The 10 best boutique hotels in Austin

Heywood Hotel is a 1925 bungalow outfitted with seven suites and marked by timeless interior touches like longleaf pine floors and cathedral ceilings mixed with modern locally-made furnishings such as handcrafted bed-frames and throw pillows designed by local artists. Each is bespoke — take, for example, the King Deluxe on the first floor with its warm red tones, decorative fireplace, wet bar with Instahot filtered water for hot tea or French press coffee (which is complimentary), and internet jukebox. The hotel also provides free bicycles to use as you wish, so why not cycle along East’s food strip or down to the trail at Ladybird Lake?

Located just a quick walk from the Capitol and the University of Texas at Austin, Hotel Ella is housed within the historic Goodall Wooten House, offering guests a secluded boutique getaway in the middle of the city. A wraparound porch and outdoor pool with cabanas allow visitors to enjoy sunny days at the hotel, while the inside bar and restaurant are a quiet oasis. Art lovers will appreciate the incorporation of pieces by Texas modern artists throughout the hotel.

The Domain may be known for its shops, restaurants, and apartments, but it's also home to Lone Star Court, a colorful boutique hotel that embraces the Austin and Hill Country vibe with outdoor fire pits, a dipping pool, and live music. This is Austin, after all. Retro furniture is complemented by modern amenities — think snack crates, rocking chairs, and fifties fridges alongside flat-panel TVs, USB charging ports, and luxe bath products. Outside, the Water Trough serves southern comforts, but you can also venture beyond the gates for a bunch of great food trucks.

This lil’ nugget is sixth street’s fabulous lil’ secret, tucked behind weekend brunch (and all-day dining) institution Verbena. Yes, Canopy may be in one of Austin’s busiest neighborhoods, but the off-road positioning provides for a respite, as well as offers excellent people-watching, street-facing. Pair this with convenience (ie. walking distance to downtown’s best attractions, restaurants, bars, and record stores) and you have here a premier boutique stay. Inside, the corners are layered with thoughtful local touches to emphasize quintessential central Texas. All 140 rooms and suites carry contemporary interiors, HDTVs, Nespresso machines, signature Canopy beds (that happen to be cooling memory foam), and bathrooms stocked with natural beauty bits. Our fave hangout on west sixth? The glimmering rooftop pool, with adjacent bar, lounge, cabanas, balcony setting, and of course, views galore. Canopy only opened in 2020, but it's already a downtown legend.

Dedicated to the patron saint of music and poetry, the Hotel Saint Cecilia is saturated with the spirit of rock and roll. Those wanting to do a quick vibe check on the venue could do worse than simply stepping inside the dark and stormy lounge (open to hotel guests and private members). Navy blue walls, beat-up leather and a hint of Parisian bistro all combine to make this the perfect location for tête-à-tête cocktails late into the night. Or, if sunny days are more your thing, prioritize time spent poolside admiring the surrounding vintage bungalows. Other pluses? Great food, guys.

As one of Domain's newer hotels, the Archer excels at exceptional service, offering handmade salted caramels to newly checked-in guests and a nightly turndown service with local treats. If that hasn't persuaded you yet, consider the hotel's other amenities: an outdoor pool and fitness center, a neighboring day spa, and a Second Bar + Kitchen on-site. It also offers rental bikes if you want to explore the Domain or catch a game at the Q2 stadium. Trust us, game days are not a good time to be driving.

If hipsters hail from East Austin, then ARRIVE is their shining temple. The glassy structure is an architectural beauty with equally hotshot interiors making it our top boutique stay. Enter a buzzing communal space that encompasses a lobby (hello, locally brewed beer or canned cocktail upon arrival), award-winning Goan-Texan restaurant, Vixen’s Wedding (the soft naan is addictive), bar, coffee, and barbershop. Then, key fob your way up to one of 83 minimalist-chic rooms, paletted in oak and pine shades and popped with collages by Austin-based artist Sarah Presson. Each room comes with Apple TV, Marshall Bluetooth speakers, and a mini-fridge, and the bathroom is a compact pamper station stocked with Turkish towels and bath products from Dallas darling Niven Morgan. ARRIVE is dog-friendly too, but if you do not travel with your furry friend, then y'all can still get your dog fix of Eastside passers-by and their pooches.

We were going to start off by describing the interior style of Hotel ZaZa. But in all honesty, this Pandora’s box of a hotel has so many different internal aesthetics going on, its hard to land on one. Will you, for example, book the Orient Express suite and go high-shine vintage glam? Or the Backstage Pass suite for rock star kicks? How about the Seaside suite for calming pastel stripes and seashell artworks? Whatever you choose, we reckon you’ll have a total blast at this Downtown landmark.

Built from the ground up in 2008, this seven-roomer hidden behind South Congress Ave is one of the city’s best-kept hotel secrets. The illusion of seclusion comes thanks to the hillside design — the unassuming front façade shields a stunning water feature shaded by a one-hundred-year-old live oak tree. Rooms are adorned with paintings from nationally lauded local artists (one lives just two blocks away) and Eames chairs, plus the full line of Malin + Goetz bath products are on-hand for freshening up.

The Second Street District is ideal if you want a downtown location with all the action minus the noise. Austin Proper’s ground level The Peacock Mediterranian Grill is always dotted with a fashionable crowd mingling in the garden by the cacti and firepits, and upstairs La Piscina hosts some of the city’s most exciting pool parties. The rooms are sound-proofed though, meaning your rest is never compromised. Kelly Wearstler is responsible for their Zen interiors, as well as the comfy grey robes (a collab with Parachute Home) from which to take in the floor-to-ceiling views. Guests also have access to their huge wellness center, which hosts HIIT and yoga classes.