Entire home

Cool Blue Private Pool!

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your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for Cool Blue Private Pool!

Outdoor pool
Outdoor dining
5 bedrooms, desk, iron/ironing board, travel crib
Interior
Exterior

Reviews

9.6 out of 10

Exceptional

Entire home

5 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 102500 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Pet friendly
  • Washer
  • Pool
  • Parking available
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Austin, TX
  • Lake Austin
    11 min walk
  • Mount Bonnell
    2 min drive
  • University of Texas at Austin
    5 min drive
  • Austin, TX (AUS-Austin-Bergstrom Intl.)
    18 min drive

Room options

Similar properties

About the neighborhood

Austin

With a stay at this vacation home, you'll be centrally located in Austin, a 1-minute drive from Lake Austin and 5 minutes from University of Texas at Austin. .This family-friendly vacation home is 4.3 mi (6.9 km) from Sixth Street and 5.1 mi (8.3 km) from Austin Convention Center.

What's nearby

  • Lake Austin - 11 min walk - 0.6 miles
  • University of Texas at Austin - 5 min drive - 3.4 miles
  • Sixth Street - 7 min drive - 4.4 miles
  • Darrell K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium - 8 min drive - 4.3 miles
  • Texas State Capitol - 8 min drive - 4.5 miles

Getting around

  • Austin Station - 6 min drive
  • Downtown Station - 11 min drive
  • Austin-Bergstrom Intl. Airport (AUS) - 18 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Starbucks - ‬13 min walk
  • ‪Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q North Lamar - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪P. Terry's Burger Stand #2 - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Littlefields Tacos + Coffee - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Veracruz All Natural - ‬3 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Cool Blue Private Pool!

Let us take you away to another place and time...and enjoy our COOL BLUE PRIVATE POOL, an oasis in the heart of the city, where the unexplored meets the avant garde in a time where artists, poets and scholars, wit, humor and long conversations, cocktail parties and eccentrics converged at the top of the long tall driveway Imagine golden luminarios decorating the path up to this romantic era home, the 1940s in Austin. We hope to take you to away for a while.
Our family home is a beautiful, charming classic home that sits on top of a hill on 3/4 acre with surrounding nature and privacy, an oasis in the heart of the city. It has a swimming pool and a fabulous view overlooking the soothing blue hills and amber and golden hues of lovely West Austin sunsets. The beautiful spacious living room with a baby grand piano is a great place to play music, read a book, relax, lounge, quiet down, have intimate conversation and cocktail parties…and be still for a moment, and gaze across the soft pastels to the radiant red lovely Austin sunsets. The stone sun room opens to a path leading to the pool below. It is just minutes away from Mount Bonnell, Austin's famous landmark overlooking the city and beautiful sunset, Laguna Gloria Art Museum and Mayfield Peacock Park and Nature trails. Great for entertaining, the home captures an era of Old Austin. It is a 5 BR / 3 BA, has a pool with a deck that is completely private, a beautiful spacious living room, a stone sun porch and a library which is also a bedroom and has a queen size sleigh bed fold out futon which is very comfortable, great for lounging, reading, maybe watch a classic movie and relaxing. It has wifi, Roku, cable, washer/dryer, kitchen, private pool and deck and is a rare treasure to find---a vacation within itself.

Many people come to go explore and stay and relax and enjoy the red cardinals, the blue birds, the purple night skies above the pool and starlight nights and sparkling waves splashing around the pool. Festivity, reunions, celebrations and elegant parties continue to be the heart of our home. We welcome you and hope to host you and your guests and take you to another place and time.

We have our home professionally cleaned by professional housekeepers.

Please let me know what I can do for you to fully enjoy your stay here before, during and throughout your vacation time and have a wonderful chill on the hill Rare Secluded 1940s Estate Experience.

**((As for early and late check out, I'm sorry, but we just can't as we have a quick turnaround of guests departure and next arrival so with pre-scheduled services and our safety and enhanced and extra cleaning precautions and practices in place, I apologize, but it is so hard on our team to give early check ins and late checkouts, especially with the extra cleaning precautions that are in place. We will do our best if if possible of we can make any exceptions.
**We will try to return any items left behind and please let is know ASAP so that we can look around before new guests arrive. Im good to return them in the best way possible, provided that we find the item. Please check safely before you check out.

Please remember that it is an older classic and rustic home with ambiance and rough terrain and nature that surrounds our home with a character that seem to charm our guests. The rustic nature of our property will still be deeply and freshly cleaned and is treated by ABC professional exterminator services. We do our best to keep nature out so you can enjoy it outside and from the inside.

Most of all, please relax, read a book, have a splash in the pool with family and friends, make good memories, wedding parties, family reunions, girls’ & guys’ weekend getaways, even low key bachelor and bachelorette parties. Good fun to Chill the Hill and maybe even Grill - most of all ENJOY your stay!!! We send our big Texas open arm welcome to you all. Relax, enjoy and remember that good times together make life with celebrating!!!

Once you arrive at the top of the narrow path up the long, tall hill into the gravel sound on car wheels driveway, there are a few perks for parking which is limited to 3 cars. It is a sensitive driveway situation and must be carefully arranged. It is a long tall driveway so please understand that it is steep which allows for the privacy and we have been going up and down the driveway for 60 years and it is fine and solid and strong. Once you have made a reservation and before your, I can send you a photo for our guest parking spaces which will help hopefully ease your arrival. Most people don't think twice about it, but I like to be forthright and give you the heads up that we have a long tall steep driveway. That’s what gives us the privacy!
Please leave space to make sure cars can get in and out of the driveway and leave the circle drive clear and do not park along the bamboo privacy fence or the small space next to the little casita which is behind the privacy fence where I live. When you come up the driveway, it is easier to come and go if you turn your car around and are facing out.

Thank you for your parking consideration.

Also, we have an energy usage issue, especially in the summer so please keep the AC between 75-80 degrees from May to October in the hot times that Texas gets and generally we leave the house at 75 in the winter time. We appreciate your respect and help with our high bills and the energy usage. Please be mindful of our generosity and hospitality as we are respectful for your comfort. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Unfortunately, and I apologize in advance that the 1941 architecture was not designed with handicapped features. **While we have had individuals who seemed to not have an issue as it is a one-story, the bathrooms are smaller and it is structurally very difficult to alter the accessibility for wheelchairs. I wish we could alter the architecture from the 1940s and our gravel driveway and rugged terrain and an old gravel and steep driveway to accommodate everyone with handicapped needs, but the structure was designed for a small family without that feature. If you choose to stay here please park close the 2nd porch with only a 3” step to enter our home. **Please let us know as soon as possible if there are any issues with the house and we will tend to them as soon as possible. Please tell us when you notice or won’t be able to fix them or compensate if we don’t know about them** We are across the street from Camp Mabry Army base and the Texas Military Forces Museum which is really fascinating. We are just up the street from Mayfield Park, a beautiful park with peacocks, ponds and nature trails, Laguna Gloria Art Museum, an old Victorian home made into a lovely museum with rolling grounds up to the lagoon, as well as up the road to Mount Bonnell, a great tourist attraction that overlooks Austin’s skyline and a beautiful place to watch the sun set.

Now that you have parked, take a breath, relax, enjoy! Thank you. The Pratt Family
Make yourself comfortable in this air-conditioned vacation home, which features a fireplace and a private pool. There's a private balcony or patio. A kitchen is outfitted with a refrigerator, an oven, and a stovetop. A Smart television and a DVD player are provided for your entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected.
Enjoy the convenience of ski-in/ski-out access at this vacation home, which also features an outdoor pool.
Limited parking is available onsite.

Property manager

Virginia Pratt

Languages

English, French, Spanish

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach towels

Ski

  • Ski-in/ski-out access

Pool/Spa

  • Massage
  • Outdoor pool
  • Private pool

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Car recommended
  • Limited onsite parking

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee grinder
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Ice maker
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 5 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Sofa bed

Bathroom

  • 3 private bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Fireplace
  • Living room
  • Separate dining area

Entertainment

  • Books
  • DVD player
  • Games
  • Library
  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels
  • Stereo
  • Video library

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Fenced yard
  • Firepit
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Patio

Laundry

  • Coin laundry
  • Washer/dryer

Work spaces

  • Desk
  • Desk chair

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming dogs only
  • One pet total (up to 20 lbs per pet)

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Wheelchair accessibility
  • Designated smoking areas
  • Note from host: Smoking is only permitted outside.

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • In the city center
  • Near a hospital
  • Near a zoo
  • Near an outlet shopping mall
  • Near the marina
  • On a lake
  • On a river

Things to do

  • Ski-in/ski-out access
  • Basketball nearby
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Ice skating nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Snorkeling nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water skiing nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby
  • Winery tours nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 2,500 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
1 total (up to 20 lbs per pet)
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Note from host: Your pet is allowed on approval $50-$150

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property

Property is also known as

Rare Secluded 1940s Estate-central Austin Getaway Home House
Rare Secluded 1940s Estate-central Getaway Home House
Rare Secluded 1940s Estate-central Getaway Home
Rare Seclud 1940s Estatecentr
Rare Secluded 1940s Estate central Austin Getaway Home
Rare Seclud 1940s Estate cent
Rare Secluded 1940s Estate central Austin Getaway Home

Cool Blue Private Pool! Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 129 out of 159 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 23 out of 159 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 159 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 159 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 159 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

James H., Missouri City

Liked: Cleanliness
Clean, comfortable house with character
Quiet house on a heavily wooded lot with a refreshing pool. Unique older house with a lot of character. Clean and everything in good working order for an older home. Close to downtown. We've stayed here multiple times and we'll be back again. back.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Judith S. E., Port Charlotte, Florida

Liked: Cleanliness
Uber to everything in Austin.
Such a convenient and beautiful location.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Billie P.

Liked: Cleanliness
We had a relaxed and pleasant stay
We loved the atmosphere and the size of the large house. Loved all the nooks and crannies and places to settle down for cozy conversations. We all loved the pool, especially the grands. It was very clean and well-maintained. The host, Virginia, was wonderful to communicate with and very responsive. She was part of the reason we loved staying there.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Mary Z.

Liked: Cleanliness
Family Fun
Although the property itself needs some TLC, we enjoyed our time especially in the pool. The home is very spacious and we loved that our Golden Retriever was welcomed. Virginia was super friendly and communication was awesome. I see endless possibilities to restore this 1940's estate to its glory days.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jeff J., Maryland

Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay
Clean, nice artwork, beautiful live oaks / pool in the back yard. Walk great pizza. Very accommodating to allow our well behaved Lab.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Pam P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Quirky and fabulous!
Super fun house with a sweet little pool…excellent for relaxing!
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Philip C.

Liked: Cleanliness
2024 UT Graduation
Beautiful vintage house with tons of space. Great location close to the campus. Book lovers could spend their vacation inside.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

6/10 Okay

Anna M.

Vintage Charm
The property was charming but more rustic then anticipated. Slow internet, lack of outlets and switches. Most overhead lights/ fans used pull cords, which in itself is fine but we are rather short. Plumbing was all two handled so hard to adjust temperature. The beds were comfortable, the sheets were nice and soft, the towels were fluffy and absorbent, there was good quality shampoos and conditioners but we didn't find a hair dryer. The pool was enjoyable but the weather was not good during our stay so we didn't use it as much as we would have liked. Concrete around the pool has broken so its important to watch the kids playing as it could be a hazard. Our hostess, Virginia, was available on site if needed and left us a number to contact her with any problems. Overall we had an enjoyable stay with our family.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

4/10 Poor

Mary M.

Disliked: Cleanliness
cluttered
The clutter and ubiquitous crucifixes everywhere are off-putting. It's got to be hard to clean with so much stuff so it's not surprising that it's on the dusty side. Having said that, the owner seems nice and the location is fantastic. The living room has plenty of seating for family members and there is a high chair available. The kitchen is well supplied. We never used the pool, but it was clean and looked like the pictures.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

6/10 Okay

Michelle P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Sibling reunion
The location was great and communication with host was great. The WiFi did not work well, the kitchen water wouldn’t get hot, but all in all it was a nice stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

jillvanblarcom@yahoo.com

Liked: Cleanliness
Austin Eclipse!
Thank you for opening your home to us for our visit to Austin for the eclipse! The house has lots of space to stretch out and a beautiful pool area. We look forward to visiting again!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Jordan T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great stay - cool ghosts
The host was wonderful & very helpful! We had a few issues with the electricity & heat, but she was prompt in handling them. The house & location are great - we were able to have the whole family stay together over Thanksgiving. As advertised, the house is very old and a bit creepy - but in a cool way. Like, I got the impression that there were probably ghosts there - but they were cool Old Austin ghosts, chillin having a good time.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Tripp C., Jenkintown, PA

Liked: Cleanliness
Thanks Pratt Family
We appreciated the opportunity to visit Ausitn, TX and have a cool place to return to after a full days activities. Plenty of space, wish teh weather would have allowed for a dip in the pool. Close to downtown and very quiet. The owners could not have been nicer and their communications were promptly asnswered. Make sure Uber drivers know to look for the red mailbox!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Roxana H., Elgin, Texas

Austin wedding
The house is older and decorated very eclectic. Lots of room and many various areas for visiting or relaxing. A little funky for some, but definitely a great location for all things austin. Very secluded atmosphere for in the city. A few glitches with internet and water, but owner is very responsive. Property could use a little love, but all in all it suited our needs!
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bobby K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Place with Unique Vibe - We'd Stay Here Again
It was a lot of fun. Loved the pool and the fire pit, enjoyed all the cool rooms and decor, liked the location.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sam N., Cedar Hill USA

Liked: Cleanliness
ACL Getaway Weekend
My friends an I go to ACL every year for the last 9 years and this house was by far the best we've stayed in. It was huge and comfortable and it was perfect. Will be staying here for future visits!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jessica L.

Liked: Cleanliness
Fun, Unique property
We had an amazing stay at this house. The host was so easy to communicate with and very responsive. Checkin and check out were smooth and easy. The pool was perfect for the Texas heat and we loved the vibe of the place. It has so much character and charm. I would definitely stay here again if I returned to Austin!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Hope R., Edgewood, WA

Liked: Cleanliness
Fun and Funky Time in Austin!
We had a ball on our short trip to Austin. It was HOT... our little Washingtonian bodies thought we might die...HOW do people live here??? But that pool was incredible, the house was cozy and stayed cool and we had such a great time exploring the city! The location could not be better, close to downtown but felt incredibly private. Checking in and out was a breeze and we had everything at the house that we needed. Instructions were clear and communication was great. The beds were SO comfortable...especially that red room :) We will be back...but perhaps not in August next time...
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Wesley D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Family gathering
We had a wonderful stay plenty of room for our large family gathering .We enjoyed the pool very much with the texas heat we were very thankful for the pool and it allowed us all to get together and reconnect as a family overall it was a nice Vaca the property owner was very easy to contact and communicate with as she stays on the same property. The only issue we had was my brother is in a wheelchair and the house definitely isn't handicap assemble for someone in a wheelchair but besides that we had a wonderful stay!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Charles H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Home Away from Home
This property is comfortable, and relaxing. It has great energy, and it is easy to tell that the family that owns it loves it! I will say that my younger boys hesitated at first, but, I kid you not, they asked if we could live there by day 3!😊 We enjoyed our stay SO VERY MUCH! The property owner, Virginia, was very gracious, and helpful to we “yankees” from Pennsylvania.😂 My eldest son played every instrument in the house, but he LOVED the grand piano! We absolutely loved our stay in Austin, and this property was our home away from home! Thank you, Pratt family!!!❤️
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lindy A.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great spot
Quiet, felt secluded and located in a convenient location. We had four kids and they loved the pool. Virginia was there to meet us and was accessible if needed but gave us complete privacy. Clean, chill vibe, loved our stay and would book again.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Paul F.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great house, great host
Loved the house; Virginia is a great host, excellent communicator. The property is 100% as advertised, there are great pieces of vintage furniture and art/relics in the house. There is more than enough space and privacy. We enjoyed nights down by the pool and several days in it. Worth a stay if you are in the area, close to downtown, beats any hotel options.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Michael S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great weekend
We were in town for a UT Dell Med School event and the house worked perfect for our family.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jenna M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Long Weekend in Austin
We came to Austin to visit our daughter and explore a new city. We sought a property that embraced how eclectic Austin is and Virginia’s home did exactly that! We had everything we needed, Virginia was so easy to communicate with and the location was an easy ride to all of our destinations.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Greg D., CO

Liked: Cleanliness
Great Location and Quiet!
We were a family of seven that came to Austin for the first time to celebrate a birthday weekend. We had plenty of room to spread out during the day and close enough that anything we wanted was less than 10-20 minutes away. Plenty of ride share options made getting around a breeze. Most of our time had us in downtown Austin but there is plenty to see wherever you go. Go check out a sunset at the Oasis in Lake Travis. We didn’t realize SXSW was going on during our trip so that made things even more special. Virginia’s communication was great. We enjoyed the stay and would consider this location again!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023