Austin Checks In
Swanky music-themed hotel opens in grand Austin style
What: The Westin Downtown Austin Hotel Opening Night
The details: On Thursday, Austin's media elite enjoyed the opening night of downtown’s newest and swankiest hotel for a night of live music, delicious food, and unique entertainment. The 366-room Westin is located steps away from three major entertainment districts in Austin, and carefully constructed its interior to mimic Austin’s musical backbone — the guitar.
Each detail of the hotel is designed to include the instrument’s elements: The main lobby staircase replicate strings, while the tiles surrounding the 20th floor pool are inspired by the mother-of-pearl pick guards on classic Fenders. Azul, the tallest hotel rooftop pool and bar in town, is complete with cabanas, a cozy fire pit, and unmatched panoramic views of Austin.
Bites provided by Stella San Jac, the hotel's American restaurant led by Chef Michael Cerrie, included stylish crab cakes, hand-crafted sliders, and signature biscuits. An open bar offering local craft beers and the porthole-infused cocktails kept guests mingling and exploring five levels of the hotel, each hosting a renowned local musician. Between armadillo racing, ballet dancing, live jazz, and a walking flower sculpture, Austinites are looking forward to visiting the Westin Downtown Hotel again.
Who: Jarrod Salas, Kelly Ford, Shelby Shankin, Noelle Webster, Ana Muzel Silva, Kurt Weber, Andrea Sarrensen, Jim Parham, Robert Schrader, Viraj Mehta, Erin Legacy, and Sheri Fox.