This ATX skyline icon is the place to be during big sports games and festivals—it’s often an official sponsor for such events so fans can enjoy a connected experience right on-site. But that’s not all that makes Fairmont Austin a magnet for visitors and locals alike. It’s home to acclaimed grill Garrison, helmed by Jakub Czyszczon; rooftop lounge, Rules & Regs, which hosts drag brunch extravaganzas during Pride and beyond; and Italian/Asian (yes, combined) eaterie, Revue. The spa is one of the most beautiful downtown, boasting nine treatment rooms, solariums, a saline soaking pool, eucalyptus steam grottos, and dry heat saunas. The 37-story hotel has 1,048 guest rooms and suites, including the exclusive Fairmont Gold boudoirs for the ultimate VIP upgrade. All boast shiny floor-to-ceiling windows, Nespresso machines, Stearns & Foster pillow-top mattresses and lush Le Labo bath amenities. Easily the best stay downtown, if not the whole of Austin.
Though some might argue otherwise, downtown Austin really is where all the best attractions, restaurants and hotels are at. It’s where tourists wander the State Capitol, where the bats emerge from Congress Avenue Bridge, and where bachelors and bachelorettes go wild on Dirty Sixth. Sure, East is hipster, North has better Asian food and South has all the parks, but being central means you’re simultaneously close to them all. Depending on where you’re at, you can even walk to the other neighborhoods (maybe not between June and September). It’s no wonder downtown boasts the highest concentration of hotels, from luxury to business to budget—all conveniently located so that you can dart in and out of SXSW or ACL events, bar hop, or window-shop with minimal effort or rideshare expense. Here’s where to check in and keep things central in Austin.
RECOMMENDED: The best spa hotels and resorts in Austin