historical aspects of the building. Our only issue was a bit of a rain leak caused the floor and rug to be wet upon entry, but to be expected in a historic building.
James G.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025
6/10 Okay
William M.
Apr 27, 2025
William M.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025
10/10 Excellent
Olivia G.
Jan 27, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Downtown Abbey
I loved it! My friends and I needed a weekend away back in our old college town, and the location was perfect! A walk away from the square and just overall a beautiful place. Will definitely be returning!
Olivia G.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025
10/10 Excellent
Brent D.
Jan 12, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
President
Nice cozy place to stay near Downtown.
Brent D.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025
10/10 Excellent
Cheryll T.
Sep 5, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Checking a child into college
Proximity to college
Cheryll T.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024
10/10 Excellent
Sabrina B.
Sep 3, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Cute space!
Very cute space! Pillows were a bit flat, but otherwise beds were comfortable. Bathroom is a clawfoot tub only (not deal breaker, just important to know). It shares walls with other units, and they have a lot of notices posted about noise, so worth noting if you're trying to have a somewhat rowdy weekend with friends.
Sabrina B.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024
10/10 Excellent
Jordan H.
Aug 10, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Jordan H.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
10/10 Excellent
TAMARA K.
Jul 7, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay
Very charming stay
TAMARA K.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
10/10 Excellent
kevin f.
Jul 5, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Nice place
Nice and clean. Good location.
kevin f.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
10/10 Excellent
Cara L.
May 2, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
visit
wonderful accommodations
Cara L.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
10/10 Excellent
Dustin J., Floresville, USA
Mar 7, 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely stay
Wife wanted to live their couldn't believe its history and time warp when we walked in!
Dustin J.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
8/10 Good
Becky A.
Aug 4, 2023
Eclectic, Charming and Excellent Location
Fun and funky place with cute eclectic touches. The owner was communicative-I emailed him about a small issue and he was calling to come right away. I didn’t need it fixed, just wanted to give him a heads up.
Location is fabulous!! It was refreshing to stay somewhere so unique. The bedding was exceptional!
Becky A.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023
2/10 Terrible
Christine S.
Jul 14, 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Would not recommend
When we showed up the the home, there was other people’s stuff in the house, beer in the sink- it was obvious the homeowner double booked the place. Thank God we didn’t barge in on anyone else or vice versa. Def. not cool! We found ourselves trying to book a hotel room at 9pm.
When we call VRBO to get our refund they seemed ok that the homeowner double booked despite my concerns that this is a huge safety concern. Definitely will not be booking through this platform ever again.
A friend and I had a great stay! You can walk to close by restaurant and the Square. Great location for San Marcos. We loved the personality of the apartment in an old church. Decorated well and a great stocked kitchenette. The property manager was great too and helped us get in with the door code. This is only a one bathroom though, but the listing said two bathrooms. It worked for us, but might be more difficult if it is two couples staying in the unit. We loved this place though and would definitely stay again.
Karen S.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023
10/10 Excellent
Amanda C.
May 2, 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful
Great location. Walking distance to everything. Beautiful space. Clean and well kept.