OverviewLocated about a 4-minute drive from Interstate 35 and adjacent to the Austin Convention Center in downtown Austin, the Hilton Austin is suitable for business or leisure travellers who prefer a centrally located hotel with meeting and conference space, on-site dining and easy highway access.
Each of the hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms and suites comes equipped with cable TV, a coffeemaker, a minibar, a desk, a free weekday newspaper, a hair dryer and an iron and ironing board. Rooms with a separate bedroom, a living room with a pull-down bed, a wet bar and a conference table are also available. In-room Wi-Fi is available for $14.95 per day.
Hotel amenities include an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a spa and wellness centre, fitness facilities, 80,000 square feet of meeting/conference space, a business centre, a coffee shop, laundry services and vending machines. Self-parking is an additional $26 per day and pets are permitted for $50 per pet, per stay. The hotel is wheelchair accessible.
On-site dining is offered at Finn & Porter (serving dinner daily) and Liberty Tavern, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
LBJ Presidential Library is an 8-minute drive from the hotel, while Littlefield Mall can be found 8 minutes away on foot. Texas Memorial Stadium is roughy a 9-minute drive away and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is about a 15-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Wi-Fi $14.95/day, self-parking $26/day, pets $50/stay/pet, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: September 30, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's location, staff and rooms.
The hotel's location was praised by many lodgers, who found it close to downtown, Austin Convention Center, 6th Street, restaurants, bars, attractions, highway access and public transit. One guest noted, "The location was perfect for getting around downtown by foot or other parts of Austin by highway".
Numerous travellers were pleased with the level of customer service they received during their stay, and characterized the staff as accommodating, friendly and efficient. One patron remarked, "The front desk staff was exceptional. I walked up and gave my name, and in less than 5 minutes was in my room unpacking. Not only was check-in lightening fast, but they made note of the fact that I have an allergy to down and immediately placed a call to housekeeping to strip all the down from my room and replace it".
Several reviewers enjoyed the hotel's accommodations. They described their rooms as clean, well maintained and spacious, with great city views and comfortable beds. A few guests did find their rooms to be on the small side, however.
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few common complaints about added costs and noise transfer.
Some reviewers were disappointed with the extra costs they incurred during their stay. They felt the Wi-Fi and parking fees were overpriced and also found the room rates to be expensive.
Noise disturbances were mentioned by some guests. They reported street noise in rooms facing 6th Street, as well as noise from guests in adjacent rooms, rooms overhead and the hallways.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.2 out of 5 with a 90% recommendation rate from 914 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #58 of 180 Austin hotels with an average rating of 4 out of 5 from 809 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8.5 out of 10 from 134 reviews
The author called the hotel on September 30, 2013 to verify some information.
