Shady Villa Hotel of Salado

Texas is big. If you put a hinge on the top of Texas and flipped it up, it would almost touch Canada. If you flipped it down, hinged at the bottom, you’re close to the Panama Canal. Just about center of the Lone Star State is Salado, Texas. With a population of less than 3,000, this small town holds more than its fair share of memories for Texans near and far. It’s always been a meeting place, a traveler’s watering hole, located in the middle of long Texas diagonals like San Antonio and Dallas, Houston and Abilene, and Longview and Del Rio. A wanderer on those long drives comes across open roads, big skies, natural springs, historic small towns, dance halls, and welcoming locals. The destination is only part of the journey and the storied Shady Villa Hotel and Stagecoach Restaurant have been along for the ride for more than 150 years.