Fixer Upper on HGTV continues to grow more popular as Chip and Joanna Gaines expand their talents outside of Waco, TX. However, Waco is still their home base. There you can find the popular Magnolia Market at the Silos and even stay in a house they renovated – Magnolia House. It’s a hard-to-get reservation, but our Latina TravelingMom share her best tips on how to book Magnolia House!
I’m still on cloud 9 from sleeping in Magnolia House in January 2017. It’s possible I cried “shiplap tears” when I saw shiplap from ceiling to floor in some areas. Some girlfriends and I scored a reservation to this popular home, and I was giddy. Here are my tips on how you can book your stay, because reservations usually sell out in minutes!
Subscribe to Magnolia Market’s Newsletter
If you want to know when reservations open, you have to subscribe to Magnolia Market’s newsletter. They’ll usually open bookings for a 6-month period. Magnolia House has only been open for around a year, and this is a hot ticket even with the expense. It’s not cheap, and there is a 2-night minimum to book. The first way to know when bookings open is by email. The last time they opened up bookings, it felt like a day or two notice. Y’all need to talk to your amigos or familia about when you want to go.
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Choose One Person to Book Magnolia House
There is no time to waste. Choose one responsible person to be in charge of booking the house – preferably one who knows how to use the internet. Choose a date and time, and be ready the second they open. We chose my super speedy friend, Sarah, as our designated internet savvy friend/room booker. She was on the computer, ready to go at least 10 minutes ahead of time, with the dates we wanted and her credit card ready. This brings me to my next tip.
Have a Plan A, B, and C
When we booked our reservation, all reservations for 6 months sold out in 7 minutes. 7 MINUTES. There were a lot of sad pandas out there. You have to book a minimum of 2 nights, and sometimes single days are left on the calendar, but you can’t book single nights. So if you’re unprepared, you waste a lot of time freaking out about what you should do next. You don’t have time to call your friends and think of something else.
We knew Spring Break and summer would probably go first so we opted for a weekend in January or February and hoped for mild weather. We knew we wanted a weekend, because of child care, since it was a bunch of moms going for a girls’ weekend! Sarah was quick and successful and got us the Golden Ticket.
Make a Money Plan
Whether you’re going with friends or family, Magnolia House is not a cheap rental home. You are renting the entire house. The house sleeps 8. Each night rents for $695 -$995 depending on season and weekday vs. weekend. So I could basically take my family of 7 and spend $2000 for a weekend in Waco, TX. I’m a HUGE Fixer Upper fan, but that wasn’t going to happen. So next best thing, split it 8 ways with girlfriends.
One person will have to pay the entire amount at booking, so make sure you have a plan when and how people are going to pay that person, because it can get awkward if you don’t.
Get Ready to Fall in Love with Magnolia House
Once you book Magnolia House (fingers crossed!), get ready to fall in love. It’s not a Bed and Breakfast, but someone left pastries from the Silos Baking Co. at Magnolia Market in the kitchen. I’m not sure if they made it until the morning. Magnolia House is not in Waco where the Silos are, but it’s about 20 minutes away. You’ll want to save your shopping until after you check-in (check-in time is around 3:00 p.m., but you’ll get a text when the house is ready for you), because each guest gets a 20% coupon to shop at Magnolia Market!
So get your shopping on at Magnolia Market or the many antique stores around Waco. You can also visit the Silos, try to find the other homes Chip and JoJo “fixed up,” or enjoy Magnolia House. I never wanted to leave. In fact I needed a moment alone with the house to say my goodbyes when it was time to go. Each tiny detail was taken into consideration. Every room, every window shade, every chair, every picture, every everything was like being a part of Fixer Upper. So if Chip and Joanna can’t makeover my house, I’ll just stay in one of theirs!
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