Visiting in May - What hotel to stay at? (Austin: hotels, rooftop)

[burlshoe114]

Hello!
I'm going to come see your beutiful city in May, and need to pick a hotel to stay at. I know, I know, Travelocity, Orbits, etc. But I have been burned by hotel ad pictures before! We never get that great room with the view they show in the ad!
So where would you stay at or avoid?
I'm looking for central to downtown, friendly to small children, mid-price, NICE (as in clean, well-staffed, no bar fights under the window, attractive furnishings, classy), and shows off Austin at its best.
Any tips?

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by burlshoe114

Hello!
I'm going to come see your beutiful city in May, and need to pick a hotel to stay at. I know, I know, Travelocity, Orbits, etc. But I have been burned by hotel ad pictures before! We never get that great room with the view they show in the ad!
So where would you stay at or avoid?
I'm looking for central to downtown, friendly to small children, mid-price, NICE (as in clean, well-staffed, no bar fights under the window, attractive furnishings, classy), and shows off Austin at its best.
Any tips?

go to biddingfortravel.com figure out what you need to bid for a hotel on priceline and then use priceline to get a really good on a 4* downtown hotel.

We typically pay around 70-80 for the omni or stephen f austin which are the two we most commonly get on priceline. Both are great hotels and in great locations downtown.

If there is a UT game or special event you may not be able to priceline. There are times when we have had to go up to 120/night on priceline when the regular rate is around 180 or so.

The way it works is that most of the areas in austin dont have 4* hotels. Figure out a low starting bid on bidding for travel, make the bid. If you dont get it add an area without a 4* hotel and priceline will let you increase your bid immediately (you cant increase your bid without changing something). Since the new area does not have a 4* you wont get a hotel in that area but you can still increase your bid (say by $10). Using this you can start bidding at say 60 and get 4 rebids so you can get a range from 60-100 in bidding.

We got a 4* hotel in NYC for 140/night using this strategy. Normal prices are around $350.

[Westerntraveler]

whatever you do dont use a hotel booking website because the hotel has to pay a commission to the website for each room booked so hotel booking sites are ripoffs.You'd be better off just callin the motel.

[CptnRn]

I echo Austin97's recommendation for Omni or Stepen F. Austin. All the rates below are normal website prices for 2 adults and 1 child. I was curious how the prices compared so I checked them out. Given the prices I'd go with the Omni or the Radisson depending on what location you prefer.


InterContinental Stephen F Austin Hotel‎ $225/night
3.5 star with 585 reviews - more info »
Corner congress and 7th Austin Tx
701 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 457-8800
intercontinental.com‎

Omni Hotels: Downtown Austin‎ $189/night
4 star with 768 reviews - more info »
700 San Jacinto Boulevard
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 476-3700
omnihotels.com‎

or the historic

Driskill Hotel‎ $278/night
4 star with 624 reviews - more info »
604 Brazos Street
Austin, TX 78701
(800) 252-9367
driskillhotel.com‎

All three put you in the center of the action if the downtown experience is what you are looking for.

The hotel with the best views in Austin is the Four Seasons, but is probably considerably more expensive. Located on the North shore overlooking Town Lake (Lady Bird Lake)

Four Seasons Hotel Austin‎ $395/night
4 stars 230 reviews - more info »
98 San Jacinto Boulevard
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 478-4500
fourseasons.com‎





A close runner up for the hotel with the best views is the Radisson. Located next to the Congress Avenue Bridge where the bats roost. It is probably less expensive then the Four Seasons being an older hotel.

Radisson Hotel and Suites‎ $167-$199/night
3.5 stars with 316 reviews - more info »
111 E. Cesar Chavez
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 478-9611
radisson.com‎



For the best views you need to get a room on the South side of both hotels, although they both have really nice dining rooms overlooking the river as well. There area also lots of good restaraunts in the area between the river and 6th street, and its only a 5 block walk up Congress Avenue to 6th Street.

Both the Radisson and Four Seasons are right on the river next to its hike and bike trails.

[chuck_steak]

The Driskill Hotel is very nice.

[burlshoe114]

I'm liking the look and price of the Radisson! Thanks so much for all the info! This is great!

[CptnRn]

The Radisson is nice. When my wife and I both worked downtown we would often drive in together and have breakfast at the Radisson, dining room overlooking the river. It was a nice way to start the day.

Check out this other thread for some nice roof tip patio places on Congress and 6th Street. https://www.city-data.com/forum/austi...tios-dtwn.html

[bpvarian]

and of course use www.tripadvisor.com to get great hotel reviews from "regular" people.
I used to use www.biddingfortravel.com and now will also use www.betterbidding.com

[RooCeleste]

https://www.sanjosehotel.com/ This looks to me, when I drive by it, like a cool place on South Congress. I've never stayed there, though.