Site Inspection: Austin Proper Hotel

Austin Proper Hotel is stylish and happening! It’s the place to see and be seen in Austin; the restaurants and lobby bar attract locals and visitors alike every single day of the week from breakfast through cocktail hours at night.  It’s really no wonder as the hotel is ideally located downtown and features stunning interior design by the one and only Kelly Wearstler (she is creative lead for all Proper hotels). It’s likely the most art forward property in the city, incorporating lots of vintage, hand selected and one-of-a kind pieces throughout. The overall design seeks to make the property feel as though it’s an extension of its neighborhood which brings tons of character into the aesthetic. 

The Proper has become the place to stay for visiting celebs, musicians and business moguls (Silicon Valley has all but moved to Austin which is home to all the big tech companies). The hotel has thought of every little detail, and it shows, from the signature scent in the lobby (a very unique, smokey/wood fired vibe) right down to the Aesop amenities and room key envelopes made of beautiful quality card stock. Everything at this property feels luxe but approachable with friendly and attentive service to match. It’s evident that no corners were cut in building the hotel which opened in 2019. 

Location

Austin Proper occupies a central location in the city's vibrant 2nd Street District. It offers ease of access to tons of great dining, Austin City Limits, local boutiques, and lakeside adventures, all of which are easily reached within minutes on foot. West and Dirty 6th are a quick walk away as are plenty of local bars, music venues and the Texas State Capital. East Austin, South Congress and more are all easily reached within 10 minutes by car.

Rooms

The hotel’s 238 guest rooms (website says 244 but some are out of service) include 7 different room categories plus suites and accessible rooms. We loved that they were super quiet despite the main level of the hotel and pool areas both being ‘sceney’ and full of life. All rooms were designed by Kelly Wearstler as modern interpretations of Austin’s iconic Craftsman architectural style. All are gorgeous featuring warm earth tones along with local woods and stones from nearby quarries. Each room features the same custom wraparound head board and great spaces for clothing. The beds they’ve chosen are incredibly comfy – on the softer side but I felt totally cocooned in the luxe bedding and had some of the best sleeps I’ve had in a long time here. One thing to note is that standard guest rooms are on the smaller side at a range of 31-36sqm until you reach the higher room categories (Grand King) which begin at 40sqm. 

Restaurants & Room Service

Austin’s own MML Hospitality—the team behind institutions like Jeffrey’s, Elizabeth Street Café, and Clark’s Oyster Bar—is the hotel's exclusive partner across its 4 dining concepts. Peacock Mediterranean Grill offers Israeli & Turkish-inspired cuisine while La Piscina is the place for coastal Mexican fare from ceviches to sizzling fajitas. La Piscina is the poolside restaurant for casual tacos, dips and more. The Quill Room is a new venue for classic cocktails and semi-private functions while Goldie’s Sunken Bar is the hotel's intimate 30-seat lounge right off of the hotel lobby and exclusively open to hotel guests. We loved Goldie's since it's a quiet respite away from the crowds offering excellent cocktails and complimentary coffee and pastries in the morning. It's also the spot where celebs hang out when in town so that they have some privacy. be sure to reserve Goldie's in advance as it fills up quickly (and is closed on Mon/Tues!). Room service is offered from 7am-11pm Sun-Weds and until 12 from Thurs-Sat.

Pool & Fitness

Walk around Austin and you’ll quickly notice that its population is young a fit! It’s appropriate then that the hotel has a 2000 sq.ft. gym (I couldn’t adequately capture the winged space in a photo)  with x4 pelotons, x2 reformers, x2 water rowers and really all the equipment you could want for a thorough workout. The gym also offers great views over Downtown Austin. For the outdoor enthusiast, the hotel also offers free rental bikes according to availability.

The hotel’s pool has a fabulous deck with loungers and non-traditional ‘cabanas’ (shaded seating areas) along with full service menu and bar. It’s a scene on the weekends with a DJ playing during the day.

Verbena Spa

Lovely little spa with 5 treatment rooms and a nice range of services. Loved however that they provided healthy-ish snacks (homemade granola bites, vegan mini muffins) complemented by infused waters, energizing juices and tea with CBD.

Meetings & Events

The hotel offers beautiful and stylish meeting and event spaces replete with custom furnishings. Spaces are available in varying sizes with lots of natural light. This is a great place for businesses looking for something more inspired then the traditional MICE space.

Additional amenities and services

The hotel offers an on-site fleet of Tesla Model 3s for $35 for the first hour, and $0.60/minute thereafter. Rentals arranged via the Proper X Tesla App.

In room amenities by Aesop

The hotel is super dog friendly (no cats). We saw so many adorable doggos during our stay! The hotel offers feeding bowls and dog beds and donates a portion of their pet fee to Austin Pets Alive! 

e-bike rentals available for $25 supplement

Champagne ‘welcome’ cart on Fridays

Preferred Partner Program: Design Hotels Pro & JMAK

VIP status & Welcome card from the GM
A special amenity or local experience worth a minimum of $50 per stay on guest rooms and $100 per stay on suites
Room upgrade/early check-in/late check-out (subject to availability)
Wi-Fi 
Possible increased commission

Happy to answer any questions anyone might have, please just holler! The site inspection was hosted by the sales team. I’d be happy to connect anyone if interested! 

The ballroom is sumptuous,  offering unique design and plenty of natural light along with custom furniture.

A lobby level Champagne Welcome cart was lovely to arrive to on a Friday afternoon.

Lobby level reception desk and entrance to Goldies Sunken Bar. Kelly Wearstler's design shines throughout every corner of the property.

Reception area from another angle.

Entrance to the elevators. The Concierge's room is off to the side.

Goldie's Sunken bar is a private space for hotel guests only. Evening cocktails generally require a reservation and are available Wednesday-Sunday evenings.

The stunning lobby bar is the place to see and be seen in Austin. It's absolutely packed from early evening onward every night of the week.

2000 sq.ft gym was too vast to adequately capture.

Peacock restaurant.

Peacock's lovely private dining room is a fab space for an intimate event or meeting.

Loved our quiet, Premier King Room with a view. 

Quill offers a great space for semi private functions.

Just a small portion of the hand selected art collection curated by Kelly Wearstler. She's a big fan of ceramics and sometimes swings by the hotel to swap pieces out!

The intimate, rooftop pool is a scene on the weekends!

Verbena Spa locker room.

Verbena Spa's small seating area (just 5 seats) and snacks.

Peacock's wine cellar also serves as a very cool entrance to its PDR.

Bikes and e-bikes for rent at the hotel's entrance! 

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Texas. In need of further inspiration? Check out Jordan Nocerino’s guide, Luxury Getaway To Austin, Texas.