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Daycations: Remembering the Alamo – A Cowboy’s Dream Bed & Breakfast
By Aly Wagonseller
You’d be hard pressed to find Alamo, Nevada as one of Expedia or Priceline’s hottest tourist destination spots. For that matter, unless you’ve cut down a Christmas tree in Caliente, visited Area 51 (a droll requirement on the lonely-trail, vacay to-do list), or have a cow tipping cousin who owns a ranch out there, you’ve probably never even heard of the place. But as you turn the bend on lonely Highway 93 and mosey on down to the outer skirts of town (past the gas station/grocery store that doesn’t sell beer on the left, and the gas station/convenience store on the right that not only sells suds, but a thrifty Alien burger that I reckon’ll keep you sober), there IT is–a sort of Beverly Hills Hotel via Alamo. A stand out structure so beautiful, you’d think you were staring at the Telluride getaways of Oprah or Tom Cruise. But Alamo, Nevada it is, and a stopover at A Cowboy’s Dream Bed and Breakfast may be the only reason you need to pay this sleepy little ranch town a visit.
Seriously…Why Alamo?
If you’re wondering why a developer would plunk a multi-million dollar luxury B&B in the likes of Alamo, it has to do with pure sentiment. A Cowboy’s Dream is a tribute to the late Charlie Frias, a San Antonio born Texas cowboy who, with the help of his wife Phyllis, became a taxicab and limousine magnate here in Las Vegas. Charlie and Phyllis were huge philanthropists in Nevada, giving back generously to the state that had always been so good to them. When Charlie passed away back in 2006, Phyllis and her dear friend Ginger Tharp mused about what they’d love to do in life if there were no boundaries. A Cowboy’s Dream fit the bill for Ginger’s vision of constructing a bed and breakfast from the ground up, and Phyllis’s desire to create a tribute to the love of her life, Charlie. Alamo, Nevada is a play on The Alamo found near Charlie’s birthplace, and a way for Phyllis to keep the business in the state they called home for more than 40 years.
A Cowboy Classic
It’s amazing what can be done when passion is the driving force for getting something done, and this lavish place to lay your head is no exception. The spirit of Charlie subtly resides throughout the structure. From his antique barber chair that now graces the entrance of the great room, to the line of Stetson cowboy hats and personal pictures of he and Phyllis that grace the hallways, it is evident that this establishment truly is a labor of love. But Ginger, who is responsible for outfitting and decorating the entire structure, is one talented designer that took a cowboy concept that might have been kitschy and made it into a tasteful, luxurious destination worthy of the most discriminate traveler.
Details are an understatement at A Cowboy’s Dream. Reclaimed barn wood planks line many of the walls in both the great room and dining areas, their interesting patina filled with character and, if you look hard enough, images of an animal or two. Intricate, carved leather chairs and oversized furnishings, tiger wood flooring, stately, stone fireplaces and high end accessories create a warm atmosphere to relax and enjoy a quiet moment, or have a chat with Ginger, a kick-in-the-butt kinda gal who’s always willing to share a story or two. You’re free to roam around the place, including the kitchen, where if you’re still hungry after dinner or breakfast, you’re welcome to make yourself a snack or nosh on whatever cookies or goodies that Marva, the resident chef du jour, has made for the day. Besides making a mean pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, she turned out some perfectly cooked prime rib for dinner and homemade pastries and delicious eggs benedict for the following morning’s breakfast. Helpings were big, and there was plenty of wine, whiskey, martinis, beer, after dinner cordials, mimosas and Bloody Marys to wet your whistle and then some.
A Cowboy’s Dream has eight, beautifully appointed rooms, each of them aptly named after a country and western character or activity. Really, nothing is spared in the decorating department. Custom linens, wood floors, claw foot tubs, iPod docks, a shower large enough for two, even personalized letterhead and an old fashioned postcard sits on custom furnishings that whisper cowpoke, but in reality are beautifully crafted works of art. All of the rooms open onto an outdoor common area complete with rocking chairs on your own porch, an outdoor fireplace, nicely manicured grounds and an antique covered wagon, just for show. They even make their own bathroom toiletries, packaging them in amber bottles sealed with wax, likened to the traveling medicine men of days gone by. A freebie souvenir at the very least, although they do have charming gift items in their quaint little gift shop.
Where to Roam
Often times, bed and breakfast accommodations are destinations within themselves; a place to rekindle a romantic flame, have a wedding or spend a reunion with family and friends. And, I gotta be honest, besides the crystal clear Ash Hot Springs about five miles up the road, the Pahranagat Wildlife Refuge, a must see for birdwatchers, or the remote, Coyote Springs Golf Course, about 45 minutes away, there’s not much else to do in Alamo. Not that that’s really a bad thing. What you can do is read or meditate on one of several rocking chairs on the huge, wrap around porch; take in a breathtaking sunset then stargaze over Badger Mountain; or watch one of several farm cats interacting nearby. It’s a living Norman Rockwell painting in the making and kinda nice if you need to decompress and get away from city folk and cell phones.
If you’re the kind that requires more excitement than eating, drinking and kanoodeling provides, there’s also a “bunk house”, a nice gathering spot with the resort’s only television set (nope, none in the bedrooms, although they do have WiFi, so bring your laptop and tune in to Hulu if you must), a full sized pool table, as well as pub style seating and couches that are perfect for a large party. Weddings can utilize the indoor/outdoor dance hall, and they also have huge barbecues and smokers for larger parties or reunions.
A Cowboy’s Dream comes at somewhat of a luxury price at $499.00 per night. But they do run specials, and this price does include two hearty meals, a complimentary cocktail upon check in and a bottle of wine at dinner. And even though Alamo, Nevada might seem like an awfully strange place to put a top notch bed and breakfast, in the end it doesn’t really matter. This is a place where you’re made to feel like family. A place I’m sure Charlie Frias would have adored.
