Haven't added much to this blog since last March but thought we should document our Christmas, 2014 "getaway" in Mullin, Texas. The Pike extended family met at the Duren Hotel outside Mullin the Friday after Christmas (26th), enjoyed celebrating Christmas with the kids on Saturday and we left for home on Sunday.
This Hotel was originally an old Rail Road hotel which was moved by the Duren family to their property outside Mullin. Their property was "next door" to the Lonnie and Lessie Pike (Nick's parents) property, so we've all been aware of the hotel for years and years. When Nikki and her friends in college began spending New Year's Eve there (it was available for rent), I heard more about the rustic old building. Nick and some of his fishing buddies have rented the place for their once or twice a year fishing trips, but I'd never stayed there. I'd walked through when visiting central Texas, but that was about the extent of my experience there.
The building has been radically remodeled, updated and generally turned into a model rental property. With 6 bedrooms, it was the perfect size for our group.
Some of the rooms have twin beds, while others have full and queen sized beds-- all are decorated quite well, in the antique style of an old hotel with modern amenities (very modern bathrooms)
The newly modernized kitchen is a cook's dream with a huge new stove, dishwasher, and fridge. Dishes, pots and pans, flatware-- anything you could want -- are provided. But you must bring your own food, which is rarely a problem when Pikes gather.
The bedrooms are on the second and third floors with pretty steep stairs (original, I think) going up to the 3rd floor loft, where I stayed. I went up and down stairs more times than I can count for the 2 1/2 days we were there and had really sore ankles when I got home.
There is a pond for fishing (which is dangerously low at the moment) lots of space for kids to run and play, a picnic table, grill, rockers on the porch, and a large screen t v in the game room-- anything a group could want for entertainment. We had a fun time, but the weather and wind were so cold, that we couldn't enjoy the outside very much. Hopefully we can do this again in warmer weather.
