stellar superhosts

Rockport coastal condo sails to top of 2023's most hospitable Texas Airbnb list

Rockport Reel Paradise Doug and Sandy Airbnb best hosts in Texas

Photo courtesy of Airbnb

Doug and Sandy, a Rockport couple who've been Airbnb-ing their condo since 2021, have been crowned the most hospitable hosts in Texas in Airbnb's nationwide report in 2023.

They received the award thanks to their 100 percent five-star ratings for top-tier cleanliness, check-in policies, and excellent communication skills at their Reel Paradise 507 condo. The couple has over 400 raving reviews between all three of their Rockport listings.

"Host hospitality can take many forms – a spotless listing, a quick response to a guest need, a seamless and straightforward check-in process that makes kicking off a vacation easy, and going above and beyond to prioritize health and safety," the report says. "Superb Hosts have always been what sets staying in an Airbnb apart from other travel experiences and it starts with the hospitality they provide their guests."

In their day-to-day lives outside of being Superhosts, Sandy is a special education teacher in Corpus Christi, while Doug is retired. The couple previously lent their condo to their friends and acquaintances prior to making the decision to list it on Airbnb.

"After a year of that and [those friends] telling us how wonderful it was we decided we could make more money and support our retirement by doing Airbnb," the couple said in a release.

Their breathtaking waterfront condo is an appealing getaway from Dallas' busy city living. The charming one-bedroom, two-bathroom home can accommodate up to four guests for a relaxing vacation with stunning panoramic views of Little Bay.

Rockport Reel Paradise Doug and Sandy Airbnb best hosts in Texas Watch dolphins from the deck. Photo courtesy of Airbnb

The listing says the condo is "perfect for outdoor enthusiasts," who can dock their own boat at one of the eight private boat docks offered on the property at no extra charge. Other outdoor recommendations include dolphin watching and fishing from the wraparound back porch, or kayaking to Rockport Beach.

With a typical price of $240 a night and being booked out until late August, it's safe to say this cozy condo is in high demand with Texans yearning for a beach trip.

Doug and Sandy said in the report that they don't just treat the money they make from their Airbnb as passive income, but as ways to improve experiences for their guests.

“We work hard to ensure we offer an experience that makes our guests want to return," they said. "We are constantly maintaining and upgrading. We don’t want our guests to arrive and feel they need to go to the store to get supplies that may be missing or forgotten at home (phone chargers, spices, cooking equipment, charcoal and grill supplies, plenty of towels, beach chairs and toys, plenty of coffee and tea selections).”

True Texas hospitality is not lost on Doug and Sandy. The couple added that they always try and meet their guests in person during their stay, as they only live 10 minutes from their Airbnb properties.

More information about Doug and Sandy's Rockport properties can be found on their host profile, and the full report of the best Airbnb hosts around the country can be found on news.airbnb.com.

Photo courtesy of Airbnb

Have a drink and enjoy the sunset from the back porch at Reel Paradise 507.

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NET GAINS

Horseshoe Bay Resort courts padel craze with $10M addition in Hill Country

Renderings courtesy of Horseshoe Bay Resort

The clubhouse will give players a place to gather and watch matches between rounds of tennis, pickleball, or padel.

Horseshoe Bay Resort, a sprawling lakeside destination in the Texas Hill Country about 215 miles south of Dallas, is going all in on the padel craze. The resort has broken ground on a $10 million racquet sports expansion that will include four dedicated padel courts and a new clubhouse by summer 2027.

According to a release, the expansion will include a 6,690-square-foot Racquet Sports Clubhouse with indoor and covered outdoor gathering areas. It will join the resort’s existing 12 tennis courts — six hard courts and six red clay courts — and 14 dedicated pickleball courts.

Padel combines elements of tennis and racquetball, using a net and tennis-style scoring on a smaller, enclosed court where the glass walls remain in play.

“Padel is experiencing explosive growth, and we’re excited our resort owners are going all-in on the specialized, enclosed glass-and-mesh courts required for dedicated padel play,” says Israel Castillo, the resort’s director of racquet sports, in the release.

The clubhouse will include a central lounge overlooking the courts, along with reception, retail, and additional gathering spaces. Planned furnishings include soft seating, high-top tables, televisions, and a counter running along a wall of windows facing the courts.

A 2,632-square-foot covered outdoor lounge will give spectators another place to watch matches. The clubhouse will also sell athletic clothing, footwear, equipment, and accessories, plus chef-prepared grab-and-go food, sports drinks, and ready-to-drink cocktails.

The new facilities will complement the resort’s Mouratoglou Tennis Center, an instructional program affiliated with Patrick Mouratoglou, the longtime former coach of Serena Williams. The Horseshoe Bay center offers private and group lessons, clinics, and camps led by coaches trained in Mouratoglou’s teaching method.

A rendering shows the exterior patio planned for Horseshoe Bay Resort’s new racquet clubhouse.Renderings courtesy of Horseshoe Bay Resort

Horseshoe Bay dates to the early 1970s, when developers began transforming ranchland along Lake LBJ into a resort community. Its original Slick Rock golf course opened in 1972 and later helped revive the Texas State Open. More recently, the resort served as the setting for the return of Golf Channel’s golf competition series “Big Break.”

The resort’s annual events include Balloons Over Horseshoe Bay Resort in April, Beer by the Bay in August, and the Wine, Dine & Jazz Festival in November. It occupies more than 7,000 acres along Lake LBJ and also offers golf courses, a marina, a spa, hotel rooms, villas, and lakeside condos.

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