Summary:
Experience the history of a Victorian mansion with over 100 years of history. Feel the power of time wash over you as you make the Helmly house your home.
This is the greatest location ever! Within a 5 block radius you can walk to all the great bars, restaurants, wineries, shops and art galleries!
The Space:
Make the Helmly house your home away from home. Also known as “The Barnwell house”, the building was built in 1913 by Dr. James Franklin Barnwell who established it as Blanco County’s first hospital. The hospital was equipped with the county’s first X-Ray machine and a Delco Plant to furnish electricity for better lighting. Come inside and enjoy tall open ceilings warm hardwood floors plus all the conveniences of modern living. This four-bedroom, three bath house has all the creature comforts of modern day life. Super comfortable beds, and a modern fully stocked kitchen fit for Chef, 2160 ft.² of comfortable living area plus a beautiful dining room and living room to relax in after a wonderful day of exploring the Texas Hill country sites.
The dining room features a fireplace with a gas burning fire, antique tile and a beautiful built in wooden mantle. Relax by the fire with the warm meal or a cool drink and reflect upon your day. The ceilings on the first floor are all 12 feet high. Marvel at the early 18th century craftsmanship with beadboard walls and tongue and groove ceilings. All the rooms also feature beautiful ceiling fans for your comfort.
Enjoy the living room with a view of the Blanco County Courthouse. This view is especially magical from Thanksgiving through the New Year’s holidays because the downtown area is lit with over 2 million Christmas lights. Enjoy a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and the view of the courthouse across the street as lighted horse drawn carriages and antique tractor pulled hay rides parade by in front of the home.
Enter the dream kitchen. Whether you are preparing a four-course meal or just chilling the wine that you have gathered from region, this kitchen will pamper you.
Kitchen includes:
• Gas cook top with stainless steel lighted vent hood
• Stainless steel wall oven and microwave
• Stainless side by side fridge
• Small appliances: drip style coffee maker, toaster, toaster oven, blender, citrus juicer, crock pot
• Pots, pans, cookware, baking ware, Tupperware, cookie sheets…
• Dishes, bowls, glasses of all types…
• Measuring cups, cutting boards…
• Silverware, cooking utensils and pretty much anything you can think of
The master bedroom is downstairs with a luxuriously comfortable king bed and a very spacious ensuite bathroom. This bathroom has a walk in shower with dual shower heads, and two separate vanities.
Walk up the beautifully refinished staircase to the story above you. The largest upstairs bedroom boasts another comfortable king bed that you will most certainly want to take home with you.
The bedroom on the front of the house has cottage like decor, a queen bed and a beautiful view of the town square and the Blanco county courthouse.
The third bedroom is equipped with a beautiful Trundle Bed. The upstairs bathroom will take you back in time with the delightfully refinished original floors with and all the comforts of home.
Helmly House is ideally situated on a 1/3 of an acre lot. Enjoy the patio furniture and choose either charcoal or gas with the dual fuel barbecue grill on the patio. Enjoy your time outside beneath beautiful, ancient live oak trees that are over hundreds of years old and provide delightful shade as you sip, savor and enjoy the view of the beautiful grounds and the Blanco county courthouse.
After your time in the house has recharged you. Visit the courthouse for a feeling of the history of this region. The shops, restaurants and bars are just steps away. Within a three block walk you can visit two wineries, one brewery, two bars, art galleries, boutiques and countless shops full of hill country treasures like art, antiques and gifts.
We hope to see you soon at the Helmly House. You’re gonna love it!
Guest Access:
✅ This property has special local compliance requirements which include a signed rental agreement, ID verification, and a security hold of $1000 (which is not a traditional security deposit, just a pending transaction). As an optional alternative to the security hold, you may opt in to purchase a non-refundable damage waiver provided by a third-party insurance company. The optional damage waiver is $62.54 for stays up to 10 nights, with an additional $1.5 per day for stays longer than 10 nights. Damage waiver purchases are optional.
To make this process easy for you, we use a secure and very simple, app-free platform called Happy Guest. It is not an app, and you do not have to sign up for an account - it’s a safe and secure website. It also gives you a guest portal with all the info about the home and all of my favorite local spots.
Your guest portal includes advertisements with third-party upgrades that you may want to enhance your stay. These upgrades are optional and include:
Late Checkout Request - $54.13
Early Check In Request - $59.4
Private Chef - $121
Fridge Stock - $378.88
Fridge Stock - $433
Embark on a Journey Through Time: Explore the past like never before! - $32.48
Exclusive Wine Tour - $199
Stay Texas Concierge - $129.90
Getting Around:
Car/Walking/Cycling/Rideshare or Taxi, if available
Other Things to Note:
Thank you for choosing Stay Texas! Important details for your upcoming stay:
1. Check-in instructions, house rules, and property addresses will be available via the Happy guest link
2. Not all homes have cable; consider setting up a streaming account in advance.
3. Our team is committed to assisting you, though occasional check-in delays may occur during peak periods.
4. WiFi is available in all homes, but uninterrupted service is not guaranteed. No refunds or rate adjustments will be made for mechanical failures, or discontinued or interrupted services that occur during your stay.
5. A $500 fine will be imposed for any evidence of smoking, confetti, vomit residues, or glitter.
6. Set the A/C no lower than 72 degrees to prevent freezing and system issues; no refunds for low-temperature-related A/C problems.
7. We will provide a two-day supply of start-up sundries, including dish soap, sponge, paper towels, toilet paper, bath soap, shampoo, conditioner, and hand lotion. Guests will need to purchase additional items from a local store or bring them with them. Missing supplies must be reported to our Customer Hospitality team within one hour of arrival.
8. Pets are allowed only in designated pet-friendly units, subject to an extra fee in addition to the nightly rate. Please verify whether pets are permitted in the unit you intend to rent. In the event that a pet is discovered in a non-pet-friendly unit, the guest grants Stay Texas authorization to levy a minimum additional cleaning fee of $500.
9. Bugs are common in the Texas Hill Country; pest control is in place on a regular basis, but some insects are inevitable.
10. In Texas, there are periods of time without significant rainfall causing the county to place a ban on burning. Please check the current burn ban status, before using the fire pit at your vacation rental. Check the amenities to see if this rental is equipped with a fire pit.
Interaction with Guests:
We have a 24/7 team dedicated to our rentals in Johnson City and our local property manager is available to be at the property.
Our Stay Texas Team is here to ensure your stay and experience are as enjoyable and relaxing as possible. If there is anything you need prior, during, and post-stay, don't hesitate to contact our team as we are here to serve you. We offer many experiences and additional extras such as grocery delivery, wine, and cheese board delivery, massages on-site, spa services, wine tours, private chefs, and more! Our goal is always to provide you, your guests, and the group top-notch customer service at Stay Texas and help you make your stay as enjoyable and relaxing as possible. We strive to help you have incredible vacations and experiences while also creating long-lasting memories with friends and loved ones. If there is anything our team can do to help make your stay extra special, such as winery tours or yoga retreats, or help with any unique plans such as a birthday, anniversary, or a proposal, please do not hesitate to ask our locally owned and operated 24/7 team members!
