Texas Forest Country Retreat

Easily the nicest B&B I've encountered. Secluded location, exceptional service, great food and an amazing historic house. Rodney and Julianne are gracious and share a wealth of interesting history about the house. We'll be back in the Spring to enjoy again in warmer weather. Visit the forestry museum in Lufkin to really understand the history of the area and this house. David

If you want a relaxing and quiet getaway, this is the place to stay. The inn is beatifully decorated, and the innkeepers are very gracious and hospitable. The food was absolutely amazing. We will definitely visit the Texas Forest Country Retreat if we are in the Piney Woods area again.

Myself and my wife booked this B&B at very short notice on 16th Dec. We arrived 2 hours later. Rodney (the proprietor) was there waiting for us and made us very welcome. We decided to stay in the Stephen F Austin room which was very charming and comfortable. The house is really beautiful, built in the early 1900's, very well restored and has lots of character. We woke up the next morning to a fantastic breakfast cooked by Rodney's wife, Judy. We had the best French toast ever. We didn't have to eat again until evening! Rodney and Judy sat with us while we ate breakfast. It was only at this stage that we learned we were actually staying in the only remaining house in the former sawmill town of Manning, which at one stage back in the 1920s had been home to approximately 1500 people. We didn't for one second consider this when we looked out our window in the morning and saw that there was nothing else around us!! We walked down to the old mill pond and to the ruins of the old saw mill. What started out as a very pleasant stay in a beautiful old house also turned into a very interesting history lesson. If you are interested in getting away to a lovely old house in very quiet, tranquil and historic surroundings, then you can't go wrong by staying here.

My husband just got back from a year long deployment in Afghanistan and I wanted to surprise him with a calm getaway and to keep everything going on in the world at bay. Texas Forest Country Retreat did all that and so much more. This B&B is one of the most beautiful places we've ever seen; charming, well-preserved, and absolutely stunning. Rodney and Judy were extremely hospitable, humble, and such great hosts. And holy French Toast! Indescribable. We have been many places and have very high standards when it comes to traveling. This experience was beyond what we were looking for. Thank you for making this the perfect retreat my husband deserved and for creating a special weekend after a very long year away.

This was one of the best places we have ever visited. If you want to "get away from it all", this is the place. If you want to discover some history about an almost forgotten town, this is the place. If you want to eat THE best French Toast that has ever been made, this is the place. We loved staying in the "mansion" and felt like we were home. I recommend a hike to the sawmill ruins and reading about the history of Manning while you visit. Rodney and Judy are the perfect hosts and really add to the visit here. Me and my wife loved talking with them and look forward to return trips. They even sent us home with some banana bread! How cool is that? This place is truly a jewel!

My wife and I stayed over the Labor Day weekend and we had a fantastic time! The retreat is in a beautiful part of east Texas that is very secluded and private, yet only about 20 minutes outside of the town of Lufkin, which has restaurants and stores. The owners, Judy and her husband, Rodney, were very helpful and extremely sweet throughout our stay. They were able to give us restaurant recommendations and recommendations on what to do in the area. The french toast served for breakfast is OUTSTANDING! It's the best I have ever had and you will be full until at least dinnertime, so bring your appetite. The house itself is very well restored and decorated, very clean, well kept and spacious. We were greeted with fresh iced tea, lemonade, pecan rolls and fried pies in the kitchen when we arrived. We stayed in the Whipporwill suite, which was very comfortable and had a private balcony overlooking the front yard. The bed itself was very comfortable and my wife and I were able to get 9 hours of sleep during the night, which we rarely get in the city! We would definitely recommend the Texas Forest Country Retreat to friends and can't wait until we can get back for a stay! Thanks again.