Quirky property
New hotel with 'Keep Austin Weird' vibe and rooftop deck checks in near University of Texas

A 17-story hotel featuring a rooftop deck, eccentric furniture, offbeat artwork, and a lobby bar is set to open this summer just south of the University of Texas campus.
The Hilton Garden Inn Austin University Capitol District — which could vie for the longest hotel name in Austin — will be within walking distance of the UT campus, Blanton Museum of Art, Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, and the Texas Capitol. In 2018, the cost of the project was estimated at $42 million.
Renowned architecture firm Gensler designed the 214-room hotel, at 301 W. 17th St., and Dallas-based Studio 11 Design designed the interior. The hotel’s developer says the quirky artwork will complement the “Keep Austin Weird” vibe.
The nearly 2,000-square-foot rooftop deck, offering impressive views of the UT campus and the Capitol, will be available to hotel guests and bar patrons, as well as visitors attending private events. The lobby bar will serve food-truck-inspired bites for lunch and dinner, signature cocktails, and local craft beverages.
“With the Hilton Garden Inn Austin University Capitol District, we have created a hotel that captures the vibrant energy and spirit that makes Austin so unique,” Michael Coolidge, chief investment and development officer at hotel developer and manager HRI, says in a release.