Apr 1 2008
I flew in to San Antonio. My destination was Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country. I was looking forward to spending a few days at the Hangar Hotel, right on the airstrip at the Gillespie County Airport (T82), not far from all the sights and attractions of Fredericksburg. I had no idea what to expect but was intrigued by what I had heard.I have been an aviation buff for some time, although I fly only vicariously through my son, who has recently adopted a spiffy red and white Piper Arrow. So, no matter what the accommodations, I was thrilled to be able to stay in an aviation-themed hotel.
After a fairly short drive through the rolling hill country of Texas, we entered Fredericksburg and headed out toward the local airport. Looming by the runway was a WWII style domed hangar, and towers. As we drove up and parked under the palm trees, several small planes were landing.
The Piper Would Be Jealous
I’ve seen the little hangar where my son’s Piper Arrow resides. It’s nice enough for a plane. But as I entered The Hangar Hotel, I realized that only the outside resembled a hangar. The lobby was filled with the sounds of 1940’s Big Band music, and was lavishly decorated with deeply polished mahogany, beautifully tiled floors and ever-present, but tasteful, aviation memorabilia – all with a warm nod to the ‘40’s.
The Hangar Hotel is all about convenience, comfort and décor. While you enjoy the modern conveniences, you will constantly be reminded of the hotel’s ‘40’s theme. And the military touches don’t mean you’ll be roughing it in the least. Did you know that khaki and OD green could be very trendy colors? Well, at the Hangar Hotel, they just work!
The Officer’s Club
Before we settled in for the night, we were invited to the Officer’s Club right off the lobby. With comfy leather chairs, a fireplace and small bar, the Club is available to guests, evening visitors and, it appeared to me, pilots with a bit of down time and laptops during the day. We heard that Thursday night was “Martini Night” at the Club.
We met the owner of The Hangar Hotel, Dick Estenson, who is a pilot and former high-tech engineer. He is one of those people who has great vision and actually carries out their dreams. The 50 room hotel was built under his watchful eye with no detail overlooked. You’ll notice that the worn leather chairs are “bomber-jacket leather,” which was purchased from Army surplus stores. Everything is there to help you recall the early days of aviation and the romance of travel in the ‘40’s.
And The Hotel is Just the Beginning – Retro Diner
We toured the complex with Dick and stopped first at the retro diner next door. The diner was gleaming with stainless steel and featured more ‘40’s aviation memorabilia. The diner is open Wednesday through Friday 11am – 2pm and on Saturday 8am-4pm and Sunday 8am to 2pm. It was closed when we visited but I thought it would make a great breakfast place or a lunch destination for recreational pilots.
Conference Center
We toured the grounds and headed for a couple of large buildings out back – simple buildings. We entered one and found an immense conference center with aviation art murals and ‘40’s style lighted theater marquee. The conference center has eight thousand square feet of air conditioned area plus an additional eighteen hundred square feet split between two Quonset briefing rooms (the theme continues). We headed for a door and thought we were leaving the conference center, but no… we actually entered a fully decorated South Pacific showroom with palm trees and tiki bars. It’s another huge room available for groups. The hotel often hosts events such as 40’s style USO shows with big band music. Customers arrive all decked out in 40’s era dresses and military uniforms.
A Good Night’s Sleep
All rooms have king sized beds, huge leather chairs, TV, and beautiful black and white tiled bathrooms that took me back to the ‘40’s. The rooms are quiet despite being on the flight line. Or maybe it was that there was no air traffic at night. The lovely white linens were complimented by special Hangar Hotel wool army blankets… another creative touch. I slept well in my spacious room and looked forward to dawn over the runway when I awoke.
Recommendations
I loved the Hangar Hotel. It took me back to the era of my childhood. Most baby boomers will have the same reaction. It was a good time.
Rates are reasonable for the quality of the accommodations. $169 on the weekend and $119 on weekdays. There are discounts for those over 65 and for military personnel.
Those who plan to go into town (not far) or tour the Hill Country should rent a car if they arrive by plane. Also know that there are no refrigerators in the room to store snacks.
The Hangar Hotel is about nostalgia, comfort and relaxation. There are chairs lining a second floor veranda where you can watch the planes take off and land. It’s an ideal base for your Hill Country adventures and especially convenient for pilots. If you are a World War II buff in town to tour the National Museum of the Pacific War, there would be no better place to stay.
And, it would be a great destination for a little red and white Piper Arrow looking for a fantastic long getaway weekend!
More Information and Reservations
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As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accomodations for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
