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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.
This charming Hilton outpost is tucked just off the snarl of I–35 and transports guests with its surprisingly convincing Spanish colonial aesthetic. Huge, arched windows in the lobby open onto an artfully landscaped and terraced courtyard, with pool and hot tub enclosed by six floors of arched walkways. Rooms are standard Hilton clean, spacious, and decorated with high-quality gold-and-cream fabrics, linens, and carpets. Bathrooms are large, with granite sinks.
The East Austin Hotel provides another incredible access point to the burgeoning East Sixth Street district, teeming with delicious local restaurants, hip boutiques, and live music venues. Some of the 75 rooms have shared bathrooms for budget travelers, while others provide private, well-appointed rooms overlook the pool. The pool area hosts live music and parties on select weekends. The on-site restaurant, along with the rooftop and poolside bars, offers diverse menus throughout the day.
Native plants and old-growth trees surround this environmentally friendly lodging that feels more like an apartment complex than a budget hotel. A member of the Green Hotels Association, it's won a number of awards for sustainability. The outdoor pool, surrounded by landscaped greenery, is sanitized with a bleach-free salt generator, solar panels are affixed to the roof, and the breakfast buffet features organic, macrobiotic selections. Suites are roomy one-bedroom apartments with full kitchens; most have fireplaces.
Set back from the roar of I–35, this handsome five-floor hotel (formerly a Hyatt Hotel) is a step up from your usual off-ramp inn. The lobby has a convenient 24/7 café menu and grab-and-go market, serving Starbucks drinks, sandwiches, and beer and wine most of the day. Hot breakfasts are complimentary, with updated items like garden vegetable and egg-white skillet sandwiches. Spacious rooms have contemporary accents like screens separating the lounge area from the bedroom; all have pull-out sofas. The 42-inch flat-screen TVs have ports for laptops and swivel to allow for viewing in different rooms. Decent restaurants are nearby, but most of the city’s best spots are a drive away.
For no-frills, reasonably priced lodging close to downtown, you could do worse than this basic two-story brick motel located just east of the northbound I–35 access road. There's an outdoor pool and decent views of downtown from the second floor. Rooms come with clean, hardwood floors, but the furniture is outdated and the beds fairly shabby, but for these prices it's hard to complain. An employee cautions to beware of "party people," so ask for a quieter room, away from highway noise, especially during UT home games and citywide festivals like SXSW. Breakfast is free but nothing special, with the exception of Texas-shape waffles. Franklin Barbecue is a short walk away.
