Texas’ First Waldorf Astoria Is Betting Big on Fredericksburg

This article is promoted/partner content and not produced by the editorial staff.

For a state that likes to live and vacation in luxury, it’s surprising we don’t already have a Waldorf Astoria. Three Napa hospitality pioneers are on a path to change that, and they’re betting on one of Texas’ most enchanting locations: Fredericksburg.

Waldorf Astoria’s first Texas property is set to open in 2029. And while Dallas, Houston, or Austin may have seemed like reasonable choices, the team went for a slightly different locale. Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country will be on 106 acres less than a mile from downtown Fredericksburg, in the heart of the country’s second most visited wine region.

Talk of the Town

For anyone who has spent time in Fredericksburg and experienced the magic of the Hill Country, it’s not a surprising pick. On a fall weekend in Fredericksburg, Main Street does what it has done for generations. Antique shops prop their doors open, tasting rooms fill by noon, and the dance halls start warming up by dusk. Anyone who has lingered over a bottle of Hill Country Tempranillo in one of those tasting rooms likely has had a similar thought: “this place feels like Napa did before everyone found out.”

That’s what the new Waldorf Astoria’s lead developer, Mark Harmon, and partners Robert Radovan and Tim Sparapani are hoping. Harmon opened Auberge du Soleil in Napa in 1981 and went on to found the highly revered Auberge Resorts. He watched a sleepy stretch of Napa Valley become a global destination.

Now, he sees the same trajectory in Fredericksburg: a future world-class center of wine, food, and culture. Radovan’s firm, Criswell Radovan, created Calistoga Ranch in Napa and Four Seasons Hotel & Residences Dublin. Sparapani co-founded the Kentucky bourbon label Blue Run Spirits and is an expert in building a brand around a sense of place. The trio is ready to bring a property to life unlike anything Texas has ever seen.

“From the beginning, our vision has been to create a world-class destination that is authentically rooted in Fredericksburg and the Texas Hill Country,” says Harmon.

Staying true to its authentic roots, the team knew it needed a true local to help navigate the burgeoning project. Director of Sales, Kathryn Sharrock, is a native of Fredericksburg whose family owns a nearby winery, Ab Astris, and who has spent nearly 15 years in Texas luxury real estate. Sharrock passionately believed the town needed a luxury partner that would embrace what already makes it special, not look to change it.

The Waldorf Astoria isn’t the only luxury hospitality concept that sees the beauty in Fredericksburg. The Albert Hotel arrived in 2025 as Fredericksburg’s first full-service luxury hotel, and a Kimpton is on the way. The arrival of these new properties signals the Hill Country’s evolution from a weekend getaway to an international luxury destination, with brands like Aman and Auberge also taking notice. It’s just the beginning for the region.

Sunday Houses, Reimagined

Fredericksburg has a storied tradition of the second home. In the 19th century, German farming families built small “Sunday houses” in town, places to stay for the weekend’s market, church, and socializing before heading back out to the ranch. The idea was simple: a home base close to everything that made life feel full.

The Waldorf Astoria Residences take that idea and give it room to breathe. The debut collection of private residences includes a limited release of just 23 resort Villas with three- and four-bedroom floor plans. Yet to come to market is an enclave of single-story private estate homes with three- to five-bedroom floorplans. 

Waldorf Astoria management oversees the property, allowing owners to enjoy a fully managed resort during visits while their homes are cared for between stays and available for the resort’s rental program. Residences start at $3.7 million. The first release is nearly closed, with early-buyer pricing and benefits limited to an inaugural group of owners.

Plus, they’re simply gorgeous. The homes are designed to follow the land, with natural timber and stone reflecting the Hill Country vernacular and floor plans opening onto terraces and outdoor living spaces. The architecture and design team of Studio CABAN and Paul Duesing Partners are the visionaries shaping the look and feel of both the resort and private residences. The building process is effortless for the homeowner thanks to a turnkey designer furniture package that outfits each home with Waldorf Astoria-approved finishes down to the dishes and flatware.

A Seat at a Michelin-Starred Table

The resort’s culinary program will be led by a Michelin-starred restaurateur and chef, who will develop and oversee its signature restaurant. With details still to be announced, the team has teased a uniquely Texan take on fine dining and experiential cuisine. It’s expected to even see wild game items on the menus at any of the three distinct dining venues, complete with private dining rooms, lively bars including a Lone Star interpretation of the famed Peacock Alley at Waldorf Astoria New York, and inviting terraces looking out over the hills.

The culinary team plans to draw on the region’s farming and ranching history as well as its current crop of growers and winemakers, pouring Texas wine alongside bottles from further afield. A working kitchen garden on the property will supply herbs, vegetables, and flowers to the dining rooms.

Beyond the Table

The resort is planning an 11,000-square-foot Waldorf Astoria spa and wellness center with holistic treatments and thermal experiences, two resort-style pools, tennis and pickleball, scenic walking trails, a kids club, terraced event lawns, and a 4,000-square-foot event hall. And don’t forget all that Fredericksburg has to offer, of course. Main Street is minutes away, Enchanted Rock is a short drive north, and more than a hundred wineries and tasting rooms sit within reach.

Napa’s early believers did well to show up before the rest of the world did. In the Hill Country, that window is open now.

Learn more about Texas’ first Waldorf Astoria here. 

Get the best of PaperCityMag.com in your inbox.

Texas' top restaurant, real estate, society, fashion, art news and more, five times a week.

Email

Dallas

Houston

Fort Worth

The Woodlands

Sign Up