Going Up
Luxury South Austin hotel swoops in with rooftop restaurant and high-end amenities
There is perhaps no greater indication of a changing Austin — besides traffic — than the bevy of luxury brands breaking into the Capital City market. Hotels like the Line, Fairmont, and Zaza have already checked in, while the members-only Soho House (not to mention Equinox, the notoriously pricey gym nearby) and downtown Hyatt Centric are set to open in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
In 2022, the city will add yet another high-end hotel when The Loren at Lady Bird Lake opens its doors on South Lamar Boulevard. It will be the first U.S. hotel for the New York-based Loren Hotel Group, founded by Stephen King. (Not that Stephen King, we checked.)
The combo hotel-condo project is similar to Austin Proper, the downtown high-rise scheduled to open in January. Austin-based Moreland Properties is the appointed agent for condominium sales.
Apparently, there won't be a bad view in the entire place. According to a release, The Loren "will feature 108 guest rooms, all with lake and city views, as well as 26 spacious two- to four-bedroom condominiums for sale, including two penthouses, all with panoramic views."
Additional amenities include:
- Rooftop restaurant
- Event space with a bar and lounge
- Onsite spa
- Gym
- Swimming pool
- And "retail offerings with a health and wellness theme"
The site's event facilities will also feature an outdoor seating area with, wait for it, 180-degree views.
When it opens at 221 S. Lamar Blvd., The Loren at Lady Bird Lake will be the group's second property. In 2017, it opened The Loren at Pink Beach in Bermuda, a property that landed on Travel + Leisure's It List and Conde Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards in 2018.
“We’re excited to continue the success of The Loren Hotel brand by bringing our next venture to Austin, one of America’s most exciting and fastest growing cities [and] where we believe the luxury traveler is underserved," said King in a release. "As in Bermuda, where we’ve attracted a discerning international travel market, we expect to deliver the same focus on elevated service, appreciation for quality design and art, and an impeccable location to appeal to international travelers and serve as a social hub for Austinites."
It looks like Austin is just the first of many markets targeted by the burgeoning luxury brand. Says the release, "Future projects will target a cultured, high-net-worth clientele by showing off spectacular views, surrounding them with detailed art and design, and creating indelible local experiences."
Guess these views better be good.
