Crafting Retreat or Church Retreat Venue in Texas: A Barndominium That Sleeps 11

By Inez Spring Park Management.

A retreat needs four things: beds, a big table, a quiet place to think and nobody else in the building. Most hotels get one of those right. Our barndominium on the Leon River was built for groups, and it fits a crafting weekend or a church retreat better than a block of hotel rooms.

Quick answer: The barndominium at Inez Spring Riverfront RV Park in Eastland, Texas is a private retreat venue that sleeps 11 in 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, seats 11 at the dining table and 17 in the media room. It sits on the Leon River, one minute off I-20 at Exit 343, about 2 hours from Dallas. Rates change by date, so see rates on the booking page.

This guide covers what the house holds, how crafting and church groups use it, what to do when more than 11 people come, and a simple three day schedule.

A retreat venue is a private place a group books for a set number of nights to create, pray, study or plan together, with beds, a shared table and room to meet under one roof. A barndominium works because the whole group sleeps, eats and meets in one building, and nobody walks a hotel hallway to find the others.

Here is our house in plain numbers. Every figure comes from our own listing.

The two numbers that matter most for a retreat are 11 and 17. Eleven people can sleep and eat together. Seventeen can sit in one room for a session, which leaves space for a few day guests who drive in from town.

A crafting retreat uses the dining table as the work table, the living room as the second station and the bedrooms as quiet rooms for anyone who needs a break. Quilters, scrapbookers, card makers and knitting circles all need the same thing: a long table, good company and no reason to pack up at 9 PM.

• Work stations. The dining area seats 11. Many groups set the table for crafting and eat at the counter or outside at the BBQ area.
• Bring your own gear. Pack cutting mats, irons, extension cords and lamps you like to work under. Ask the office before you bring extra folding tables.
• Laundry on site. The full size washer and dryer helps when a quilt top needs a wash before binding, or when someone spills coffee.
• Movie night. When hands get tired, the media room seats 17. Put on a film and keep the hand sewing going.
• Fresh air. Walk the trails or sit by the river between projects. A 20 minute walk does more for a stiff back than another cup of coffee.

The best part for a crafting group is time. Nobody has to clear the table for dinner reservations or check out of a meeting room at 5. Projects can stay out all weekend.

A church retreat uses the media room for teaching and worship, the dining table for meals and small group talks, and the river for quiet time alone. A small group of 8 to 11 fits in the house. A youth leadership team or a deacon board planning weekend fits the same way.

• Morning quiet time. The Leon River runs through the park. A chair by the water at 7 AM is a good place for a devotion or a journal.
• Teaching sessions. The media room seats 17. Bring a laptop and your study video, or use it for a worship set.
• Shared meals. The kitchen has cookware and dinnerware for 11. Assign one meal per couple or per team and dinner becomes part of the retreat, not a break from it.
• Evening fire. The community fire pit is the natural place for a closing talk or a time of prayer.
• Room to spread out. Four bedrooms and four bathrooms mean less waiting in line in the morning.

Winter retreats are quieter here than spring and summer. Be honest with your group about the weather, though. Eastland gets hard freezes and the odd icy morning in winter, so pack layers and a warm coat for the fire pit.

Book the house for 11 and add RV sites or tent sites next to it for the rest. RV sites start at $40 a night with full hookups, and tent sites start at about $31. Members who own a camper can park nearby and walk over for sessions and meals.

For bigger family gatherings, our guide to family reunion venues in Texas runs the same math for larger groups, and the three generation camping reunion planner shows how to mix the house with RV sites.

A simple Friday to Sunday plan keeps the group rested. One main session a day, one shared meal, and open time in between.

• Friday afternoon. Arrive, unpack, set up the work table or the meeting room. Easy dinner. Fire pit and introductions.
• Saturday morning. Quiet time by the river, breakfast together, then the main crafting block or teaching session.
• Saturday afternoon. Open time: a walk on the trails, a drive to Lake Leon about 10 minutes away, or more time at the table.
• Saturday evening. Group dinner, then a movie or a worship time in the media room.
• Sunday. Short closing session, clean up, lunch on the road home.

Groups that want a Sunday service can look up churches in Eastland and Cisco before the trip. Both towns are a few minutes away.

Rates change by date, so see rates on the booking page for your nights. Midweek retreats are usually easier to book than weekends. Barndominium pricing explained walks through what moves the price and how groups split it.

Texas charges a 6 percent state hotel occupancy tax on rooms and houses rented for short stays, and cities can add a local tax, according to the Texas Comptroller. Your booking total shows what applies. For questions about tax exemptions for a church or nonprofit, check with the Comptroller or your own accountant.

Pets in the house are by request, so ask the office first. RV and tent sites allow up to two leashed pets.

One more note for group leaders. If someone in your group needs a longer stay in the area, for work or between homes, our monthly RV sites are $500 a month for a back-in or $650 for a pull-through, plus your own metered electric at 17 cents per kWh, with a $200 refundable deposit and month to month terms.

A good retreat is simple: everyone under one roof, one long table, and nothing on the calendar but the reason you came. The barndominium gives a group of 11 that, with a river outside and a media room for 17.

Check open dates and rates on the barndominium page, or call (254) 629-1197 and tell us how many people, which weekend and whether anyone is bringing an RV. You can also book online. We are at 10505 Interstate 20, Eastland, TX 76448, Exit 343.