Where to Spot Rock Royalty — The W Austin
Austin is a very walkable city. The W Austin puts you a short stroll from just about everything. Want to head further afield? Hop on a bike. (Photo: W)
There is an ongoing debate over which American city can claim the title of the live music capital of the United States. Austin, Texas is very clearly one of the frontrunners, if not the winner. Sorry Nashville.
That’s just one of the reasons that the lobby of the W Austin, located in the heart of Austin’s 2nd Street District, is one of the best places for music fans to people watch in the country. It doesn’t hurt that the hotel happens to be connected to a 3,000 person music venue – ACL Live at The Moody Theater – home of the Austin City Limits television show. Hotel management is typically mum on their famous guests, but this hotel remains the downtown favorite for they city’s elite visitors. Local guitar legend and Grammy winner, Gary Clark Jr used the hotel’s Record Room as the backdrop for his “Ain’t Messin’ Round” video and the onsite AWAY Spa staff has become so popular with visiting celebs that they are often called away for backstage back rubs.
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The Vibe: Yes this is a W property, but it is a W property with a boutique feel. It feels hip and chic, owed in no small part to a partnership with the University of Texas Visual Arts Center which lends absolutely wild pieces of art to the property.
Where to Hang: Get out of your room and head downstairs to the Living Room, actually four separate spaces filled with guests and Austin locals partaking in the bar’s artisan cocktails. My favorite spot is smack in front of the fireplace in the Records Room itself, a cozy with more than 8,000 vinyl records lining the walls. Those records aren’t just for decoration. Ask a member of the waitstaff if you can play one on the vintage turntable in the adjacent Secret Bar.
Check the hotel’s website for the schedule for their Living Room Live series which invites local musicians onto a stage in the Records Room. These intimate concerts are free of charge!
The Rooms: The hotel has 251 guest rooms and suites and 159 residences.
Stylish rooms are finished with pieces from local artists and designers. (Photo: W)
Continuing the artsy vibe, each room contains original prints by Austin City Limit’s photographer Scott Newton. Amenities in guest rooms include absurdly plush robes and a Munchie Box which contains local faves like Austin Slow Burn Salsa, Cocoa Puro Kakawa Cocoa Beans, Tito’s Vodka and locally brewed beer Fireman’s 4.
The Food: Austin isn’t just about the music. This town has evolved into a truly foodie city and you would do yourself a disservice not to explore the offerings around town. You haven’t had a breakfast taco until you have had a breakfast taco in Austin.
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Still, the W is home to one of the best restaurants in town, TRACE. The hyper local menu is constantly changing depending on what is in season and what the chef has foraged that week, but the flavors are authentically Texan and delicious. Pets are welcome in the restaurant’s outdoor garden and on the patio, which is a ball during the spot’s live music weekend brunches.
Head to TRACE for a seriously delicious dinner. (Photo: W)
How to relax: One of the best massages of my life happened in this hotel’s AWAY Spa. A favorite of locals in addition to travelers, AWAY actually offers a “Lucky Locals” discount to anyone with a Texan ID. Locals also receive 30% off any treatment Monday through Wednesday and access to the hotel’s rooftop pool, fitness center, yoga rooms and Pilates reformers. What does this mean for guests? As someone who is on the road at least half of the year I appreciate any property that caters to locals. It creates a much richer guest experience if you can mix and mingle with the folks who actually live down the street.
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Austin is an incredibly active city. You can be on the move from sun-up to sun-down. Take a moment to breathe in the AWAY spa. (Photo: W)
You’ll want to try out the spa’s most popular service, Over the Hills and Far Away, named for former Austin resident Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. The treatment has little to do with classic rock, but for 105 minutes it may just transport you up, up, up a stairway to heaven.
What I loved: There is a lot to love about the hotel’s “Whatever, Wherever” concierge service where hotel staff will help you organize just about any activity you want as long as its legal. This is incredibly helpful for folks heading to Austin for events like bachelor parties, weddings and anniversaries. One of the craziest “Whatever Whenever” fulfillment for a guest was a request for the bathtub in the EWOW suite to be filled with chocolate milk. They did it. No questions asked!
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