Upscale stays
A lakefront or Congress Avenue hotel keeps downtown dining close. South Congress gives you a different view and a different walk home.
from $37/night1,367 hotels compared
2323 South Lamar Boulevard
9.2Superb53 reviews
from
$170/night
compared on 3 sites
301 Brazos Street
8.7Fabulous74 reviews
from
$229/night
compared on 6 sites
617 Colorado Street
8.4Very Good1,100 reviews
from
$170/night
compared on 5 sites
300 South Congress Avenue
7.7Good373 reviews
from
$215/night
compared on 3 sites
201 Lavaca Street
8.6Fabulous123 reviews
from
$299/night
compared on 5 sites
1211 West Riverside Drive
8.5Fabulous48 reviews
from
$413/night
compared on 4 sites
1,367 hotels compared
Austin sits beside Lady Bird Lake, with the Texas Capitol and music venues downtown, shops on South Congress and Barton Springs Pool near Zilker Park. Stay close to the part of the city you will use most. Summer heat and traffic make cross-town trips feel longer.
Downtown is compact: the Texas Capitol, the Sixth Street music rooms and the lakefront trail are all close. Rainey Street is on the east side of the core. The Austin Convention Center is closed for redevelopment, so check where your event is before you book. Rooms near the nightlife blocks can hear late crowds.
Across the Congress Avenue Bridge, South Congress has independent shops, restaurants and a straight view back to the Capitol. East Austin starts across I-35, with dining and music along East Sixth and East Cesar Chavez. Both are good for evenings out. A hotel on one side of the lake or the freeway is not always a walk from the other.
Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool sit southwest of downtown, near the Butler Hike and Bike Trail. A stay around South Lamar or Barton Hills shortens trips to the pool. Hotels by the University of Texas are better for campus visits and the Blanton Museum. The Domain is much farther north. Stay there only if business or shopping takes you there.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is southeast of the center. CapMetro Route 20 runs via Riverside Drive into downtown. It is separate from MetroRail, which runs north from downtown. Spring and fall are better for walking. July and August average highs above 95°F, so save outdoor time and the lake trails for cooler hours.
Congress Avenue runs from the Texas Capitol to Lady Bird Lake. Hotels here are close to Sixth Street, the Paramount Theatre and the waterfront trail, and airport Route 20 stops downtown. If sleep matters more than nightlife, pick a block away from the busiest music streets.
Around here: Texas State Capitol, Congress Avenue Bridge, Paramount Theatre
South Congress runs south from Lady Bird Lake past shops, cafés and music venues. Stay here to walk the avenue in the evening and look back at downtown. Trips to the Capitol or UT cross the river and take longer.
Around here: South Congress Avenue, Congress Avenue Bridge, The Continental Club
East Sixth and East Cesar Chavez draw people for restaurants, bars and music east of I-35. Pick a hotel near the street you will use. Crossing the freeway to the Capitol or the lakefront takes longer than the map suggests.
Around here: East Sixth Street, East Cesar Chavez Street, George Washington Carver Museum
Zilker Park, Barton Springs Pool and the Butler Trail shape days here. South Lamar adds restaurants and everyday shops. You give up downtown nightlife for the park. Check the bus stop or parking before you count on it for Capitol visits.
Around here: Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Metropolitan Park, Butler Hike and Bike Trail
Stay around the University of Texas for campus events, the Blanton Museum and the Drag on Guadalupe Street. Hyde Park, farther north, has quieter residential streets and local cafés. Downtown is a short drive or bus ride away, not a walk.
Around here: UT Tower, Blanton Museum of Art, Guadalupe Street
March and April are good for downtown walks, Zilker days and South Congress evenings before the summer heat builds. October and November bring milder afternoons. Summer is hot, especially July and August. May and October are among the wetter months in the Camp Mabry normals.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) lies southeast of downtown. CapMetro Route 20 runs along Riverside Drive into the center and on toward the UT campus. For South Congress, Zilker and addresses off the bus route, take a taxi or rideshare.
8 mi from downtown
Route 20 stops outside baggage claim on the lower level and runs to downtown. For South Congress, Zilker and other neighborhoods off its route, a taxi or rideshare is more direct.
Downtown and the lakefront, close to the Capitol, restaurants and many music rooms. South Congress has its own shops and cafés across the bridge, away from the center.
It depends on the venue. The Congress Avenue Bridge crosses the lake, but a show on Sixth Street or Rainey Street still adds a walk or ride.
Compare parking, pool access, the view and cancellation terms on the exact booking. A lake view comes with a specific room category, not the whole hotel.
Get real time price drop alerts, faster results and personalised experience along with exclusive deals.
