21 Best Hotels in Austin, Texas

What used to be a fading 1938 motor court is now a revamped, quintessentially Austin motel that sits pretty in the heart of South Congress’s stretch of trendy restaurants and shops. It's a favorite with hipsters, artists, and LBGTQ+-friendly folk, who hang by the kidney-shape pool, where live music and special dance and aerobic classes are hosted regularly. Funky, throwback rooms are expertly outfitted with retro decor and kitschy accoutrements, like the signature Bunkhouse kimono robes in every bathroom. The staff, made up of laid-back locals, aims to please.

Tucked away just south of Lady Bird Lake, this recent addition to the local Bunkhouse Hospitality group comes with a hip vibe that attracts some of the city's chicest travelers. Each room boasts a small terrace, some overlooking the pool and lounge area where live music and various special events are hosted every week. Carpenter's Hall, the full-service café, offers everything from espresso and breakfast tacos on-the-go to a great lunch, dinner, and cocktail menu. The grounds are immaculately manicured, the on-site pool is lovely, and Barton Springs and Zilker are a short walk away.

Built in 1886 and impeccably restored, The Driskill represents a time when people mingled in grandiose settings and continues to epitomize old-world Texas luxury. Each room—decorated with old photos, vintage curios, and refurbished antiques—is unique, so specific requests should be made when reserving. Standard rooms are cramped, but corner rooms showcase nice city views. Reasonably priced suites provide spacious living areas and private balconies that are worth the splurge (try to reserve the LBJ Suite). The 1886 Café & Bakery is worth a visit, as is the elegant bar, which attracts business travelers and savvy downtown revelers with its live music and happy hour.

Saint Cecilia goes beyond anything you'd expect in an eclectic, decidedly Austin accommodation, from the art deco–style bar to the neon lights that read "S-O-U-L" shining above the heated outdoor pool. No two rooms are alike on the swanky, highly exclusive South Congress estate, from contemporary poolside bungalows to suites in the historic Victorian main building, though each reflects an extravagant, vintage-inspired style in a rock-and-roll meets turn-of-the-20th-century France motif. All have luxurious Hästens beds, refinished antiques, and unconventional artwork ranging from Keith Richards portraits to vintage Cuban movie posters. An on-site café has an all-day menu.

This hip, bungalow-style boutique hotel, located in the midst of South Congress Avenue, features a modern, minimalist style, adorned with balconies, patios, and tropical vegetation. Rooms cater to the young and happening, with concrete floors, flat-screen TVs, locally stocked minibars, and spartan, artist-driven interior design, like pine furniture created by artisans from Marfa, Texas. The pool is small but picturesque, and the bamboo-shrouded courtyard lounge serves bar snacks, beer, wine, and popular cocktails, like their signature champassions (champagne and passionfruit juice with raspberries). Jo's Coffee occupies the same lot, and several first-rate eateries and shops are a short stroll away.

One of the best-managed hotels in the city, the all-suites DoubleTree has a staff that anticipates your every need. Business travelers, sports teams, and families frequent the downtown high-rise. The Capitol—visible from many of the rooms, spectacularly so from upper-story balconies—is only a short walk away. Most of the classically decorated suites have one bedroom and a large, separate living area (with fold-out couch); some have two bedrooms, two baths, and three TVs. Each has a small kitchen with a full-size refrigerator, microwave, and dishwasher. The on-site 15th Street Café serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

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.

Location is everything at this central hotel, just south of Lady Bird Lake and the surrounding hike-and-bike trail, four blocks from the Convention Center, and within walking distance of most South Congress restaurants and attractions. Rooms overlook a centralized, interior atrium lobby, which can get noisy on weekends. The standard two-room suites are surprisingly spacious, with two TVs, microwave, and mini-refrigerator. Rates include a breakfast buffet and evening happy hour with cocktails and snacks. There is a small indoor pool and fitness room.

You get what you pay for in superior service and amenities at this elegant hotel on beautifully manicured grounds overlooking Lady Bird Lake. Rooms are average in size, but stylish—beds have goose-down pillows, L’Occitane bath products are provided, and iPhone docking stations are standard. Some rooms have small balconies, and upper-floor units enjoy impressive views, either of the lake or downtown Austin. Extras include a lending library of Texas literature and an outstanding on-site restaurant, Ciclo, which attracts discerning locals in addition to guests. The hotel has an attractive outdoor saltwater pool, indoor pool, and whirlpool, as well as a fitness center and full spa.

This 31-story hotel rises over one of downtown's quieter blocks, next to the historic Brush Square Park, but the Hilton is defined by its direct proximity to the Austin Convention Center. Fully equipped with meeting rooms, two restaurants, coffee shop, and business center, this is the conventioneers' hostelry. Standard rooms have two full beds or one king and a leather loveseat. The entire eighth floor is a 16,000-square-foot health club with an outdoor saltwater pool, steam room and sauna, and state-of-the-art gym with views of UT's stadium. The on-site Cannon + Belle restaurant, plus the casual Austin Taco Project, are both excellent eateries.

Convenience is the specialty of the only hotel on the grounds of the Austin–Bergstrom International Airport. The donut-shape building, originally built in the 1960s as a U.S. Air Force base, features a central atrium, with a dome soaring above three balconied floors and limestone pillars surrounding a lounge area and restaurant. Rooms overlook either the atrium or the outdoor pool. A 24-hour business center near the front desk allows guests to print airline boarding passes before checkout. Free shuttles run to and from airport terminals.

On the shores of Lady Bird Lake in between the Congress and South First Street Bridges, this hotel provides great views and convenient downtown access thanks to its prime location. The huge, skylit lobby opens into a central atrium rising 17 stories. Request a high-floor room to ensure views of Lady Bird Lake and Austin’s skyline. Business meetings, wedding parties, and seasonal events at the nearby Auditorium Shores keep this location busy (and loud) year-round.

The expansive Domain shopping district is known for its high-end retail and upscale dining, so it’s refreshing that the area has this boutique hotel, inspired by retro motor courts, that's more affordable and approachable than its competitors. Centered on an outdoor pool and courtyard, rooms feature trendy “retro-ranch” interiors, with stylish throwbacks like full-size Smeg refrigerators alongside Lone Star accents such as sliding barn doors to the bathroom. An on-site food truck offers an all-day menu, and the Watering Trough bar and café provides daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner service, plus live music is hosted regularly.

This 89-room boutique hotel, strategically tucked away on Music Lane, feels a world away from the immediately adjacent South Congress Avenue, thanks to its brilliant architectural and landscape design that highlights intuitive privacy and proximity to nature. Four buildings, interconnected by elevated walkways and courtyards surrounding a lovely outdoor pool and lounge, compose this treehouse-esque complex that boasts views (from certain rooms), plush beds and amenities, and access to the excellent on-site Summer House restaurant.

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.

This boutique hotel boasts posh accommodations, a rooftop pool, three on-site restaurants, a coffee shop, a lobby bar, and street-level retail shops that add to the charms of its South Congress address. It's a beloved gathering space for locals just as much as for out-of-towners, with a wide range of special events, weddings, pop-up markets, and other themed parties hosted in their various communal spaces on most weekends.

Locally known as the “Stephen F.,” this 1924 hotel relies on its landmark location on Congress Avenue, next door to the equally historic Paramount Theatre, to maintain its downtown appeal. But the "four star" standards of its glory days have reportedly been left in the past. Rooms are bland and in strong need of updating. It's still convenient for downtown theatergoers, and the hotel bar's popular terrace overlooks Congress Avenue and the Capitol.

Located next to Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater, Austin’s W Hotel is one of the city's busiest places to see-and-be-seen. The Second Street property, encompassing a full city block, is the first mixed-use occupancy building of its type in the world to be LEED-certified. Rooms are contemporary yet inviting. The lobby features a variety of hip hangout spots, from the Records Room to the in-house W restaurant featuring a seasonal all-day menu. The Wet Deck outdoor pool lounge swells with beautiful people on weekends, and the AWAY Spa provides a relaxing oasis the otherwise crowded property.

This Westin location in the Domain shopping district offers the dependability of an established brand with a slightly more sophisticated sheen. The lobby and main floor lounges are light-filled and modern and usually bustling with business travelers and happy-hour crowds of Domain shoppers, who frequent the gourmet on-site restaurant, Urban, which is extremely satisfying, albeit pricey. Rooms and suites are spacious, with comfy beds complete with pillowtop mattresses and down pillows.