Posted: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 11:08 AM - 14,621 Readers

By: Taylor Short

Vintage Villas, a villa-style hotel and event center, offers a hilltop view of Lake Travis for retreats, reunions or as a backdrop for weddings. Texas Sen. Jack Strong built three villas in 1996 as an alternative to his successful roadside hotel and motel business.

“[Strong] wanted to do something unique and different,” said Thomas Porter, current owner and general manager of Vintage Villas. “He wanted a family-type place.”

The villas contain a total of 44 rooms styled after areas of Texas—south, with rustic cowboy artwork; central, with paintings of influential Texans; and east with dark Victorian wood floors. A new villa is in development to resemble the style of the western expanses of the state.

Porter said Strong felt the setting and amenities were suited to large groups and weddings. To reflect its niche, an event center was added in 2000 as Porter, who has 25 years of corporate hotel experience, was hired as general manager. From there, he said the wedding market took off.

“It’s a very comfortable feeling because you have families meeting for the first time,” Porter said.

Brides can have on-site coordinators while choosing from an outdoor ceremony in the courtyard or one of the large indoor spaces.

More changes were made in 2005 as a full-scale kitchen was built and a professional chef was hired. Porter and two associates then formed Lakeway Hospitality and purchased Vintage Villas in 2007. Porter said he continues to strive to provide a level of service most hotels only offer at a higher price.

“The idea is you would come here and it would feel like home,” he said.

Vintage Villas Hotel and Events
4209 Eck Lane
266-9333
www.vintagevillas.com