Yee Haw, Y’all. Putting in a little time in the Big Town? You’re going to need a big hotel with a big room. Downtown Austin and this particular block of East Ave. has several to choose from but tonight we’re taking a look at the Homewood Suites Austin Downtown. View on Hilton.com
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My stay at Homewood Suites Austin Downtown was for three nights over the Memorial Day weekend while I was in town to visit friends.
The total rate this weekend when booked not-very-far in advance was $152.48 per night, including taxes and all charges. Obviously during times of peak demand like when big conferences are in town that rate can go much higher. But I’ve also seen it lower as well. $150 for a junior suite downtown is a fantastic value that I’d happily pay in any city. That price gets you an Expedia rating of 8.6. Check the Expedia rates for your dates.
I chose this hotel for the central location and also because I’m currently collecting Hilton nights toward status.
Homewood Suites Austin Location
As you can see on the map I-35 is a large barrier and dividing line between what’s downtown and not-downtown. And the Homewood Suites Austin is Downtown. It’s also accessible to East and South Austin with ease.
The hotel is across the alley from the popular Rainey Street nightlife area. More on that below.
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There are many hotels in Austin where you’ll be relying on Uber (perhaps a driverless Uber) to get around. This isn’t one of them. It’s pretty walkable if the heat is not too bad. At any rate, you want to keep your Uber rides short and stay off the interstates if you’re traveling without a car so this location is great.
Homewood Suites Austin Property
It’s a high rise property with 17 floors of guest rooms, a rooftop pool and pretty nice fitness center on the fifth floor. The property has parking on site but it costs $48 a night for guests, making those Uber rides feel like an even better value.
There’s round-the-clock coffee available and a free breakfast buffet, which is above average. It features pulled pork, tortillas, salsa and other Southwestern touches.
Overall it’s a nice property that anyone should feel comfortable in. I didn’t hear any noise despite being right next to the interstate.
Homewood Suites Austin Guest Rooms
I booked a junior suite in this all-suite hotel and received one on a high floor. Not sure if that counts as an upgrade or not. Room was clean and well maintained with no signs of wear and tear at all.
The junior suite features a large foldout sofa bed. The ottoman, coffee table and desk are all very easy to move around and configure the room to your needs. Families should be pretty comfortable staying here overnight.
SEARCH THE MAP: Find Rates in the perfect location at Hotels.com
I didn’t see any maid service during my stay. Possibly because of the holiday weekend and possibly because I had my DND up for a few hours during the day.
About Rainey Street
When I last visited here 10 years ago Rainey was a cozy little street near downtown. Now it’s a fully integrated part of downtown and large scale construction of condos and offices is ongoing.
Rainey is a bar hopping street with a number of old bungalows converted into bars and restaurants. It’s loud and touristy and you’ll see bachelorette parties crawling the streets there. Many guests are going to enjoy stepping right into Bangers for beers and sausages enjoyed outside in the Austin style.
It’s also an example of late-stage gentrification. I’m not here to say whether that’s good or bad. But Rainey is now more luxury condo and hotel than it is ‘Keep Austin Weird.’
Bottom Line
This was my first time staying at a Homewood Suites and I liked it better than a Hampton Inn or even a Doubletree. If you’re a Hilton loyalist you’ll love it.
And even if you’re not, you’ll love having such a large room in a central location for just $150 a night. Check the rates online and book without hesitation.
