Round Top, Texas, has long been a must-hit destination for antique lovers, thrifters, pickers, wheelers and dealers, art lovers, and deal finders who flock to the bi-annual Original Round Top Antique Fair. But with classic joints like Royer's Round Top Cafe and the opening of hot spots like Rancho Pillow, Round Top has become a year-round destination for Austinites looking to get out of town without logging hundreds of miles.
FlopHouze, a new "shipping container hotel" located just a few minutes from downtown Round Top, is offering another reason to make the 75-mile trek from Austin. Housed on the same property as the Round Top Ballroom and Recycling the Past, the six-unit FlopHouze is the first hotel in Texas to be made entirely out of shipping containers, according to a release.
Each individual container was designed much like a fashionable tiny home (the units are also available for purchase), with a living space, kitchenette, bathroom, and sleeping quarters. The individual units can sleep three to six people comfortably, depending on the design and furniture.
In keeping with the mission of sister business, Recycling the Past, FlopHouze interiors were upcycled with reclaimed lumber from upstate New York and a Kentucky distillery, while the kitchen was constructed using cabinets from a laboratory in Brooklyn and floors from a bowling alley in Texas.
The rooms also come with expansive windows (lest you were worried you would be stuck in a giant metal box) that were salvaged from a school in Philadelphia. And to truly enjoy those epic Round Top sunsets, every room has access to a garden area with hammocks, firepit, and deck chairs. "Every detail of this property has been carefully crafted to ensure that your stay is a comfortable and memorable one," the hotel says on its website.
Rates begin at $175 per unit per night and increase to $275 per night during the high season. After two guests, FlopHouze charges $25 per person per night. Over the course of the next year, the owners say they plan to add even more units to the hotel, ensuring everyone can live out their own tiny home dreams.
FlopHouze in Round Top plans to add more units over the next year.
