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Almost all of the major hotel chains can be found in Austin downtown, and like most cities, they all vary in their quality of service and price. Perhaps the most historic hotel is the Driskill. More upscale hotels downtown include the Four Seasons, and W. As of this writing, plans for a Fairmont Austin are underway. Boutique hotels have surged in Austin as well. Among the most popular are the San Jose Hotel, Hotel Saint Cecilia, and Heywood.
There are plenty of properties citywide that average no more than 15 miles from city center. Almost all of them are conveniently located near shopping and restaurants.
If you're looking for quality pampering time, several resort spas are less than an hour away from town.
Festivals, conventions and university events can pack the city during the peak months, or during legislative sessions (held in odd-numbered years) so planning ahead is recommended. If you're staying downtown, the likelihood that you'll need a car is slim.
In the heart of the historic Hyde Park, this two-story, colonial revival-style home is convenient for a variety of restaurants and gathering places. Interiors are attractive and historic, with original pine floors and antique furnishings. The spacious Adams Suite is the most requested room, featuring a private sun porch. A separate bungalow offers a little more privacy (albeit less historical charm).
One of Austin’s most impressive 1880s Victorian homes provides an excellent base for travelers just west of downtown. It’s a historic and quiet neighborhood, just a short drive from nearby hubs like downtown's Whole Foods and West Sixth Street's bars. Interiors are exceptionally well restored, featuring hardwood floors, bay windows, and high ceilings. The two-room Fitzgerald suite is a guest favorite. Breakfasts are served buffet-style, with a wider range of dishes on weekends. Several local restaurants, shops, and a neighborhood park in Clarksville are within walking distance.
This boutique hotel debuted amidst the rapidly gentrifying strip of East Cesar Chavez, and the neighborhood has continued to flourish around the restored 1920s bungalow, elevating its desirable indie locale. The exterior, with a front porch and hanging basket chairs, is quaintly retro, and interiors are sleek and sophisticated, with mid-century modern style and historic accents, like original long-leaf pine floors. Seven rooms, each slightly different, are split between the original bungalow and the second floor of an adjacent building, accessed by a communal courtyard. Popular shops and restaurants and the hive of East Sixth bars are within walking distance. You can also explore with complimentary bicycles. Full-property group rentals are available.
A stunning, design-lover's dream, this boutique hotel is tucked one block off South Congress Avenue and boasts the dual appeal of an exclusive, private escape and direct access to an urban neighborhood. The virtual concierge and keyless entry (guests use personalized pin codes) make check-in a thing of the past, and the award-winning design, from Eames-laden interiors to an open-air courtyard centered around a massive live oak tree, is equally modern. Built-in perks, like self-serve gourmet breakfasts and automated coffee machines spouting specialty drinks at the touch of a button, feel downright futuristic.
A charming bastion of historic hospitality sits just off UT campus, amid the otherwise lackluster surroundings of student apartments and frat houses. The B&B operates two guesthouses on neighboring lots, but we recommend the original two-story Victorian house with wraparound porches. All rooms, furnished with antiques and vintage elements, have the same amenities and private bathrooms; most with tubs. Breakfasts, served either buffet-style or made-to-order, are delicious and the staff doubles as a knowledge resource for restaurant recommendations or directions to nearby attractions, like Pease Park or the Capitol. Downtown is a short drive away.
