John Anderson
There's no need to tell you how breathtakingly monumental the Texas State Capitol is because you already know that. What you might not know, is that on top of the dome stands a 15-foot, 7-1/2-inch tall woman called the Goddess of Liberty. Perhaps you know her by her street name, Old Lady? Besides the fact that the original 3,000-pound zinc version of her was placed atop the dome in 1888, she's nothing like an old lady. In fact, if you see her face up-close (at the Bullock Texas State History Museum a few blocks to the north), she bears an odd resemblance to a stone-faced Christopher Walken. With a sword in her right hand and a star in her left, the Goddess is basically the baddest aluminum bitch on this side of the Mississippi. Not to mention that thanks to her, the Texas Capitol stands taller than the U.S. Capitol, and that's just one more reason to love it.
Texas State Capitol
1100 Congress
512/305-8400
www.tspb.state.tx.us
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When you want to see, truly see, what makes our city so special, this is the definitive place to go. Our ever-changing Downtown skyline frames the Auditorium Shores landscape, and the brightest mirror of the city, Lady Bird Lake, shines gloriously in the middle of it all. Perch on the city terrace, soak it all in, and thank the bright Texas stars above that you call this place home.
Long Center for the Performing Arts
701 W. Riverside
512/474-5664
thelongcenter.org
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John Anderson
There's no need to tell you how breathtakingly monumental the Texas State Capitol is because you already know that. What you might not know, is that on top of the dome stands a 15-foot, 7-1/2-inch tall woman called the Goddess of Liberty. Perhaps you know her by her street name, Old Lady? Besides the fact that the original 3,000-pound zinc version of her was placed atop the dome in 1888, she's nothing like an old lady. In fact, if you see her face up-close (at the Bullock Texas State History Museum a few blocks to the north), she bears an odd resemblance to a stone-faced Christopher Walken. With a sword in her right hand and a star in her left, the Goddess is basically the baddest aluminum bitch on this side of the Mississippi. Not to mention that thanks to her, the Texas Capitol stands taller than the U.S. Capitol, and that's just one more reason to love it.
Texas State Capitol
1100 Congress
512/305-8400
www.tspb.state.tx.us
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Austin's epoch of maximum minimalism, the Hotel San José continues to set the bar in local lodging. People forget how unaccommodating the landscape was before Liz Lambert put her pomo boho SoCo paws all up in it. The Lambie empire now stretches to Marfa, San Antonio, and back (fame and fortune is a magnet, after all). But no matter the number of little chunky red pieces on the game board, the noble San José remains the flagship in her hotelopoly. Each room here is gloriously spartan, with feet-deep mattresses wrapped like tight little sushis in plain, luxurious white cotton and accented in Jaipuri playfulness. Reclaimed wood, simple accent chairs, and modest desk lamps round out an aesthetic that's as calming as it's been influential. Here it is, Austin, your moment of Zen.
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Austin's epoch of maximum minimalism, the Hotel San José continues to set the bar in local lodging. People forget how unaccommodating the landscape was before Liz Lambert put her pomo boho SoCo paws all up in it. The Lambie empire now stretches to Marfa, San Antonio, and back (fame and fortune is a magnet, after all). But no matter the number of little chunky red pieces on the game board, the noble San José remains the flagship in her hotelopoly. Each room here is gloriously spartan, with feet-deep mattresses wrapped like tight little sushis in plain, luxurious white cotton and accented in Jaipuri playfulness. Reclaimed wood, simple accent chairs, and modest desk lamps round out an aesthetic that's as calming as it's been influential. Here it is, Austin, your moment of Zen.
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Austin Motel’s delightfully suggestive sign may serve as the unofficial gateway to South Congress, but it has so much more to offer visitors. An institution since 1938, it showcases the perfect mix of historic charm and local quirk, making it the go-to place for visitors who want an authentic taste of the city. Glimpses of classic Austin are fading fast, but Austin Motel – which rightly calls itself “modernized but not commercialized” – remains true to its roots.
Austin Motel
1220 S. Congress
512/441-1157
www.austinmotel.com
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They’ve seen fire, and they’ve seen rain. They’ve seen the kind of drought we thought would never end. But Austinites know we’ll always see Oasis sunsets again. Since 1979, folks have headed to the cliffside spot to glimpse the beautiful orb as it tucks behind the lake for the night. It’s the biggest outdoor restaurant in Texas, so there’s room for you, too.
The Oasis
6550 Comanche Trl.
512/266-2442
oasis-austin.com
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The bathrooms at the W and the Driskill Hotel couldn't be more different, but they share the fact that they are the best, according to the crossed legs of our readers. The W bathrooms are modern, chic, and geometric, and, unlike the johns in their hotel rooms, do have doors. The bathrooms at the Driskill are luxurious, rustic, classical, and popular for their spacious separate stall rooms. Thanks to these palatial potty places, Austinites get to pee not only in style but in peace.
The Driskill Hotel
604 Brazos
512/439-1234
driskillhotel.com
W Hotel
200 Lavaca
512/542-3600
www.whotelaustin.com
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Shelley Hiam
John Anderson
"Cat Puns Freak Meowt," "World Cup Austin, Free Enchiladas for FIFA Executives," and "Frankly, Autocorrect, I'm Getting Tired of Your Shirt," are just a few of the dispatches issued from El Arroyo (Spanish for The Arroyo) out toward passing traffic on West Fifth. Think Mark Twain with a margarita, and you, like so many bumper-to-bumper vehicles, are mostly there.
El Arroyo
1624 W. Fifth
512/474-1222
www.elarroyo.com
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It's the bauble of Austin's skyline that puts Gotham's Wayne Tower to shame. At 33 floors and 245,000 square feet of glass, Frost Bank looms as beautiful as it is brutal. The crown's folded panes recall a blooming lotus flower, and the exterior lighting has won industry awards. It's also home for businesses, a coffee shop, restaurants, a dry cleaner, and a 30-foot cedar tree on the top.
Frost Bank Tower
401 Congress
512/473-4343
www.frostbank.com
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John Anderson
Who is Zelda? She's the neighborhood hen that sometimes pops by the Heywood Hotel, but don't let that eggcentricity lead you to think that this bundle of boudoirs (seven total) is one of those anything-goes/roast-a-goat-in-your-room pleasure palaces. Sure, there's pleasure to be had, but it comes from the concerted efforts of the folks at the Heywood who foster a sense of calm and quietude in the midst of a churning East Cesar Chavez. A feat. A dream.
Heywood Hotel
1609 E. Cesar Chavez
512/271-5522
www.heywoodhotel.com
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Arguably one of the city's most revered figures, SRV has reclaimed his reigning title set in stone (bronze, actually) for two years in a row. Sorry, Willie, there's always next year. And we have this statue to thank for one of the rare moments of levity during this year's floods – seeing el Vaughan with his No. 1 walk on water in a number of viral photographs was only confirmation of his glory (and how high the waters had risen).
Stevie Ray Vaughan Statue
www.austintexas.gov
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Jana Birchum
For the goth kid who grew into a stylish, black-on-black wearing adult, Blackmail’s window displays can make the heart stop. Once bitten, twice in love, the boutique’s noir style evokes something both brooding and beautiful. Like the Paris of Anne Rice, or the rumbling rhythm behind a Siouxsie & the Banshees song, Blackmail’s storefront simultaneously frightens and invites SoCo shoppers to fall into the dark side.
Blackmail
1202 S. Congress
512/804-5881
www.blackmailboutique.com
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Just to the right of the check-in desk is Firehouse Hostel's famous sliding bookcase, which opens into a bar that riffs off of its speakeasy-style entrance. Dapper gents and fancy ladies sip the sweet nectar (no snake-oil here, boys), and then scurry up to their affordable lodgings to … continue the night's festivities.
Firehouse Hostel
605 Brazos
512/201-2522
www.firehousehostel.com
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It might be the heyday of the sharing economy and boutique hotels, but true B&Bs still rule when it comes to homey friendliness. A lovingly restored Colonial Revival tucked into the heart of Hyde Park, Adams House offers the luxurious, roomy digs of a country home in a walkable, central urban neighborhood; Duval’s restaurant row, groceries, and the flag store are all steps away, and it’s conveniently located for car and bus travel, too. Your other, practically perennial fave – Austin Folk House, so named for the rich display of outsider art in its hallway – is joined by its two-building sister space, Star of Texas Inn, this year. All three are located in the slightly more bustling West Campus area/central city, but they carve out calm and beautiful spaces of warmth and respite within.
Adams House Bed & Breakfast
4300 Ave. G
512/453-7696
www.theadamshouse.com
Austin Folk House
506 W. 22nd
512/472-6700
www.austinfolkhouse.com
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Colonel Jesse Driskill may have been a wee bit overambitious building a four-star hotel in Austin, which, despite having been the state's capital for 47 years, was still a backwater cattle town in 1886. Nevertheless, we owe him a debt today, having praised the building's architecture, its food, its cocktails, and even its ghosts ever since. It's not surprising, then, that this magnificent edifice's no-holds-barred luxury water loo, too, should still come out on top. Rich wood, stained glass, chandeliers, and modern fixtures lend a certain splendor when popping one's squat.
The Driskill Hotel
604 Brazos
512/439-1234
driskillhotel.com
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Austin is the fastest growing city in the U.S., so having any view of the Live Music Capital of the World® from your home will cost you a pretty penny (and probably your firstborn). But thanks to the civic-mindedness and grand, aesthetic foresight of this mesmerizing performance venue, we have one spectacular view of the city at our feet. The only decision to make here is whether to see Austin's ravishing skyline during the day or at night.
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She's the poster child for Big and Beautiful (and pink!), sure, but our beloved state Capitol's real draw is the 130 years of history scattered inside. It's the fortress where school kids and Texas newbies go to gape at the grand painting of the Battle of San Jacinto, and where they return years later as adults to lobby for causes or air their own grievances.
Texas State Capitol
1100 Congress
512/305-8400
www.tspb.state.tx.us
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Sandy Carson
The 1936 heritage and contemporary minimalist decor of this boutique hotel give it a unique aura of low-key luxury and prim comfort. Located smack in the middle of the hip South Congress shopping district, this spot is known locally as much for its large parking lot parties – usually fundraisers for charity and disaster relief – as it is for its upscale service and amenities.
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Don’t make us write another "BOA" entry about this motel’s porny sign (which, don’t get us wrong, deserves all the phallocentric praise it gets), we’ve got other things to talk about! Built from the ground up by a few generations' worth of hardworking community lovers, this destination is sure to make your stay in the heart of Austin a home away from home. For example, what other motel’s FAQ begins bluntly with “Do famous people stay here?” – only to issue the sweet and satisfying rejoinder, “We think all our guests are famous.”
Austin Motel
1220 S. Congress
512/441-1157
www.austinmotel.com
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Designed with porchin’ in mind, Red's “Half Cajun, Half TexMex, Half Southern” gem of a porch on South Lamar knows how to show a good time. Live music and daily specials, plus fan favorites such as the Waterloo Gin Greenbelt cocktail, Boudain balls, and truffled taco salad (part of a substantial gluten-free menu) buddy up with a helluva view and plenty of space to kick back and relax, Red’s-style. Across town, at lake's edge, it’s no surprise the largest outdoor restaurant in Texas boasts multiple "Best of Austin" awards since 1996. Drought be damned, the gorgeous Lake Travis sunset views from these huge, cliff-dwelling wooden decks inspire weddings and photography contests. Bands play four nights a week and Tex-Mex chow (Shiner Bock pulled pork enchiladas!) and Beer Ritas sweeten the deal, laying the groundwork for all kinds of stories.
The Oasis
6550 Comanche Trl.
512/266-2442
oasis-austin.com
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Colonel Jesse Driskill may have been a wee bit over-ambitious building a four-star hotel in Austin, which, despite having been the state's capital for 47 years, was still a backwater cattle town in 1886. Nevertheless, we owe him a debt today, having praised the building's architecture, its food, its cocktails, and even its ghosts ever since. It's not surprising, then, that this magnificent edifice's no-holds-barred luxury water loo, too, should still come out on top. Rich wood, stained glass, chandeliers, and modern fixtures lend a certain splendor when popping one's squat.
The Driskill Hotel
604 Brazos
512/439-1234
driskillhotel.com
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Don’t make us write another "BOA" entry about this motel’s porny sign (which, don’t get us wrong, deserves all the phallocentric praise it gets), we’ve got other things to talk about! Built from the ground up by a few generations' worth of hardworking community lovers, this destination is sure to make your stay in the heart of Austin a home away from home. For example, what other motel’s FAQ begins bluntly with “Do famous people stay here?” – only to issue the sweet and satisfying rejoinder, “We think all our guests are famous.”
Austin Motel
1220 S. Congress
512/441-1157
www.austinmotel.com
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Although Austin's skyline has morphed massively since this tower kicked off a 21st century development revolution, the Frost Tower remains the most distinctive skyscraper in town. The crown of this perennial favorite features a unique sculptural design that some say resembles the face of an owl – perfect for observing our rapidly changing city.
Frost Bank Tower
401 Congress
512/473-4343
www.frostbank.com
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Sandy Carson
In what is shaping up to be a two-statue contest (at least until we get that Leslie one installed), SRV took back the title after Willie’s two-year reign. Almost 25 years after Vaughan’s untimely death, record numbers of visitors continue to pay their respects at artist Ralph Helmick's bronze tribute to Austin music’s pride and joy.
Stevie Ray Vaughan Statue
www.austintexas.gov
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The fourth-floor pool at the W is pretty much the opposite of the kind of sun-seared cement ponds that still grace our nation's bargain motels. Elegant and elite, the W's watering spot is long and lean, a cool blue pool where you could swim laps, but with a surrounding surface area maximized for socializing. The space also maximizes privacy, with limited access and no visibility from outside, while offering excellent views of the city and hills. Staff will bring you nice things poolside or to your VIP cabana. Guests, spa patrons, and day-pass holders: Let the Beverly Hills fantasies begin!
W Hotel
200 Lavaca
512/542-3600
www.whotelaustin.com
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Sandy Carson
This window has gained notoriety with toilet-oriented pop culture hijinks. Consider the recent X Games tie-in, with a toilet suspended in the act of performing a flip on a BMX bike. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Toilets"? Yup. "A Christmas Toilet" for the holidays? Done with aplomb. Radiant earned a Critics Pick from us two years ago, and clearly they haven't lost their touch. This year, the Readers Poll results show that these pooptastic dioramas aren't just polished turds being doted on by out-of-touch critics. They're truly a work of toilet art for the People.
Radiant Plumbing & Air Conditioning
901 Reinli
512/843-0403
www.radiantplumbing.com
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Situated in Hyde Park, the historic Adams House is a perfectly placed home base for visitors to our fair city. After a breakfast of homemade pastries and quiche, guests can load up on snacks at Antonelli's Cheese Shop before exploring Austin’s wealth of museums, green spaces, and tourist spots, then returning to the neighborhood for tasty noms at Asti or Julio’s. It's a win-win for travelers or staycationers wanting the comforts of home with the perks of vacation.
Adams House Bed & Breakfast
4300 Ave. G
512/453-7696
www.theadamshouse.com
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Todd V. Wolfson
The most amazing thing about the Driskill is that after all this time, it still stands. Col. Jesse Driskill shuttered its grand portals less than a year after it was first opened in 1886 (the reason: Suze Orman wasn't alive yet). Perhaps the closest Austin has since come to a "Driskill-less" Downtown was in 1969, when the building was a chicken's hair away from being demolished. But history-loving Austinites pooled their money and resources to rescue this structure. Needless to say, it's remained in our hearts as the iconic Downtown place to dance, imbibe, and sleep amid history.
The Driskill Hotel
604 Brazos
512/439-1234
driskillhotel.com
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You've already spent a splendid evening reveling in the beauty of the arts inside the theatre, but then you get the ideal nightcap: Walk outside the Long Center's front entrance to be greeted by Downtown's shining face, beautifully framed by that graceful arc of the terrace. If you're lucky, the only thing separating you from that sparkling architecture across the river is a handful of Blue Lapis Light dancers dangling from aerial silks. Perfection.
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The Texas State Capitol is one constant in this booming, ever-changing city. History is scattered in those expansive lawns, hiding tributes to our past as Texans. And swirling around the rotunda, with sometimes creepy smiles, the former governors stare down the Legislature, tourists, protestors, and an infinite number of sixth-grade classes, all sheltered by this 125-year-old hat tip to the scale of all things in Texas.
Texas State Capitol
1100 Congress
512/305-8400
www.tspb.state.tx.us
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Part modern-upscale lodging for the hip and fabulous, part gathering place for local gadabouts and people-watchers, Hotel San José embodies Austin’s youthful ethos, all sleek edges and immaculately tended xeriscaping. With its weekly brunches, tarot readings, and live music amid the lush courtyards, the former motor court is the beating heart of the SoCo strip.
Hotel San José
1316 S. Congress
512/852-2350
www.sanjosehotel.com
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For the third year running our readers have chosen this swanky spot to do their ... um ... business. It's the second year it has been chosed as a great place to take a swim. Don't think us weird, but we picture you, reader, in the middle of a wild night: You've come into the W for a cocktail, and you suddenly need a respite to fix your hair, apply a brighter shade of lipstick, or just be alone for a damn minute. In your private, darkened walk-in WC, you do any or all of those things. On the outside, there's a reason the W's hotel pool, Wet, is a registered trademark. Unless you're a registered guest or resident, the only way you're gonna see this sleek 'n' slender slice of heaven is before or after a spa treatment at the W's Away Spa. Still, it's worth trying to take advantage of one of the days when day passes are available to the general public ($25), if only to shed some tears at the opulence. It's not a saltwater pool ... yet.
W Hotel
200 Lavaca
512/542-3600
www.whotelaustin.com
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Every year, we are faced with the same quandary regarding our beloved South Congress landmark: dick joke or no dick joke? We've scoured the archives and decided against it for 2013. The Austin Motel, and the careful and loving transformation it went through almost two decades ago, is arguably the reason there is a SoCo. And there is absolutely nothing penile about this place.
Austin Motel
1220 S. Congress
512/441-1157
www.austinmotel.com
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Todd V. Wolfson
The ridiculous view of Lake Travis from the patio of the Oasis is still worth an evening of beer 'ritas, despite the almost barren water level. That view, paired with some Chicken Fireballs, seafood, and the sexy bodies of post-lake swimmers is a strange sort of sublime. They even have a sunset photo contest every year; the sunsets are that good. Oh, and they have fans with mist blowing in your face. And it's suspended on the side of a massive hill, hundreds of feet in the air. Oh, look! We can see some water!
The Oasis
6550 Comanche Trl.
512/266-2442
oasis-austin.com
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Let us proffer a warning to you: Watch where you step in this outdoor polymorphic and polychromed playground. There are broken beer bottles, discharged spray cans, rusty rebar, and hard-edged, concrete lining sinkholes. Safety first, people. But we suggest watching your step for another reason, namely that the nature of the art here is ephemeral, and if you're not looking everywhere (up and down), you may miss some mark or message in one of the many concrete wells. Take in the view, sure, but live in the minutiae.
HOPE Outdoor Gallery
1101 Baylor
hopecampaign.org
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Todd V. Wolfson
For the third year running our readers have chosen this swanky spot to do their ... um ... business. It's the second year it has been chosed as a great place to take a swim. Don't think us weird, but we picture you, reader, in the middle of a wild night: You've come into the W for a cocktail, and you suddenly need a respite to fix your hair, apply a brighter shade of lipstick, or just be alone for a damn minute. In your private, darkened walk-in WC, you do any or all of those things. On the outside, there's a reason the W's hotel pool, Wet, is a registered trademark. Unless you're a registered guest or resident, the only way you're gonna see this sleek 'n' slender slice of heaven is before or after a spa treatment at the W's Away Spa. Still, it's worth trying to take advantage of one of the days when day passes are available to the general public ($25), if only to shed some tears at the opulence. It's not a saltwater pool ... yet.
W Hotel
200 Lavaca
512/542-3600
www.whotelaustin.com
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Every year, we are faced with the same quandary regarding our beloved South Congress landmark: dick joke or no dick joke? We've scoured the archives and decided against it for 2013. The Austin Motel and the careful and loving transformation it went through almost two decades ago is arguably the reason there is a SoCo. And there is absolutely nothing penile about this place.
Austin Motel
1220 S. Congress
512/441-1157
www.austinmotel.com
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Todd V. Wolfson
It’s dangerous walking Downtown. At any time, you might collide with city strollers stopping in their tracks to Instagram a shot of the FBT's crystalline clarity. Also, from skyline vistas afar (take North Burnet Road headed south, for example), this jutting crown creates a unique profile, distinguishing itself from more recent additions that seek to dwarf it. Standing tall and proud for close to a decade, the Frost's 500-foot walls reflecting the Austin skyline clearly never get old.
Frost Bank Tower
401 Congress
512/473-4343
www.frostbank.com
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Ever dream of sitting down and shootin' the hay with Willie Nelson? You just know he'd have some real killer advice. Well, with just a little imagination, we think that Willie's statue in front of the Moody Theater is an excellent stand-in for the man himself. The next time you're feeling blue, why not head down to the Moody and tell ole bronze Willie what's troubling you? He's a really good listener, we promise.
Willie Nelson Statue
West Second & Lavaca
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Todd V. Wolfson
Despite the disparity in economies of scale (local atelier vs. national chain), the window designers working at these shops are c'est magnifique. First there's Aaron Flynn, whose visual signatures (geometry, animalia, unjustifiably unexpected visual combos) are all over the heart of darkness we call Blackmail. And then there are the Anthropologie window dressers, who receive a style profile and a load of raw materials to play with and develop. Getting that job requires a hard-hitting résumé and rounds of interviews ... we're still waiting for our callback.
Blackmail
1202 S. Congress
512/804-5881
www.blackmailboutique.com
Anthropologie
601 N. Lamar
512/236-9301
www.anthropologie.com
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Though the Austin Motel has been beautifully renovated and modernized since it first opened in 1938, it still feels like a place away from our time, like a place you might have vacationed with your family during the best part of your eighth year on earth. This motel feels like a week you lived in your summer-baked bathing suit and seemed to hold a never-ending ice cream cone. Nostalgic, comfortable … and what is it about that sign?
Austin Motel
1220 S. Congress
512/441-1157
www.austinmotel.com
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This year, the Dub wins two awards from our readers. If Jay Gatsby lived in 2099, his pool would look like this. Swank. Modern. Nestle in your own cabana or do laps like a lapper. Better yet, try to win Daisy's affection and order her a French Pear from the Wet Bar. This pool was meant for lounging; at night, the lights of Austin stretch out above and soft candles light your footpath. If you'd rather judge a place based on how nice its bathroom is (and we don't see any reason why you shouldn't), the W will be at the top of your list. A hallway of private powder rooms, each fresh as a … daisy (sorry), provide a much-needed respite from the maddening crowds in the downstairs bars.
W Hotel
200 Lavaca
512/542-3600
www.whotelaustin.com
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When someone tells you a house is a Colonial Revival building, the response is either a distinct glazing over of the eyes or the kind of nerdy architecture enthusiasm weekend Restoration-Hardware customers can only hope to possess. Nestled in Hyde Park - peppered with pier-and-beam neighbors - the Adams House Bed and Breakfast is a good representative of its turn-of-the-century style: stately symmetrical-ity, rational proportions, a rustic/refined construction, and, from our readers' point of view, a darned sweet place to rest one's head.
Adams House Bed & Breakfast
4300 Ave. G
512/453-7696
www.theadamshouse.com
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John Anderson
Sandy Carson
If all of the denizens of this, Austin's largest vertical neighborhood, voted in "Best of Austin," they could lock down this award in perpetuity. In truth, the vast majority of the votes came from outside the tallest all-residential building in Texas. Perhaps these nonresident voters were lost in some serious craft cocktail bewitching at Congress, Bar Congress, or Second Bar & Kitchen on the ground floor? Maybe they have friends who live there, who let them into this deee-luxe apartment in the sky to ogle at the state-of-the-art condo conveniences, the top-floor lounge, or the outdoor pool? How else would they know that this perch offers one of the best views this city has to offer from 56 stories up? Or maybe all these voters don't know jack about the Aus. Maybe they just really, really want to live there.
The Austonian
200 Congress
512/623-3633
www.theaustonian.com
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Elijah E. Meyers, runner-up in the Samuel Clemens look-alike contest, designed the Texas State Capitol as well as capitol buildings in Michigan and Colorado. Seriously, that dude had a thing for domes. Once you disentangle the building's staunch Renaissance Revival and Neoclassical style from the political ideologies of Republicanism (not the elephant kind), it's easy to lose yourself in the grandeur of that place. And you know, that's the point. Standing almost a full 20 feet higher than its big brother in Washington D.C., our capitol has a superiority complex. Rightly so.
Texas State Capitol
1100 Congress
512/305-8400
www.tspb.state.tx.us
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Devaki Knowles
Have y’all ever heard that song about an amazing shimmering hotel at the end of a desert highway, where there are beautiful people dancing and drinking champagne in the summer heat, and then, at the end, there is some sort of … beast murder? You guys know that song? Well, we are pretty sure it was inspired by the Hotel San José - without the stabbing, of course. This incredibly dreamy boutique hotel is surrounded by lush landscaping and thriving native plants, lending the establishment the feel of an oasis or sweet mirage tucked neatly away on South Congress. The beauty may move you, but remember, wayward traveler: You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave. Just kidding, you can leave. But you probably won’t want to.
Hotel San José
1316 S. Congress
512/852-2350
www.sanjosehotel.com
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This year, the Dub wins two awards from our readers. If Jay Gatsby lived in 2099, his pool would look like this. Swank. Modern. Nestle in your own cabana or do laps like a lapper. Better yet, try to win Daisy's affection and order her a French Pear from the Wet Bar. This pool was meant for lounging; at night the lights of Austin stretch out above and soft candles light your footpath. If you'd rather judge a place based on how nice its bathroom is (and we don't see any reason why you shouldn't), the W will be at the top of your list. A hallway of private powder rooms, each fresh as a ... daisy (sorry), provide a much-needed respite from the maddening crowds in the downstairs bars.
W Hotel
200 Lavaca
512/542-3600
www.whotelaustin.com
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Sandy Carson
Though the Austin Motel has been beautifully renovated and modernized since it first opened in 1938, it still feels like a place away from our time, like a place you might have vacationed with your family during the best part of your eighth year on earth. This motel feels like a week you lived in your summer-baked bathing suit and seemed to hold a never-ending ice cream cone. Nostalgic, comfortable … and what is it about that sign?
Austin Motel
1220 S. Congress
512/441-1157
www.austinmotel.com
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Even in lovely, maneuverable Austin, sometimes we forget about our feet. In our cars and in our haste we forget about unhurried, nostalgia-tinged bike rides and fragrant spring night walks. We forget our neighbors and their friendly cats and their children playing hide-and-seek between giant live oaks in their front yards. Hyde Park is a place to remember, to walk or ride or sit or watch, to find a little bit of peace in the loud, fast city.