I am so excited to be sharing this post with you all. This past weekend I had a great opportunity to go back to my college town of Nacogdoches, TX to stay at The Fredonia Hotel. I had been looking forward to seeing the new renovations and was so excited when I was asked to partner with this landmark hotel. Those that don’t already know, I did go to Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches all 4 years of college and fell in love with the town. Nacogdoches is the oldest town in Texas and has the cutest little downtown area that has cobblestone roads and that old Texas charm to it. The Fredonia Hotel is situated right downtown within walking distance to shops and is the oldest hotel in the town of Nacogdoches. The hotel has been around since the 1950’s and my dad could tell the whole history of it when we were walking around when we first got a tour, which I thought was awesome. It has for sure been a landmark and a place of upscale class ever since it first opened it’s doors several decades ago. I actually worked here during college for a little bit as I was a Hospitality major after all.

The Fredonia Hotel shut their doors in 2013 right after I stayed there for a reunion alumni weekend, and just re-opened this past summer. It went through $18 million worth of renovations with new owners, and now is back bigger and better than ever! Originally the hotel was funded and built by the community in 1955 and has grown to be one of East Texas finest hotels. I personally think it is one of the finest hotels I have ever stayed at. I always love hearing about the back end story and history of a hotel and The Fredonia brings that history to life through some of the original flooring that is shared throughout the café, as well as wood decor that was made from an original tree that was on the property. I remember coming here for sorority events and other functions, whether it was for dinner or drinks with my favorite gals. The outside building of the hotel is probably the only item that actually still looks the same, and everything else has been transformed in some way. There is still the traditional touches, but the hotel has received a face lift that looks like you walked into a trendy interior design store.

When you immediately walk into the lobby it is trendy with sleek couches, gold chairs, and decor pieces that just scream chic. The check in tables are very modern and of course the staff was about as humble and generous as you can be. Everything from the intricate lighting to the perfectly styled decor was everything that I could have asked for in a super chic hotel. All of their decor is made from the U.S. and has been hand selected and designed for this hotel. There is not many places that specifically only get items made from the U.S, and especially in hotels. It is not everyday that you get to stay at a hotel that is not only historic, but also an extremely luxury boutique hotel as well. After I was greeted by the most welcoming Texans you will meet I was able to wander into one of my favorite areas and that was the little gift shop that they have at the hotel. In there you can find lots of locally sourced products including candles, as well as items that are sourced from their very own Fredonia Farms. Speaking of their farms, one of the 2 restaurants that they have at the hotel called 1st City Cafe is a farm to table restaurant that was so yummy! They are open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner and do not disappoint in the decor and in the menu. The restaurant is filled with color with turquoise booths, white tables and plenty of windows for that perfect Instagram worthy shot of your coffee. The menu items are farm to table with all types of options ranging from brisket burgers to fried green tomatoes. We came here for breakfast, and it was a mix of southern dishes with a twist. Just when you think a traditional breakfast of eggs, bacon and biscuits can be basic, the chefs put their own twist on it and it ends up being the best thing you have ever eaten.

Now to the rooms which is always the best part about a hotel right! There are typically 2 areas you can pick as far as location and type of room. You can pick the cabana or terrace room which is by the pool and restaurants and has a patio, or you can pick a room that is in the tower of the hotel. There are 109 rooms total that are anything but your traditional chain hotel room. We stayed in the tower and loved the room we had. Since the hotel was built in the 1950’s you would think the rooms would be extremely small, but they were all decent size and had plenty of room. The decor was all modern with great interior touches including plush headboards, fun chairs, and of course the original exposed brick on parts of the wall. You have all of your modern amenities including a Keurig, big flat screen TV’s, as well as the traditional Nacogdoches charm. Our view looked out into the historic downtown area and it was nice to be able to see all of the piney woods as well as the old paved roads. The bedding at the hotel was extremely comfortable which I always look at and their service was amazing. They offer room service as well which is always a nice touch. The bathroom area has a huge walk in shower with this new updated tile and they even had speciality towels including one that said “Makeup” to use to take off your makeup at the end of the day. It is little touches like this that make a stay like this so special. We went to explore and the hotel now has 2 pools instead of just 1. One of the pools is by the restaurants and some of the cabana rooms and has tables and chairs that have outdoor fire pits too. There is live music that performs on Thursday nights which makes it perfect for a nice relaxing evening with your favorite cocktail. The other pool was my favorite as it has a huge screen on the wall that plays outdoor movies at night. This was the perfect added touch. There are also fire pits at this pool and these fun bright recliners that made me feel like I had stepped into Palm Springs.

After we explored it was time to try the new Republic Steakhouse which I was so excited for. When I first walked in I thought that I was in a completely different city in California or New York somewhere. Actually as I had been walking through the whole hotel I had to stop and remind myself that I was in East Texas, and could still tell by all of the Southern hospitality and the charm. This steak house was brand new since the renovations and was one of the best restaurant experiences I have had. The decor had dark walls, sleek booths, funky lighting and iconic celebrity art on the walls. One of my favorite things I immediately noticed was the music of Frank Sinatra playing in this classy establishment, and I knew it was going to be a great night. If you think about a 5 star experience then you have landed at this restaurant. It has only been opened 8 weeks and it exceeded my expectations. The menu featured steak, lobster, shrimp, pasta and delicious salads and appetizers. We started with crab cakes and they completely blew away our expectations. My dad typically does not like crab cakes and we were all amazed by these. When we ordered our caesar salads the croutons were homemade jumbo croutons made out of cornbread which were unbelievable! Then when the steaks came the server came over and you got to pick your own knife from this knife set, which I thought was a special added touch! The prices were very reasonable for a nice steak, and they were cooked to perfection. A majority of their beef is also sourced from Texas which makes it even better since it is local. When it came time for dessert I was blown away from all of the choices and decided to go with bananas foster. Holy cow I don’t think I have ever had a dessert taste so good, and my parents were blown away too! The service was amazing and just having that extra attention from the staff was something that I appreciated. There is also a bar and cocktail area off the restaurant that is super sleek and the bartender serves up some classics with an updated twist. Next stop was the bar called Nine Flags that had been completely transformed in the hotel too. When I walked in I felt like I was in a speak easy because of the lighting, exposed brick walls, and copper bar stools. The drink list extends from classic concoctions to innovative drinks with a Nacogdoches twist. I loved the vibe and we ended our Friday night here enjoying some of the drinks and taking it all in.

Not only does the hotel have 2 restaurants, 2 bar areas, 2 pools, and great hotel rooms, but they also have a convention center with plenty of room to host your next event. Like I said I was here for our alumni reunion weekend and I have known several weddings that have occurred here too. There is plenty of space to use whatever your event is with all of the modern amenities. The Fredonia Hotel is unlike any other hotel that I have stayed at, and I am so excited to share the new renovations with you. You have the luxury of a boutique hotel, the glamour of a 5 star, history, and a price point that can fit within everyone’s budget. The rooms start at only $99 and you would clearly think they would be at least $250 with all of the amenities and luxury the hotel offers. I don’t know about you, but I would always stay at a non chain hotel any time over a standard chain hotel. The service is better, rooms are better, and just an overall better experience. If you haven’t ever been to Nacogdoches you should make the drive and come stay at The Fredonia. You will fall in love with the cute little town and most importantly this great hotel. It is only a short drive from Houston and Dallas and great for a little weekend getaway. Hope you all get to enjoy East Texas finest hotel The Fredonia!

In collaboration with The Fredonia Hotel, all thoughts/opinions are my own

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Outfit #2 (blouse | jeans c/o | earrings | wedges | bag | sunglasses)

Outfit #3 (jumpsuit | heels | bag | earrings)