All eyes are on you, Austin. In the midst of rapid growth and development, it seems we can’t make a move without someone taking notice. The most recent attention for the city comes from Travel + Leisure’s highly coveted It List of the world’s best new hotels.
Released earlier this week, the 11th annual report took three key factors into account to determine the top hotels, all of which opened in 2015: a killer location, impeccable design, and the ability to bring something new to the table. Of the 49 hotels selected, one Austin hotel makes the cut.
Travel + Leisure predicts that South Congress Hotel will become an instant Austin classic. “Enter the South Congress,” writes T+L, “which takes everything you love about the Live Music Capital of the World and rolls it into a three-story structure on ultra-vibrant South Congress Avenue.”
The magazine praises the masculine-yet-bright design of the hotel’s 83 rooms and its abounding common spaces. These include Chef Michael Paley’s Café No Sé and Central Standard, women’s clothing boutique Sunroom, the industrial-style Revival Cycles, New York’s luxe nail salon Tenoverten, and the long-awaited Otoko from Paul Qui.
The mostly international list includes 10 hotels in the U.S., and the only other Texas hotel is San Antonio’s Hotel Emma.
“A brewery turned hotel sounds like a hipster cliche, but the Roman & Williams-designed showstopper advances the industrial-chic aesthetic,” writes T+L. Similar to South Congress Hotel, Hotel Emma is also a culinary hot spot, located in the trendy Pearl District. T+L notes Hotel Emma’s bar Sternewirth, which dates to 1883, where old fermentation tanks double as a place to lounge with a cocktail or brew.
“The It List showcases new hotels and resorts that raise the bar in a variety of ways, from great design to spectacular settings to service and product innovations,” says editor Nathan Lump in a release. “These are places that don't just provide a place to sleep — they deliver experiences that travelers will find both stimulating and transporting.”
The complete list of the planet’s best new hotels is available now ahead of the magazine's March issue, which hits stands February 12.
South Congress Hotel was just named as one of Travel + Leisure's best new hotels in the world.
This shot by Jesus Corona features wildflowers bathing in the sunset in Bexar County.“Sunset” by Jesus Corona
Gary T. Ray caught Gruene Hall and the surrounding buildings at the perfect dusk moment.“Gruene Nights” by Gary T. Ray
It's amazing that Bill Weekley found this rattlesnake among sunny wildflowers and much more ominous skies.“Danger in the Wildflowers” by Bill Weekley
This gray fox may look like he's sitting on the ground, but Mike Zarella caught him sitting in a tree in Blanco County.“Gray Fox up a Tree" by Mike Zarella
It's not surprising viewers were enchanted by this welcoming road, which seems to lead into a future with more Hill Country blooms and beauty.Bluebonnet and Live Oak Road by William Shelton
The rest of the calendar images.Mockup courtesy of the Hill Country Alliance