Clarkson Covered Bridge - 59 min drive - 33.7 miles
Natural Bridge Park - 60 min drive - 36.7 miles
Restaurants
Chef Troy's Talk of the Town - 16 min drive
Arley Coffee Shop - 27 min drive
La Plaza Bonita Mexican Restaurant - 27 min drive
Pleezin Pizza & Pasta of Arley - 28 min drive
Sonny's Catfish Cafe - 13 min drive
About this property
Entire place
You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.
Big Bend Retreat: 5 BR, 3 BA House in Houston, Sleeps 14
Big Bend Retreat - IDYLLIC retreat on Smith Lake! You will love this dreamy house! Huge sunroom, and downstairs covered porch will be where you want to spend your mornings and evenings. Your family and friends will love spending time together in the great room or the downstairs living area or the gameroom. There is also a nice deck near the water's edge.
Fully equipped kitchen including a blender, air fryer, toaster, cooking The indoor dining table seats 8, plus there is seating for 8 outside as well. Also, features a Weber gas grill. Lower deck also has comfortable seating area for 6-8. Family room has two sofas, two chairs, mounted TV. Garage gameroom with ping pong table, foosball, pool table, and video game machine. Plenty of activities for a family and friends, including cards and games, cornhole game, and dart board. Grill out on the gas grill or Blackstone!
Outdoor fire pit for chilly nights!
Bedroom #1: Queen size bed- main level bedroom Bedroom #2: Daybed with pullout trundle- 2nd floor loft Bedroom #3: King size bed - 2nd floor Master Bedroom Bedroom #4: Full bed and 2 sets of bunk beds (twin over twin) - in basement family room Bedroom #5: Queen size bed and day bed with trundle - basement bedroom Sleeps 14 in beds. Maximum occupancy : 14
Boat slip available for renter's use. Power on the dock. 4 kayaks for renters use. Lilypad float. Canoe. Year-round water.
WiFi Internet and Direct TV. Cell service: AT&T works best, Verizon is spotty, internet calls work well!
Please Note: The owner has a Security Camera installed on the front right side of porch.
There is a small leak on the glassed in porch, which sometimes leaks when we get a hard rain. It will not hinder your use of the porch.
RESERVATIONS ARE NOT CONFIRMED UNTIL YOU RETURN THE RENTAL AGREEMENT TO SMITH LAKE RENTALS. NO after-prom, graduation, frat, wedding, etc parties. Any gathering larger than the Max occupancy has to be preapproved. Violation will result in eviction.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE PRIMARY RENTER MUST MEET THE AGE REQUIREMENT OF 25 YEARS OF AGE
The vacation home is air-conditioned and features a kitchen, 3 bathrooms, and a patio, and there's space to spread out with 5 bedrooms. Other standard amenities include a washing machine, a coffee maker, and a dining table.
Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
First aid kit
Security system
Fire extinguisher
General
Unit size: 3,000 square feet
Policies
Check-in
Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 25
Check-out
Check-out before 10:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Pets
This property doesn't allow pets
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a security system, and a first aid kit
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 10:00 AM
Minimum check-in age: 25
We should mention
Details about charges, deposits, or other important information:
This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession.
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary depending on the property's policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges, as well as a government-issued photo ID, may be required at check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in and can't be guaranteed. Certain requests may come with additional charges.
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited.
Onsite safety features include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, and a first aid kit.
Property is also known as
Smith Lake Rentals & Sales - BIG BEND RETREAT Houston
3163-271256
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do close to this vacation home?
This vacation home is located in Houston, just steps from Lewis Smith Lake. Houston Historic Jail is also within a driving distance of 5 mi.
Is parking available on site at this vacation home?
Yes, there is a garage.
Is this vacation home adjacent to a casino?
No, this vacation home is not connected to a casino.
Is there an indoor pool at this vacation home?
No, there is no indoor pool at this vacation home.
What will couples enjoy most about a stay at Big Bend Retreat: 5 BR, 3 BA House in Houston, Sleeps 14?
Amenities that appeal to couples at this lakeside vacation home include a kitchen and a smart TV in each accommodation with some featuring lake views.
Are there hot tubs at Big Bend Retreat: 5 BR, 3 BA House in Houston, Sleeps 14?
No, this vacation home doesn't have a spa tub.
Does this vacation home provide breakfast?
No, this vacation home doesn't offer breakfast.
Does this vacation home allow pets to stay free of charge?
No, pets aren't allowed at this vacation home.
Does this vacation home have connecting rooms?
No, this vacation home doesn't feature connecting guestrooms.
Are there rooms with balconies at Big Bend Retreat: 5 BR, 3 BA House in Houston, Sleeps 14?
Yes, every accommodation at Big Bend Retreat: 5 BR, 3 BA House in Houston, Sleeps 14 comes with a deck with some featuring lake views.
Big Bend Retreat: 5 BR, 3 BA House in Houston, Sleeps 14 Reviews
Reviews
9.0
Wonderful
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 7 out of 10 reviews
10 - Excellent
7
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 10 reviews
8 - Good
2
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 10 reviews
6 - Okay
0
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 10 reviews
4 - Poor
1
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 10 reviews
2 - Terrible
0
8.0/10
Cleanliness
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Jennifer V.
Jul 27, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness
Great house for large family
The property is beautiful! The kitchen is well stocked for cooking. Plenty of room for large families to enjoy without being cramped.
Jennifer V.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
4/10 Poor
Kayla S., Alabama
May 5, 2023
For what we paid, it could have been better.
For posterity, I'm posting exactly what I sent the property managers prior to our stay. If you don't want to read the entire thing here's the highlights:
- The railing was broken, and I ended up falling off the stairs walking to the dock from the house.
- The coffee pot and garbage disposal were broken upon arrival.
- There were no garbage bags or dishwasher pods.
- The dock was disgusting and looked like it hadn't been cleaned since last season.
I have to be honest, we were very disappointed with our stay. And before leaving a review, I wanted to bring things to your attention that I've noted below. There's a lot of negligence here for us having paid $2,000+
Upon arrival, we discovered that both the garbage disposal and coffee maker were broken, which was only compounded by my fall via a faulty railing. This could have been much worse, but thankfully I was able to catch myself and only suffered some deep scratches, bruising, and swelling. I called, and you did send someone right out, and he arrived an hour or so later. When he arrived, he discovered multiple broken railings that could have caused us further injury. He fixed what railing he could, brought a new coffee maker, and fixed the garbage disposal. However, the coffee maker still did not work properly, we had to tinker with the garbage disposal to get it to work, and we felt unsafe going down to the dock again.
We also were very unhappy with the state of the dock itself. The furniture was strewn about, and it looked like it hadn't been cleaned for the last few months. I do understand that it's the "off-season," but the weather was gorgeous, and we were looking forward to enjoying the lake without having to clean a space before being able to use it. We paid a $382 cleaning fee so did expect the entirety of the property to be clean. And when you add on me falling off the stairs during that process - it's just quite ridiculous.
We also were very disappointed to find the lack of garbage bags and dishwasher liquid. We ended up having to make two separate trips to town to grab both.
Kayla S.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023
8/10 Good
Kevin Y.
Apr 6, 2023
Enjoyed our stay, but there were issues
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay, but when we got there, the kitchen floor was sticky, so we had to clean it. There were cobwebs and dust too. Broken plates in the cabinet with a note from December, so obviously that hasn’t been checked. There is no phone service at the house, so you have to drive up to the jail to make a call. Other than that, we loved the game room, the bedrooms were nice, and our family loved the kayaks. We enjoyed cooking and had plenty of room to eat and play games. We would stay again, we just hope the cleaning service improves.
Kevin Y.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023
10/10 Excellent
Cindy P.
Nov 27, 2022
Liked: Cleanliness
Thanksgiving 2022
This place is fantastic. The view is so picturesque…photos taken look like places I’ve only seen in magazines. The kitchen is well stocked and our extended family of 9 had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Cindy P.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2022
10/10 Excellent
Chris W.
May 30, 2022
Liked: Cleanliness
Big Ben retreat
The house was great, loved the family room, The only thing i would change is to have a clean grill, the gas grill was rusted out. The house had plenty of room for 12 people and would stay there again