Equinox Inn at Canyon Lake is located in Canyon Lake, Texas. Those staying at the property have six rooms to choose from to book, half of which look over the garden, and the others have a view of Canyon Lake. Breakfast is served at the inn every morning, and the meal changes daily. The owners, Keith and Darrin Hammons, mention that previous guests have enjoyed eating their meals out on the deck or in their respective rooms. Keith and Darrin hope those who stay with them will feel like they are a part of their family by the time they check out. They strive to help their patrons with their needs, and the owners hope that those who stay with them will return in the future to keep building a relationship with them.
Equinox Inn At Canyon Lake has six rooms available to rent. There are two types of units, which are Garden View Rooms and Lake View Rooms. The Garden View Rooms look out over the property garden and the road leading to the bed and breakfast. These rooms are slightly smaller than the Lake View Rooms, which look out toward Canyon Lake. Regardless of which room a guest reserves, each has some common amenities, including a private bathroom and balcony, a mini refrigerator, a coffee maker, a table with a chair, and a flat-screen TV. A couple of the rooms also include outdoor hot tubs on their respective balcony. The home was built to be a bed and breakfast from the beginning, so none of these features were added as a result of a business conversion.
Additional rooms that patrons can visit include the living room, a library, the dining room, and a kitchen nook. The library has a wood-burning fireplace, games, puzzles, a TV, and books of a wide variety. The living room also has a fireplace and tends to be a place for guests to use for relaxation. The owners describe the property's theme to be similar to that of an early Victorian style, which is reflected in the furniture and art inside the building.
Breakfast is served every day at the Equinox Inn At Canyon Lake. As part of that meal, there is fresh fruit, an egg dish, a meat dish, potatoes, and something sweet. According to the owner, casseroles and croissant french toast are some of their patrons' favorite meals. The cook tries to make something different each morning so that guests staying multiple days can have more variety during their stay. Those staying at the inn can eat in the dining room, out on the lower deck, in their room, or on their private balcony. When the inn is full of occupants, the owners will usually serve breakfast in a buffet style rather than cook to order. Those who have dietary restrictions or need other accommodations can be taken care of.
The Equinox Inn At Canyon Lake is on one acre of land and is about a quarter mile away from Canyon Lake. The grounds of the bed and breakfast have a few sitting areas and a ravine that often drains water into the lake. There is a fire pit with chairs and outdoor seating for those that would like to eat their meals outside. One can also find a large porch and a deck attached to the house.
The owners, Keith and Darrin Hammons, want their patrons to feel like family when they stay with them. "People who come in as guests leave as friends" is what they try to live by. According to Keith, many reviews about the property reflect how people feel about the home's atmosphere and the owners' hospitality. One visitor left a review that reflected that sentiment, saying, "Keith and Darrin were wonderful! We came as strangers and felt like we left as family. The location was special due to the views and the wildlife, and Darrin's breakfast was delicious." Another guest left a similar review, saying, "Our stay at the Equinox definitely exceeded our expectations. Darrin and Keith were welcoming and accommodating. The breakfast was wonderful, and we had a peaceful and relaxing stay."
The owners believe that they are very good when it comes to creating relationships with people. Keith and Darrin strive to help their patrons first, as they have had jobs being innkeepers before. The owners strive to talk to their occupants often, meeting them at the door upon their arrival and giving them a small tour of the building, showing their visitors the various aspects of their property. They hope to help all of their guests with their needs and hope that they enjoy the area around the inn. For those looking for places to visit while staying at the bed and breakfast, the owners mention a few commonly visited attractions. Some of these include Canyon Lake, White Water Amphitheatre, or a day trip to Austin or San Antonio. Keith and Darrin also have a variety of places that they recommend their guests to eat at, including a high-end Italian restaurant named Gennaro's Trattoria, Wildflour Artisan Bakery & Grill, and Maven's Inn & Grill.
Small weddings can be held at Equinox Inn At Canyon Lake for those that purchase the "wedding weekend" package, which lets people rent the whole building, receive an additional meal, and have a small wedding of about 40 patrons. Other events can be held for those that rent the whole building; otherwise, the only other event held at Equinox Inn At Canyon Lake is an open house during the Christmas season due to Darrin's decorations.
The Equinox Inn at Canyon Lake is geared toward those looking for a romantic getaway and, as such, does not accept children under the age of 12. Two other notable policies included at the inn are that there is no smoking inside of the home and that no pets are allowed except for in the Lonestar room located on the first floor. For those that bring their pets, there is a $30 fee. The bed and breakfast is open year-round, with the busiest season starting around Valentine's Day up until November, with a peak being during the summer time. Darrin mentions that January is typically their slowest period, but it varies occasionally.
Keith and Darrin Hammons, the owners of Equinox Inn at Canyon Lake, started their journey in the hospitality industry in 2013. They were asked to do some "inn-sitting" for another inn for short periods of time while the owners were out of town. They would do this off and on, learning about what they did and didn't like about running a business and how they would be able to run their own bed and breakfast eventually.
Keith and Darrin are the second owners of the inn; the owners just before were James and Dianne. They were led to the Equinox Inn at Canyon Lake while they were looking at purchasing another property in the area. They decided that they would also stop by this inn and found that it was exactly what they were looking for as a bed and breakfast. Not long after, they became the new proprietors. Some of the changes that the current owners have implemented since their purchase of the establishment five years ago involve mainly cosmetics. They changed some of the décor of the rooms, purchased new linens and towels, and fixed up the yard a little bit. Some future plans they have for the business involve a myriad of small projects, including renovating the deck to help people see the wildlife around the property more clearly.
717 Colleen Drive
Canyon Lake, Texas 78133
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Keith and Darrin Hammons
James and Dianne
