Between its rise as America’s new Silicon Valley, its pulsing live music scene, and its unbeatable barbecue, it’s no wonder that Austin has grown more than almost any U.S. city in the past decade. Millions of travelers visit Austin each year, and the hotel scene has kept pace, with over 400 unique properties to choose from. Our Inspectors narrowed that selection down to just over two dozen superlative hotels.
For first-timers, know that almost every top hotel in Austin has a pool—visit the city from May to September and you’ll quickly realize why. Because pools are standard, we think it's best to consider other variables like personality, privacy, and location. The best hotels in Austin mirror their neighborhoods. For example, you’ll find the quirkier spots in South Congress and more serious-minded options downtown. The collections here go beyond the basics and explore each hotel by suitability for different aims and tastes. Click over to each hotel page for the ins and outs, perks, and amenities—or head over to each collection for a more in-depth analysis of the category.
Before we dive in: a Key symbol means our Inspectors consider the hotel one of the best of the best. You’ll find Key hotels scattered throughout every one of the categories below. Here, our ultimate guide to the the best hotels in Austin.
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The Hotels of South Congress Keeping Austin Weird
Quirky, artsy, and alfresco: these hotels aren’t just essential Austin because they’re in the city’s most must-visit neighborhood—although that’s certainly part of their appeal. Each one, in its own way, is a little tribute to the spirit of Austin—the wonderful, whimsical, and weird. See more here.
The Grown-Up Boutiques of Downtown Austin
Sometimes you’re just looking for an upscale hotel with a pool, a bar, and a gym. These deliver, with an air of refined boutique luxury on top of the basics. See more here.
The Very Best Hotel in Austin
Only one hotel in Austin earned more than One Key in our inaugural reveal of top honors in Texas. Head here to read about one Inspector’s visit to the Two-Key Commodore Perry Estate, a city hotel that feels like nothing else in Central Austin.
The Austin Hotels with Music in Their Bones
Austin is known as the Live Music Capital of the World. These hotels offer their own concerts, exclusive perks, and musical tie-ins. Sound good? See more here.
MICHELIN Hotels with MICHELIN Restaurants
In 2024, the MICHELIN Guide launched its Austin restaurant selection. Three of its picks are in MICHELIN-selected hotels—Lutie’s in Commodore Perry Estate, Maie Day in the South Congress Hotel, and Garrison in the Fairmont Austin—combining top-notch stays with destination-worthy restaurants.
Privacy Please: Austin’s Exclusive, Guests-Only Retreats
Most of Austin’s best hotels welcome all comers to their bars, restaurants, and concerts. Not these. From the quietest, humblest havens to the swankiest, most brag-worthy hideouts, these Austin hotels require an invite to enter. See more here.
Great Hotels in Austin’s ‘Other’ Neighborhoods
You’ll find roughly half of our hotels in Austin in the city’s most popular neighborhoods: South Congress and Downtown. But in a city as rapidly expanding as this one, you can’t limit your search to just two areas. Explore these hotels in Zilker, East Austin, and the Campus District. See more here.
