Please kick things off with an introduction to yourself and your business
I’m Katie Riedel, real estate broker, property manager, mom and go-getter. I manage 19 vacation properties in the New Braunfels, Canyon Lake and Seguin area through my small property management company called Calm Water Rentals. I have a staff of 4 including myself, and I reside in Seguin ,Texas.
How long has Tipis on the Guadalupe been up and running?
The Tipis on the Guadalupe came about after I observed a couple other unique lodging locations along the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels popping up around 2010. I already knew this was a hotspot for vacationers in Texas because of the awesome tubing, boating and paddling opportunities, but I knew a truly one of a kind lodging experience would draw groups of friends and families with kids to my site. The Tipis opened for business in the Spring of 2013.
What does your business offer the community? What ages is it best for? And what are your hours?
My Tipi resort is comprised of 8 cabins which each allow for up to 6 guests in 3 cozy queen beds or 2 queen beds and a modern foldout couch. Each unit is furnished with Aztec touches throughout and offers an individual firepit and personal BBQ grill. There is outside seating for our guests and their crew, along with a kitchenette for basic cooking, A/C and heating inside and even Wi-Fi and digital cable on Smart TVs. Each unit has a designated private bath that is available for exclusive use to guests during their stay.
We also have outdoor games including pingpong, corn hole, volleyball and tetherball. We also opened a cute bungalow cabin for up to 2 guests last year, called la Pluma Retreat. It’s private and is becoming more and more popular as a romantic getaway option at the Tipi resort. The unique aspect about the Tipis is you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere, but you are just a short drive from fun activities and all modern conveniences. You really do feel like you “get away from it all!”
Tell us a bit about you? Do you have kids, how many, and how old are they? Do you have pets?
I am a single mom and I have three sons, Eli-14, Fisher-12 and Jack-6. They are great boys! They attend public school in Seguin and we have one cat, Eddie who is also male, so that makes me the Queen of the house!
One thing that people would be surprised to know about you…
I grew up in Montana and moved to Texas for college at University of Texas at Austin in 1997.
What did you do before you worked in this business?
After graduating college, I managed political campaigns for conservative statewide races and I worked on the Bush for President campaign in 2000 and 2004.
Let’s dig a little deeper into your story, has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you have had to overcome?
I started my life over in a way after a divorce in 2017. I completely rebranded and basically rebuilt my company again from the ground up. The challenges I face are the same as all property managers: handling quick and frequent turnovers with consistent quality control and dealing with maintenance issues! There’s always something to fix or replace! Personnel and turnover are also challenges I deal with in this industry a lot, but I am lucky to have a very loyal team that helps us be successful in this heavily touristed area.
The most rewarding part of the job for me is hearing about my guests’ wonderful experiences and memories they make at my properties. I love to be able to offer a relaxing and convenient location for friends and families to enjoy the most valuable commodity – time spent together. I value constructive feedback and am very committed to continually improving the overall guest experience.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do and what Tipis on the Guadalupe offers?
It’s really cool to take a scenic walk through the “tunnel of trees” to our unique riverfront deck where you can sip your coffee or cocktail while you soak your feet and watch the flyfishermen casting or tubers float by. We also have on site tube sales and kayak rentals for your warm weather convenience. I own another river front resort just down river, called River Road Escapes, so our guests can put their tube in at the Tipis and do an easy float down river and walk back – it’s family friendly and handy for our guests who want to keep things simple!
What are the future plans and goals for Tipis on the Guadalupe?
I have purchased the property next door to the Tipis and plan to develop another small resort with tiny homes and RV slots. I want it to be a very chill location, not overcrowded where guests can come and easily relax. It will also have Guadalupe River access!
- tipisontheguad.com
- riverroadescapes.com
- calmwaterrentals.com
