Austin’s newest luxury hotel is now open inside Texas’ tallest tower, marking a major milestone for 1 Hotel Austin. The 252-room property officially opened Thursday inside Waterline, the 1,025-foot downtown Austin skyscraper at 98 Red River Street. It is the first Texas location for 1 Hotels, the luxury brand founded by hospitality executive Barry Sternlicht. The hotel has 60 suites, floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies, filtered water taps, reusable glassware and yoga mats. Minibars include local products from Desnudo Coffee, Austin Pretzel Co. and Wildflower Caramels. Guests can also use the rooftop pool, Watr restaurant and bar, Neighbors Cafe and Wine Bar, and Bamford Wellness Spa. The hotel’s sustainability focus includes reusable items, all-natural decor and a working apiary, or bee yard. That apiary will help support native wildflowers at Waterloo Greenway’s Confluence and produce honey for the hotel’s restaurants and spa. At the opening event Thursday, Starwood Hotels CEO Raul Leal and general manager David Duran planted a tree. Leal said the hotel is “planting its roots” in Austin. Alteño Austin is chef Johnny Curiel’s first expansion of his Mexican restaurant concept outside Colorado. The property also includes more than 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space for meetings and events.
