Where to Stay in Austin Right Now
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The Texan capital is a city of contrasts—ones that have only grown starker over the years. Sure, it’s a town filled with decades-old barbecue haunts and raucous honky-tonks, but it’s also a future-looking tech hub with a gleaming (and ever-growing) modern skyline.
Increasingly, Austin’s hotel scene is a reflection of that duality. Luxury brands like Four Seasons and Fairmont offer big-city style, while indie accommodations—complete with trendy decor, bars and pools—dot neighborhoods like South Congress Avenue. And adding a dose of Southern charm (this is Texas, after all) are spots like Lake Austin Spa Resort, with its cottages and bungalows on the water. Of course, despite this push toward polished luxury, there are more than enough opportunities to “keep it weird,” no matter where you choose to stay.
Four Seasons Hotel Austin
Downtown
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At this downtown hotel overlooking Lady Bird Lake, the 286 rooms and suites have that understated elegance you’ve come to expect from the Four Seasons brand. But common spaces hew more closely to the city’s fun-loving ethos: There’s a saltwater pool that’s best enjoyed with a margarita in hand, a garden with lawn games, a 10-mile hike and bike trail on your doorstep and the A-Tea-X afternoon tea service, which puts a Texan spin on the British tradition. And Four Seasons will help you feel like an insider around town, with experiences like a bespoke fitting at Allens Boots or a behind-the-scenes tour at ACL Live at The Moody Theater.
Fairmont Austin
Downtown
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Occupying a gleaming tower downtown, the 37-story, 1,048-room Fairmont is a surprisingly tranquil retreat, despite its massive size and proximity to the city’s rowdy bars and clubs. The seventh-floor outdoor pool invites sunbathing under rows of palm trees, while the spa continues the escapism theme with saltwater soaking pools, steam grottoes and European saunas. Be sure to save room for a meal at the highly recommended Garrison, where Gulf seafood and ranch-raised beef are cooked over a post oak–fired grill, and pair your meal with Garrison Brothers bourbon, distilled not far from here in Hill Country.
Thompson Austin, by Hyatt
Downtown
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There’s a subtle rock star coolness to the 229 rooms and suites at this design-forward Hyatt hotel, thanks to green leather headboards, concrete walls and minimalist light fixtures that look like unadorned tube lights. Part of a sustainable development downtown, the Thompson is home to Arriba Abajo, a poolside cantina that offers an exclusive mezcal omakase dinner on Thursday nights, and Fifth Street Diner, which serves Texified retro classics like smoked-brisket hash and salsa macha–topped breakfast sandos. The hotel hosts live music and comedy shows, but if you want to get off campus, you can also book a guided breakfast-taco tour, a small-group city walk or a weekend live-music crawl that stops at a trio of venues.
Austin Proper Hotel
Downtown
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There may be no more stylish hotel in Austin than this outpost of the California-born Proper Hospitality mini-chain. Eclectic interiors borrow liberally from different influences: a sculptural oak staircase with a patchwork of vintage rugs, wall coverings from the Arts & Crafts movement, a self-playing piano, cypress cladding that’s been charred using the Japanese yakisugi method. The unique patterns and textures continue up in the 238 earth-toned rooms and suites, which feel like the kind of space where you could imagine a 1970s rocker sitting on the bed and noodling around on her guitar. Among the stellar bars and restaurants (The Peacock Mediterranean Grill for Levantine fare, La Piscina for poolside Mexican snacks, Goldie’s Sunken Bar for afternoon tea), the coolest might be The Quill Room, where live music pairs with Texas-themed bar bites like Gulf snapper crudo and bacon-wrapped Texas quail.
Hotel Van Zandt
Rainey Street Historic District
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Music runs through the veins of this cool retreat in the heart of the Rainey Street Historic District, where renovated bungalows house bars and live music venues. Upon entering the 319-room hotel, you’ll be greeted by enormous light fixtures inspired by brass instruments and a flock of birds made from vinyl records. Certain suites even have amenities like record players and vintage upright pianos. The coolest spot in the house is Geraldine’s, a restaurant with a stage named for a beloved guinea fowl who used to roam the neighborhood; the venue hosts live music seven nights a week, plus weekend jazz brunches.
Hotel Magdalena
South Congress Avenue
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Across the river from downtown, South Congress Avenue offers a more hip and independent-minded vibe, and the Magdalena—North America’s first mass-timber boutique hotel (meaning it was built primarily with eco-friendly wood)—fits right in. The laid-back rooms feature bathrooms with boldly colored tiles, striped kimono-style robes and black-and-white prints from a local music photographer. Outside, there’s a pool inspired by nearby Barton Springs, surrounded by such native Texas species as yaupon holly and bigtooth maple. Indoors, you’ll find the Japanese-inspired Equipment Room, a hi-fi vinyl listening bar, and the restaurant Summer House on Music Lane, which hosts a monthly CBD-infused High Tea service.
Lake Austin Spa Resort
Lakeland Park
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Set on the shores of Lake Austin on the western edge of town, this destination wellness resort comprises 40 cottages and bungalows that exude Hill Country charm, from their botanical wallpaper and bedding to their signature lavender bath amenities. All-inclusive pricing means unlimited access to the spa, pools, sauna, steam room and hot tubs, as well as paddleboards, kayaks and hydrobikes for when you want to go out and explore. There’s also a robust lineup of on-site activities, including everything from guided hikes and yoga sessions to art workshops and cocktail tastings.
W Austin
Downtown
Recently reopened after a top-to-bottom renovation, W Austin is a hotel made for extroverts, with public spaces where you’ll want to while away hours among visitors and locals, including a stylish café serving locally roasted coffee, a reservations-only cocktail lounge and a lobby bar with live DJs on the weekends. Guest rooms feature bold green walls that call to mind the nature of nearby Texas Hill Country, plus jewel-toned banquettes, Marshall speakers, Frette robes and artwork by a legendary photographer. Away Spa is an ideal place to come back to life the morning after a late night out on the town.
The Loren
Zilker
Located on the southern shore of Lady Bird Lake, The Loren is blessed with some of the best views in the city. The rooftop restaurant Nido, in particular, offers a front-row panorama of the skyline across the water. Surrounded by parks, the hotel is designed to feel like a greenhouse, and plants take pride of place here: They can be found growing out of a living wall near reception, reflected back in the robust art collection and even inspiring the grass-green carpet in guest rooms. But the hotel’s most impressive element can be found outside on the grounds: Paggi House is a restored brick house that pre-dates the Civil War and now serves as a gallery and events space.
Booking With Chase Travel
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Lead photo courtesy of The Loren.
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