CHUCK & MIKELYN WUSTMAN: THE BIRD & BUTTERFLY INN
Chuck Wustman and his wife Mikelyn Martin-Wustman are owners and innkeepers of The Bird & Butterfly Inn in Jasper, Texas. They are regular Big Blend Radio guests regarding food and wine, Texas Travel, and more. Listen to their interview that gives an overview of the bed & breakfast and shares their backstory on becoming innkeepers. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the episode on Podbean.
The Bird & Butterfly Inn came to life in 2022, but it began in 2010 as La Paz Bed and Breakfast. Anne and Paul Smith purchased eight acres on the Angelina River in 2000, began construction on what is commonly referred to as “the big house” in 2009, and opened as La Paz in 2010. They owned and managed the property until Anne’s passing in late 2020.
The Bird & Butterfly Inn came to life in 2022, but it began in 2010 as La Paz Bed and Breakfast. Anne and Paul Smith purchased eight acres on the Angelina River in 2000, began construction on what is commonly referred to as “the big house” in 2009, and opened as La Paz in 2010. They owned and managed the property until Anne’s passing in late 2020.
Fast forward to 2022 and Mikelyn found the listing when she and Chuck were looking for an investment property. The primary listing photo was certainly eye-catching, and it was nearly impossible not to click to see the rest of the photos:
The property wasn’t listed as a B&B so she thought it was just an interesting home. It was Chuck who figured out it was a bed and breakfast, by expanding one of the listing photos. In front of the dining room was a stand-up sign; Chuck expanded the picture to discover it read, “Welcome to La Paz – breakfast at 8:30.” He then says to Mikelyn, “This is a bed and breakfast! This is income producing – we could buy this!” And so they did, a decision made even easier by the fact that Paul was selling the property with all the furnishings included.
The property had four guest rooms, of which two were standalone buildings; the 1901 Cabin and The Little White House. They converted the upstairs game room (previously mostly reserved for Anne and Paul’s grandkids) to be a fifth bed and bath suite that ultimately became their bedroom, and subsequently converted the spacious master suite to become the fifth guestroom.
Each of the five guest spaces has a private bath, and the two downstairs rooms in the main house both feature king beds, and baths with a separate soaking tub and walk-in shower. The Pullman Car Room upstairs is maybe the most unique room, with four built-in sleeping berths and a bathroom covered in vintage mirrors.
With eight wooded acres, a 10-foot wide wraparound porch and a thousand feet of Angelina River frontage, there are plenty of outside spaces for guests to enjoy, including a few walking trails on the property. Guests are also encouraged to take morning coffee on the river view deck, a new space they added that is a stunning place to start your morning. The view from the front porch is pretty great, too.
The property is located between the Angelina and Sabine National Forests, is a five-minute drive from Lake Sam Rayburn (the largest lake in Texas at 114,000 acres) and is 25 minutes from Martin Dies, Jr. State Park so it’s a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Anglers, birdwatchers, hikers, and kayakers all find easy access to their activities, and comfortable and well-appointed rooms to return to after a long day of exploring.
Mikelyn & Chuck didn’t plan on being the innkeepers – Chuck is a former CPA, and Mikelyn ran an accounting consultancy. The plan was to make a few improvements (new decks outside, convert a large upstairs closet to be a half-bath and upstairs laundry) and then hire an innkeeper. They were warned by their consultant that because they’re not in a tourism hotspot like Vermont or the east coast that finding someone would take them a little longer. Despite some good prospects, there was no one who felt “right” and in the end Chuck thought they should be the innkeepers, for at least the first year. That was November 2022, and they’re still at it with no signs of slowing down.
The property is also home to their CMO Mimi, the Chief Meow Officer. “Meemers” is a guest favorite (she’s mentioned in the guest memory books almost as much as guests comment on breakfast!) and she’s a very typical calico cat – talkative, quirky and fun.
In 2024, the property was noted by AAA as a “Top Romantic Texas Destination,” and made the list as one of “TripAdvisor’s 15 highest rated Texas luxury hotels.” Not bad for a couple of accountants!
It’s never far from their minds that this property was the dream of Anne Smith and as they undertook each project, it was always in the hope that Anne would have approved. After they closed on the sale in May 2022, Paul actually stayed on the property until August 2022, and was encouraging and enthusiastic about the projects. He particularly liked the new wedding and viewing decks, he loved the new water feature in the front yard, and thinks the outdoor kitchen (completed Oct 2023) was a great addition. Mikelyn and Chuck have fortunate to have had a number of La Paz guests returning to explore the “new” property and they feel one of the nicest compliments they’ve had is from one of those guests who said, “Thank you for all you did, and all you didn’t do.” In the end, they wound up with an even more spectacular and stunning property.
The Bird & Butterfly Inn is located at 850 County Road 051, Jasper TX 75951. For more information or to make reservations,
call (409) 383-1301 or visit https://thebirdandbutterflyinn.com
