I usually don’t write about chain hotels, especially the flagships of the larger brands. But with the Marriott in downtown Austin, which is where I ended up staying after realizing the boutique place was next to Interstate 35, it turned out to be an exceptional place. Because of several conferences and a Major League Soccer team staying there, it was busier than I would have liked. Yet, that was a relatively minor inconvenience for all that I enjoyed being there.

After my stay in San Antonio for the TWU writers’ retreat, I headed north to meet up with RAS and see his friend who recently moved there. One of the ladies who attended the workshop with me, who lived in Austin, was kind enough to offer me a ride to the airport to return my rental car.  Despite the traffic in town, I arrived at the hotel in a relatively short time and was able to check into my room just a little after 1 PM local time. With my being tired from the nonstop activity from the days before and the weather being oven-hot, I chose to have lunch at the hotel – and it surprisingly turned out to be a peak dining experience.

I didn’t take full advantage of the amenities at the Marriott, mostly because I didn’t bring my swimsuit for the pool. Besides, that area looked crowded with all the guests at the hotel, and not appealing to me even if I had.

Accommodations

The room at the Austin Marriott was on the twelfth floor, looking westward with a fantastic view of the downtown area and with the Colorado River a few blocks away. When I walked into the standard king bedroom, it was a little disorienting because the bathroom vanity and shower were right there, with a water closet across from it. I wondered if this was a completely open bathroom, but then I realized there was a sliding door to separate it from the rest of the room. 

My bed was slightly firm but comfortable, allowing me to have two nights of solid sleep. It was also quiet on either side of the room, which wasn’t the case with my room in San Antonio, where I heard the person next door opening and closing the shades. One unusual aspect was the absence of a mini refrigerator, which would have been convenient for storing drinks. But overall, my stay was excellent. 

Amenities 

This property features extensive conference facilities spread across several floors. Because several events were happening during my stay, I didn’t wander around these areas. The all-valet parking was efficient, except on the Sunday we checked out, when everyone seemed to be leaving, and it took about 20 minutes to get the car. But just as when I was checking in, the hotel staff was friendly and intuitive, checking to see if we needed help with anything with our stay and vehicle.

As with any place I stay, I always mention the fitness center. Like its counterpart in Chicago, this Marriott had a large facility, with plenty of cardio equipment, weight machines and free weights. One side overlooked part of the Austin skyline, which I always appreciate, especially when I’ve worked out in plenty of gyms with only bland walls to admire. One other unusual feature about the hotel: when you place your card key on a tablet near the elevators, it will call up the nearest lift to your current floor and take you to your floor. There are no button panels in the cars, so always remember to bring your card.

Dining

Like with other hotel stays, I kept my food experience at the Austin Marriott to a minimum. But as I said before, I arrived a few hours past lunchtime, was hungry and didn’t want to go outside with the high 90-degree heat. So, I went to Zanzibar, a bar and restaurant with a tropical lounge atmosphere on the seventh floor, the same level as the pool and fitness center. I enjoyed a banh mi sandwich and a cocktail called Feels Like Summer, which mixed tequila, pineapple, and guava juice with a chile-infused vodka, and came in a cactus-shaped ceramic container, all while taking in the view of downtown.

For some reason, there are three bars adjacent to each other in the lobby area. The one that is also a restaurant is Corinne, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with food described as “classics with an elevated twist.” The bar-only establishment, The Lobbyist, is a tribute to Austin’s history as the state capital and was constantly crowded with conference-goers. Above this place is an even smaller offshoot bar called Rye, offering more specialized whiskeys.  I went to their grab-and-go store, Loaf + Vine, a couple of times for a light breakfast of yogurt, fruit and coffee.