With its retro Danish-inspired furniture and centerpiece courtyard pool, the seventy-five room East Austin Hotel harkens to the motor courts of yore. But a serious dose of urban style—graphic flourishes, eclectic art, and pops of pink—updates the look for a new generation. The hotel is an ideal base to explore the early twentieth-century architecture, art galleries, and buzzy restaurants that comprise Austin’s booming East Side. But don’t miss the property’s own food and beverage offerings.
East Austin Hotel offers in-house food and drinks with Second Bar + Kitchen, which has a seasonally rotating menu focused on local ingredients. Their rooftop bar offers a special selection of cocktails, wines, and beers, creating the perfect perch for sunset cocktails and watching the parade of hipsters on Sixth Street. There’s a lot of frenetic energy in this corner of town, but the property’s reoccurring mantra of “Be Here Now,” and resident cat Wally (follow him on Instagram), who’s usually found in the lobby gift shop, encourage a chill vibe.
The Neighborhood: East Austin Hotel holds court on the bustling corner of East Sixth and Waller streets. That means you’re within easy walking distance of downtown, daily wants and needs (Flat Track Coffee, Practice Yoga), bucket-list restaurants (Franklin Barbecue, Suerte), and watering holes (Whisler’s).
The Vibe: Urban cool—as in the kind of sleek, streamlined space that you wish daily life resembled—with a whiff of Texas landscaping and local artists in the gift shop. The property combines a spare, Danish modern aesthetic with cool art finds that make each room unique.
The Digs: Geared for Austin’s wide range of visitors— from young travelers to South-by-Southwesters on expense accounts—the rooms range from affordable “cabins” (queen rooms with bathrooms down the hall) to swanky poolside suites with spacious balconies, separate seating areas, and wet bars. Casper mattresses and pillows and sumptuous Carnaby linens make it hard to leave your cozy nest.
