At Cibolo Creek Ranch (from $450, including meals), you'll sleep in a restored fort, shoot guns or ride horses, and eat gourmet in the dining room. Get out of the galleries and go outside for a scenic hike or drive.

(Photo: Courtesy of Hotel Thunderbird)

The Thunderbird Hotel (from $115) adapts to the desert with poured-concrete floors and minimalist furniture. If Internet access is a must, book here. Get a room on the second floor, or traffic in the gravel parking lot will keep you up all night.

The suites at the Hotel Paisano (from $99) have full kitchens, making it great for families. Good enough, too, for the cast of Giant, who stayed here during filming. The Riata Inn (from $54) is simple, clean, and cheap. Get a room facing the desert.