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    Shepherd Sanctuary

    5.0 (1 review)
    Open Open 24 hours

    Services - Shepherd Sanctuary

    Bartending services

    Catering services

    Event lighting services

    6 More Services

    On-site management services

    Post-event cleaning services

    Venue rental

    Rigging services

    Venue Security services

    Venue valet services

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    2 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Shepherd Sanctuary

    The Retreat At Artesian Lakes - A picture of the main lodge!

    The Retreat At Artesian Lakes

    (34 reviews)

    $$

    I have mixed reactions to our recent visit and. I have wavered between giving this review 4 or 3…read morestars. We have visited this retreat for over 35 years previously known as Chain 'O Lakes. We have noted and appreciated the improvements made over the years. Beautiful, serene, rustic setting-a great place to unwind. -WIFI worked well and consistently throughout our visit. -Cabins basically clean, good beds, clean bed linens and generous numbers of towels. Dining table, dining chairs, side tables and coffee tables as well as couches are well worn. Basic dinnerware and eating utensils; there are no skillets, pans or cooking/serve ware utensils such as egg turners, no mixing bowls...you need to bring these with you. -Communication and information lacking. The website does not provide current updates to the facility and the status of its amenities and services. We had planned to enjoy one meal a day at The Hilltop restaurant and it was closed for our 3 day/2night visit. We had planned to have burgers/snacks by the pool and the snack bar was closed. These unannounced and unexpected closings caused us to leave the retreat and find a grocery store 15 miles away. Then we had to select food items that could be baked because we had no pots/pans or skillets nor utensils to cook and serve with. Amenities not in service included The Hilltop Herb Farm Restaurant, the snack bar beside the pool, and the hot tub. ***PLEASE NOTE: The reason I am giving this review 4 stars is the congeniality of the people at the front desk. Had they been rude I would have dropped one or more stars.*** When I inquired as to why the restaurant and snack bar were closed I was given these points of interest from the very nice young ladies at the front desk. Additionally they very graciously responded that they would inform management about my concerns. -Oh the restaurant is closed during the week-well sometimes it's open. It will be open this weekend I think. (Well, I was leaving on Friday!) -Regarding the snack bar being closed: Well it's only open if the restaurant is. -We've been slammed with big groups and some summers we are more family oriented. (I'm sorry, I was not advised that inconsistant hospitality was a management strategy!) -Regarding the hot tub; well, things break. (Understandable that things break, but how is it being addressed and will it be repaired before my party leaves?) -Carriage Rides? Nope, not in service. There are limited hours of operation for the gift shop which has gifts, snacks, and fishing supplies. It would be a convenient service if this area remained open until 9 pm. A nice evening walk to this area for an ice cream for the kids would have been a nice option. Overall there seems to be a lack of attention, concern, and dedication to providing guests with current information and procedures in order for guests to have an excellent experience. When O think of this visit I feel the most descriptive words would be "sad and lacking". It stings a little to pay the prices of our stay and to have so much broken or closed. I could have spent much less and had similar natural beauty to behold at a state or national park. I do hope that management will button things up quite a bit and provide a friendly, enthusiastic, friendly staff, with current information easily and readily available regarding amenities, services, and procedures for checking out canoes and other equipment. Suggestions: -E-Post daily retreat schedule of events -Paddleboard rentals -tennis or pickleball -a kid/teen rec area with ping pong, tv movie rentals, vending machines

    First day here and it's already my favorite camping place ever. There is literally nothing to…read morecomplain about. Great Food!!! Great staff!! Awesome amenities!!! My only regret is i couldn't bring more people. 10 out of 10 I would recommend this place!!

    TownHall Texas

    TownHall Texas

    (5 reviews)

    Great venue for events large or small. Beautiful grounds as well. Highly recommend. Our company…read morehosted the Christmas party here

    -The WORST I have ever been treated by a business-…read more I have been on this planet for almost 37 years now and have never been talked to, policed by, treated-as-poorly or had my integrity insulted by a business like I was this evening. The premise is simple - if the party does not pay to have bar service then NO alcohol is to be on the premises. (All-good at face value. After all, they are a business and protecting themselves.) What was NOT good was how they went about policing people coming into the party (going as far as to check inside of new arrivals trunks to check for alcohol! I'm sorry, are you the police?) The bartender actually went as far as to - literally here folks - RIP a bag of liquors out of my hands while I was on the phone with my wife. (Uhh...EXCUSE ME?! Assault people much?) This was not the end of our playful trysts of the evening. When we asked her to have the booze back so we could keep it sealed and place it into our locked vehicles, she said that she couldn't do that due to the fact that the business couldn't monitor alcohol outside of the bar. "OK, well - that's my property and I'm going to go put it in my vehicle (again, also my property), where it can stay put and remain unopened." Again, she said she couldn't do that. "So, you're saying that I cannot have my property back?" "Yes sir. I'm sorry, but that is our policy - we simply do not have the staff available to follow individuals around the whole night to make sure they are complying with our policy." "OK! So then can you apologize for acting so rudely and unprofessionally, as to actually remove the bag from my possession while I'm having a conversation with my wife on the phone?! Or, is it too much for me to ask for an additional apology for insulting my integrity?" "Sir, I don't know why you are getting upset and rude with me." At this point I turn to my co-worker beside me and give him the look. [Um, I don't remember calling her any names or yelling or otherwise throwing a tantrum. I've been very calm and understanding up until this point.] "Ma'am, obviously there's been a miscommunication. But we're not being rude with you or upset, although now I'm beginning to become upset." Long story short, we talked with the head of our party, who spoke with the manager. Stephanie, the manager, gave permission for the alcohol to be moved into the bridal suite where there is a refrigerator. I then proceeded to move said liquor to the bridal suite. ---Fast forward 1 hour later--- Well the ceremony is done and it's a hot day. I'm headed over to the bridal suite to have a quick cocktail - not to leave the suite of course! - Only to find out that they had come back into the suite and...get this; STOLEN the liquor!!! No notice. No 'Hey, by the way, we needed to move the liquor in your suite for whatever lame excuse I can come up with.' NOTHING. I swear. It took everything I had at the end of the night not to throw a bottle through a plate glass window! The nerve of these people! I don't know how you could expect someone to have a decent experience when you treat your guests with such blatant disrespect!! So on the hospitality scale, I would give this place a -10. However, I'm sure that if you opt-in for the open bar then you'll have a good time. Provided no one in your party actually has to deal with the snooty-brat-turned-bartender; or has any civil misunderstanding with management. By the way, the view is fantastic! :)

    Shepherd Sanctuary - venues - Updated May 2026

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