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<\/p>\nBest for: Romantic escapes, milestone group celebrations, wellness seekersLocation: Along Waller Creek and bordering Austin’s downtown Historic Rainey Street District with views over Lady Bird LakeCan\u2019t-miss feature: The rooftop pool and dining area surrounded by glassy high-rises with water views and dazzling sunsetsIn a nutshell: Bordering the Historic Rainey Street District, Austin’s 1 Hotel fills the first 16 floors of Texas\u2019s tallest building, the 1,025-foot Waterline. Sensory rich, the luxury property incorporates nature throughout with 4,000 plants, a James Beard Award\u2013nominated chef\u2019s restaurant overlooking the Waterloo Greenway, a spa (which uses honey from its on-site apiary), and a rooftop pool with Lady Bird Lake views.<\/p>\n
Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n
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Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n
Rooms<\/p>\n
The hotel\u2019s 252 rooms, including 60 suites, offer a prevailing sense of calm, with muted oat-colored fabrics and woven textiles. In 1138, my one-bedroom suite allowed for room to spread out with a dedicated living room and spacious, spa-like bathroom, including a separate enclosed room with the toilet and a gorgeous stone sink.<\/p>\n
As with all 1 Hotels<\/a>, themes of sustainability and reuse are woven throughout\u2014starting with a cheery \u201cWelcome\u201d message on an adorable bedside chalkboard instead of the conventional notepad. Glass tumblers are made from recycled wine bottles, and a dispenser with cold, filtered drinking water is a standard feature (one of my favorite amenities). Coffee maker instructions were cleverly printed on napkins to serve a dual purpose, and a built-in five-minute hourglass in the shower kept me honest about water use.<\/p>\n Floor-to-ceiling windows provide views of the skyline or the lake and creek. I had views of the latter and relished late nights on my balcony feeling \u201cin\u201d the city, yet surrounded by nature.<\/p>\n Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n Food and drink<\/p>\n Anchoring the property, Alte\u00f1o<\/a> is Austin\u2019s first restaurant by James Beard Award\u2013nominated chef Johnny Curiel, whose Denver restaurants both enjoy Michelin stars. Alte\u00f1o<\/a> is a love letter to Jalisco Highlands, where he was raised, showcasing modern Mexican fare using heritage flavors, fired meats, and seafood. My tip: Start with the queso fundido with wild mushroom, then follow with arroz con pollo\u2014and peruse the extensive mezcal menu, which is sure to have your favorite.<\/p>\n For breakfast, try the healthy egg bites, as I did at the all-day Neighbors Caf\u00e9 and Wine Bar<\/a>\u2014a bustling casual spot I noticed attracts nearby residents. It\u2019s also the go-to spot for ordering a drink to take back to your room.<\/p>\n For dinner, I dolled up and headed to the 16th-floor rooftop Watr<\/a>, a Japanese concept kitchen with exceptional sunset views that Austinites can\u2019t stop talking about. I bellied up to the bar and indulged in tuna carpaccio, seasoned edamame, and some rolls\u2014with a side of people watching.<\/p>\n Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n Amenities and experiences<\/p>\n Dimly lit, the ground floor feels like a cozy living room with Texas limestone, reclaimed wood, and comfy seating by a fireplace\u2014a nice contrast to Austin\u2019s persistently bright outdoors. The thousands of lush plants\u2014many native to Texas\u2014bring nature\u2019s therapy indoors and are cared for by a full-time team. In the lobby, I caught sight of the team watering and dusting leaves\u2014fascinating!<\/p>\n Wellness took on a different form at the six-room Bamford Wellness Spa<\/a>, with a new-to-me touchless treatment: the 25-minute Soundwave Therapy by Welnamis<\/a>. The experience uses binaural sound and vibration, pulling me into a deeply restorative power nap with a warmed blanket and weighted eye mask.<\/p>\n Sharing the rooftop with Watr, the pool setting is enchanting, surrounded by gleaming high-rises and overlooking the lake. With a book in one hand and a margarita in the other, I claimed a lounge chair in the shade and took in the energy\u2014especially the laughter of kids playing in the pool.<\/p>\n Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n What to do nearby<\/p>\n In a walkable area, the property opens to Waterloo Greenway<\/a>, a network of winding paved paths that connects the hotel to surrounding nature and links guests to the popular Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail<\/a> encircling Lady Bird Lake. Tip: As a regular user of this trail, I highly recommend reserving a hotel bike to explore it.<\/p>\n Steps away, Rainey Street is a compact strip freshly reimagined with towering residential high-rises, plus bars, music, and bites. It’s a lively scene, especially on weekends and during Austin\u2019s festivals. Check out Bangers<\/a>, with 200+ beers on tap, and Half Step<\/a> for late-night live music. For further-flung city landmarks\u2014like the Texas Capitol\u2014the hotel offers complimentary Audi Q6 e-tron cars<\/a> for curated excursions.<\/p>\n The backstory<\/p>\n By snagging the coveted hotel space in Austin\u2019s flashy new skyscraper Waterline, 1 Hotel Austin is causing a stir; it\u2019s also the brand\u2019s first Texas location. Operated by Starwood Hotels, the 1 Hotel brand was founded in 2015 by Barry Sternlicht with the mission to connect guests with nature. Interior design architects Studio MAI collaborated with Starwood on the Austin property, while TBG Partners managed the landscape design.<\/p>\n Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n Kathryn Streeter<\/p>\n Insider tip<\/p>\n Arrive at Watr early to claim the west-facing bar seats overlooking Lady Bird Lake for unforgettable sunset views. On the weekends, reservations are highly recommended\u2014Watr turns up the volume and throws a party with DJ-led sets<\/a> going late into the night.<\/p>\n Final considerations:<\/p>\n Family friendly: Yes; the property is Fido-friendly, too\u2014dogs stay for free.Accessibility: Accessible guest rooms are available; more information available here<\/a>Wellness: Bamford Wellness Spa; 24-hour gym; yoga and meditation classes; weekly run clubLoyalty program: 1 Hotels Mission Membership<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Best for: Romantic escapes, milestone group celebrations, wellness seekersLocation: Along Waller Creek and bordering Austin’s downtown Historic Rainey…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":466115,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[132,134,133,19756],"class_list":["post-466114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-austin","tag-austin","tag-austin-headlines","tag-austin-news","tag-web"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/466114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=466114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/466114\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/466115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=466114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=466114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=466114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/EGC-1%20Hotel%20Austin-IMG_1609.jpg\"\/)
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