The RiverHouse Pet Friendly Zen River Retreat

There's this place that allows you to forget the world...

Enjoy discounts when booking 3 nights or more!

The RiverHouse is a pet friendly zen retreat located on a beautiful stretch of The Colorado River in Bastrop Texas.It features a 2000 sq foot 3 bedroom 2 and a half bath 110 plus year old farmhouse remodeled and modernized in a way that retains its old character and charm. Our popular air-conditioned sunroom offers views of the grounds, doors which lead onto the upper deck which is a popular gathering spot with a propane griddle, tables and seating areas. You’ll lose yourself on our shady sculptured grounds featuring eight different patios, each with their own theme and energy, our four zen hammocks and the abundant sounds of nature. You’ll find it hard to believe you’re only 2 miles from downtown Bastrop!

The property is truly Zen Central with access to the river where water activities such as swimming, kayaking, tubing and fishing are popular. You’ll be surrounded by the sounds of the water flowing by and hundreds of bird songs. Visit our greenhouse dome, home of our popular Koi fish, who think they are the star attraction of the property. It is the perfect Zencation spot! We are also minutes away from two incredible State Parks where hiking and bird watching are popular.


We have a feeling, like so many others over the years you'll fall in love with The RiverHouse. This is where my vision of ZenRiverHouse get aways all began and it is still the favorite of thousands of guest who have visited over the years.We have been told by many of our guest this is the nicest booking they have ever made. Its no wonder thousands of guests have visited us over the years and refer their friends and family to come out and enjoy the place.


Note: While the house is private, grounds may be shared from time to time with guests from our sister property Harmony House, located on the same grounds, but the grounds are large with ample patios and spaces for all.


The Space


The RiverHouse features a downstairs Master Bedroom with gorgeous double shower and huge soaking tub. 2 bedrooms and bathroom upstairs, Living Room, Full Kitchen, Sunroom and our beautiful grounds which include our tropical plant dome.


The Downstairs Master Bedroom has a King Size bed and its own double shower and soaking tub, a guests favorite. The Upstairs MasterBedroom has a queen size bed and a futon which will sleep an additional two. Inside bedroom two is a large bathroom with a walk in shower that offers panoramic views of the property. Bedroom three has a queen size bed. Both upstairs bedrooms have their own Smart TV’s.


The Kitchen has a full size electric range with oven. A breakfast bar which overlooks the food prep area as well as a bistro table for two. Microwave, juicers, pots pans and coffee/tea makers are available as well.


The Living/Movie room is equipped with a huge TV as well as theatre seating.


The Sunroom overlooks the property and doors lead to the spacious upper deck, a favorite gathering spot. The Sunroom is a great place to watch the large variety of birds we have on the property and is a guest favorite. The sunroom features a dining table, which seats 4 as well as its own TV and ½ bath.


Smart TV’s allows you to access popular streaming apps and Alexa will play your favorite tunes, give you restaurant recommendations or play games. Our High Speed Wi-Fi extends over most of the property for you modern convenience types!


It's a beautiful relaxing setting where you can truly forget about the world.


While a 2-night stay is possible, the vast majority of our guests have told us they wished they had booked an additional night. If a 3-night stay is possible we recommend booking at least 3 days as it is rarely possible to add a day at the last minute. Should you need additional space for more guest, check out our sister properties, Harmony House located on the same grounds or RiversEdge and RiverNook Located just down the street.


Please keep in mind that this is a nature Sanctuary in a rural setting on a river and not the sterile 20th floor of a high-rise building. You may see a harmless dirt dauber flying in the house as they are plentiful here and sneak in when the doors open. Outside you may find spider webs, wasp, lizards, and a variety of animals and creatures. You may even have to wipe down outdoor furniture which may have dust, or spider webs on them. We try our best to keep them wiped down but we are old, you are in nature, it changes daily, just wipe it off with one of our pet towels and enjoy the place for what it is. If you are the type to complain about such nonsense, this is probably not the property for you.

Note: The Dome is a greenhouse and as such it can get toasty in there. Mornings or late nights are best times if wanting to set inside the dome. Likewise the dome is no place to plan any type of gala, brunch or celebration. The dome has seasons and plant life may differ from the photos.


We love having well behaved pets explore the grounds with their families. We do have a $75.00 per pet per stay fee that helps keep us pet friendly. The maximum number of pets for this property is 4. Emotional Support Animals are not service animals and will be charged the fee. If you did not include and pay for your pets in the reservation, please inform us of the number of pets joining you during your stay, we can bill your card or you can leave it with us before you leave. Airbnb, VRBO, Booking do not collect this fee for us.(Please see house rules for pets)


Whether a romantic getaway, family gathering or corporate retreat we are sure that The RiverHouse will delight the nature lover inside and rejuvenate your soul!


My greatest joy is having happy guest, please look over the photos before you book as well as reading the description and rules. Should you require additional room for more guest, please see our sister property Harmony House which is located on the same grounds if it is available. Or, Rivers Edge and RiverNook which are just down the street.


You may see us while we tend the grounds or gardens, just say hi and we'll introduce ourselves. We do give our guest privacy but we love to entertain and chat if you are so inclined.


Guest access


Guest have access to The River House, the tropical plant dome and the features located on the grounds... river access, hammocks, 8 patios, seating areas and chairs.


Other things to note...


The occupancy listed is the max occupancy this property can accommodate. If you intend to host any event, celebration or other function, you will need to disclose this to us in advance and obtain approval, including an agreement to all additional fees and terms.


We ask that you read all House Rules & Policies including the additional House Rules section prior to booking. Upon booking, you are stating that you understand them and agree to follow and abide by them.



We strongly advise trip insurance to cover your booking and will provide any documentation you may need to facilitate your claim. Our cancelation policy will be adhered to at all times during your reservation. We do not refund reservations outside of our cancelation policy. Unlike hotels who typically overbook reservations, we do not have that option. We have blocked off the property from all advertising once you booked it and typically have a hard time re-booking on short notice. If you do cancel outside of our policy, we will do our best to rebook the property and will send you any funds we collect to offset your losses. These funds may be less than you originally paid.


As mentioned above, while the house is private, grounds may be shared from time to time with guests from our sister property Harmony House, located on the same grounds, but the grounds are large with ample patios and spaces for all.

Your driveway parking is limited to 2 cars. Parking for an additional car can be found in the grassy area across from the drive.


Austin is about 33 miles
Bastrop State Park is about 5 miles

We cannot wait to share our sanctuary with you!