Holiday Charm at the Katy House: A Texas Bed and Breakfast Experience

Step into the holiday magic of The Katy House, a charming bed and breakfast nestled in Smithville, Texas. Owner Tiffany Prior shares with Front Porch Life how she brings warmth, festive décor, and Texas hospitality to create the perfect home-away-from-home for a cozy winter getaway.

Welcome to the Katy House: A Historic Texas Bed & Breakfast

Tiffany and Joe Prior have owned The Katy House for nearly four years, but the inn itself is steeped in history, celebrating its 30th anniversary as a bed and breakfast in 2024. Located in Smithville, Texas, just 35 minutes from Austin, this charming inn blends its historic legacy with modern comforts to create an unforgettable stay. Here, Tiffany shares how becoming an innkeeper was an unexpected but life-changing experience.

I truly never saw myself in the bed and breakfast industry, but it’s been the best experience of my life. Regarding uniqueness, I’m learning that a traditional Bed & Breakfast is becoming increasingly more difficult to find. We’ve worked hard to continue and honor the legacy the former owners left while offering all the modern comforts one would find in a hotel. 

Tiffany Prior, owner of the Katy house

We are a traditional Bed & Breakfast, so guests are provided a hot, southern-style meal every morning. We serve family-style, so I like to think of it as Thanksgiving, but with breakfast. Most items are family recipes, but a few of them have been with The Katy House all 30 years. There’s also a candy jar downstairs that stays filled to the top, a small fruit basket, and sometimes a hot chocolate bar will appear from time to time. 

Holiday Magic: Decorating, Food and Festive Traditions

Every year, we build upon our Christmas decor. I enjoy doing it piece by piece because it helps me not get overwhelmed with the big picture. To get ready, we actually close the main house for two days. We turn on Christmas movies, make hot chocolate, order in lunch, and play holiday music playing in the background. My only goal is to have fun while we prepare the house for the holidays. It feels like it sets the tone for the rest of the season. There’s lots of laughter and joy! I think our guests ultimately feel that, too. We put in a 15 ft tree in the foyer, and that’s the more playful tree. Our ornaments are fun and colorful, and most of them come from the Smithville General Store, too, so there’s quite a bit of meaning behind them. The second tree we put up is in our living room. It’s more delicate with soft pink ribbons, and rose gold ornaments. It feels appropriate for the space and is just so beautiful. 

Home Away from Home: The Heart of the Holiday Season

I’d love to say that The Katy House feels like a second home to most of our guests. With the holiday season, though, the simple, special touches of flowers in the rooms, the house smelling like maple, fresh cookies in the dining room, Christmas tree lights twinkling, and more make it feel even more special. If it is below 60 degrees in the morning, I’ll have the fireplace going as guests come down for their first cup of coffee. 

My favorite thing about the holidays at the Katy House is my morning routine. I make my cup of coffee, build a fire, and sit in front of the fireplace. It’s so peaceful. I could be there for hours, but I do eventually have to get up to start breakfast. It’s my quiet time before everyone starts to stir. Next would be Meeting Santa. Last year, we had our first ‘Meet Santa’ experience. The goal was for the local community to have a place where their children could see Santa without driving to another town. So, we partnered with Van Zandt Properties and created a winter wonderland experience for the kids. We have smores, hot chocolate, and even a big red sleigh in the front yard. 

Why Texas Shines in the Winter

We don’t have a harsh winter like the North experiences. Not to say we don’t have pockets of below-freezing temps, but for the most part, it feels mild to people who have traveled in from out of state. My favorite weekend in Smithville is the first weekend of December – The Festival of Lights Parade. If you’ve ever seen the movie Hope Floats, there’s a scene at the end of the movie where they’re at The Festival of Lights parade. It’s magical, straight out of the movie, which is true because Hope Floats was filmed here. Picture kids running the streets, homemade parade floats, tractors, and horses. It feels like the whole town is on Main Street. It’s small-town perfection! 

I think everyone should experience the holidays in a small town. There’s genuinely just nothing like it. During a time when slowing down can be difficult, Smithville feels like the escape you didn’t know you needed. It’s a place where sitting on the porch swing or rocking chair while enjoying coffee and waving to the cars that drive by should be how you start your day. Also, there’s just something different about a small-town community. Smithville is the best small-town community I’ve ever been a part of, and so many guests fall in love with the town and the people even after a one-night stay. From The Katy House, you can walk to all the restaurants, bars, and shops, so there’s the convenience of walking everywhere once you get here.  

Book your stay today at the Katy House and experience all it has to offer!

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