This week’s featured project at THP.News takes us to Texas, where a major hospitality development is currently taking shape. Construction is moving forward on the highly anticipated Ophelia Hotel and Conference Center, a $42 million project set to anchor the south end of Main Street, overlooking Lakeside Park and Lake Marble Falls.
The hotel is named for Ophelia “Birdie” Harwood, who made Texas history as the state’s first female mayor in 1917.
Set for completion by October 2026, the Ophelia will feature 127 upscale guest rooms under Hilton’s Tapestry Collection, along with more than 14,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a main ballroom and a junior ballroom. A rooftop venue and a lakefront restaurant and bar are also in the plans, promising impressive views and likely more than one wedding hashtag.
Partnerships and progress
The hotel is being developed by Marble Falls Hotel Group, a partnership between Boerne-based Phoenix Hospitality Group and McAllen-based Castle Hospitality. The city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has shepherded the project since 2013, helping broker the public-private partnership and taking care of key infrastructure upgrades.
Cooper Carry, an award-winning architecture firm, has crafted the hotel’s current design with substantial input from Tapestry officials.
To make sure everything is conducted properly and complies with regulations, the EDC recently hired a contractor to oversee construction standards, while Marble Falls city inspectors are making sure the project meets all codes and regulations.
The Ophelia follows on the heels of the award-winning Bevy Hotel in Boerne, with local officials and developers expressing excitement that Marble Falls’ own boutique conference center will deliver a hospitality centerpiece for residents and visitors. As amenities and new trails continue to enhance Lakeside Park right next door, the new hotel hopes aims to host conferences, visitors, and maybe a few people who just really like rooftops.
