Alamo Inn B & B

Check out my profile, I don’t give out 5’s often and I’m an Elite for three years. Not bragging, just I review a lot and have high standards. This place deserves a 6 stars.
I decided to bird watch south Texas at the last minute and didn’t know where to start. On a lark, I checked out the BirdChick’s blog to see if she had recommendations. She did — this place! I called on my way in and the owner was very kind, knowledgeable and helpful. Said to call him shortly before I arrived.
I hit Santa Ana SP before I checked in and got three lifers with 30 mins to bird. I’m a long lister so that was sweet! I went to the Alamo and it was set up like an apartment with a door combination. Called Keith and he gave me the number. I checked out the shop and spent most of my time looking at the list of recent exceptional sightings. He can over and introduced me to the area, the hotel, and the room. The guy was awesome.
As expected it was a B&B and NOT a big box hotel. If that’s what you want, don’t come here. It was clean, well decorated, funky, and vintage (in a good way). It was like staying the night in my aunts apartment. Everything well kept, clean, and nicely decorated. Definitely not homogenous. I left my truck outside unlocked. I had my gear and lenses with me. My philosophy is Id rather spare the thugs breaking in. As expected, nothing happened.
Shower was sweet, bathroom with all the stuff, free water and wifi. In the morning had a continental breakfast with other birders. Great commeraderie and suggestions.
If you’re not a birder, don’t stay! I’d hate to be blocked out of the place.
BTW — get in your car and go somewhere else to eat. Place next door sucked. See my other review.

We had a full apartment with balcony – with limited food options in town, we were able to make bfast before birding and enjoy wine and snacks on the balcony in the evening. This place is also surprisingly affordable for what it offers. Nothing fancy or frou frou, but just right for a trip the RGV.

I have been staying at the Alamo Inn for upwards of 20 years as a birding tour leader and an individual guest. The level of service is always very high, guests are made to feel welcome from the moment they check in, and any need is attended to – be it a special breakfast item, emergency laundry, picnic lunch supplies, directions to a desired bird, or providing a field guide from their well-​stocked bookstore. I have pointed many friends there over the years and will continue to do so. Ask about other properties owned by the Inn for families requiring multiple rooms, or lodging with wheelchair access.

You have NO idea how happy I was to find this place! My husband and son and I were in Alamo for a funeral and the hotel we’d booked a reservation at was absolutely unlivable. Thank goodness for Unilocal which led me here. Keith was so nice and helpful in getting us set up in a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite and it was the same price as the roach motel we’d originally booked. The rooms were cozy and charming. The outdoor store has everything you’d ever need, too for birding. If you are traveling to the Valley for any reason but especially bird watching, I definitely recommend this place.

This place is the best. A hidden oasis in a sea of crappy overpriced chain hotels. There is a main building with kitchy rooms, each with it’s own theme and decorations, and an annex; an old apartment complex with a beautiful green courtyard and some very lofty rooms, some overlooking the private garden of the owner.
This is a place for birdwatchers, as i learned, because McAllen has some of the best bird watching in the country. I’m in McAllen for work a good bit and try to stay here as much as i can. The inn keeper Keith is as nice as can be and he will get up at 3 in the morning if that’s what i takes to get you a key to your room. The place is cheaper than all the other hotels around and you get an apartment with a living room and bedroom, sometimes two, for the price of a crappy Best Western.
There are small tv’s in each room that are not really worth talking about, if having a TV in your hotel is a deal breaker then this is not the place for you, but if you love a unique and interesting place to stay with a large amount of space and/​or a desire to bird watch, here you go.

There can be few finer places for birders in the Lower Rio Grande Valley than Alamo Inn. I’m a guide; I deal with lodging of many kinds. Keith is not only a fountain of information on birds in the region, he’s a rare breed of innkeeper who knows the needs and expectations of his guests.