With all the new hotels popping up around Austin, sometimes it can be hard to determine which is the best place to stay. Guest reviews are helpful, but sometimes we just need an expert's take. Luckily for Austinites, Esquire Magazine has put together a master list of "The 41 Best New Hotels in North America and Europe," and one lakeside Austin hotel has made the cut.
The annual list, now in its third year of publication, shares the most unique and unforgettable experiences compiled by Esquire editors. Hotels that were recognized steered away from "the grain of ho-hum luxury [and] change the vibrations of its neighborhood and its city."
The Loren at Lady Bird Lake, which opened in 2022, was Austin's lone representative on the list. It features 108 luxurious rooms with city and lake views across eight floors, and a beloved Austin spa, a rooftop restaurant, and an all-day coffee shop and cafe. Room rates begin at $270 per night, which is much more affordable than many other hotels in the area.
"Breakfast tacos, smoky barbecue, and live music beckon in Austin," the report says. "Cool down in the café with a margarita or a frozen espresso martini, or admire the sweeping skyline from the rooftop pool or from the restaurant Nido as you indulge in an octopus carpaccio, or take in Lady Bird Lake through the floor-to-ceiling windows of your stylish mid-century-modern room."
The hotel's popularity is bolstered by its ideal location right on South Lamar and West Riverside Drive, just steps from the Roy and Ann Butler Hike and Bike Trail and the Zach Theatre, and is a short walk to local-favorite parks Auditorium Shores and Zilker Park. Travelers can walk across the pedestrian bridge to visit the Austin Central Library, or dine at one of the nearby restaurants like Ember Kitchen or Hestia.
The Loren also has deep connections with Austin's creative scene and local artists. In summer 2023, the hotel partnered with The Contemporary Austin to commission a mural by local artist Manik Raj Nakra, and showcased his art inside the cafe.
Most recently, the hotel finished restoring the beloved Paggi House historic landmark that sits on its property. The new art venue is now showcasing its first exhibition, Explorers, featuring art by Matthew Ritchie, Rodney McMillian, Xylor Jane, and many more.
Other top Texas hotels
Hôtel Swexan in Dallas and The Thompson Houston were the only other two Texas hotels that were recommended in Esquire's list.
The Hôtel Swexan is a stylish boutique hotel in Dallas' Harwood District, just north of downtown. This stylish spot pays attention to the little details that make a guest's stay as comfortable and hassle-free as possible, according to Esquire. The thoughtful amenities also appeal to guests' deluxe tastes. And with room rates beginning at $625 per night, guests can expect no less than the utmost service and conveniences.
"Should you book one of the top-floor suites, know that they are spacious enough for the whole family," Esquire wrote.esquire.com
"You won’t have to ask for a toothbrush and toothpaste because you forgot to pack them — they’re already in the bathroom waiting for you," the report said. "The minibar? It’s stocked with both Burgundy and good California pinot (made in Burgundian style, of course)."
The report also praised Babou's — the hotel's upscale nightclub — the rooftop pool, and the live jazz nights.
Meanwhile, the Thompson Hotel Houston is located in Fourth Ward across from Buffalo Bayou Park. Luxurious modernity is what makes this lodging stand out above the rest, as the hotel allows guests (likely those of high profile) to arrive and depart using the rooftop helipad.
Guest rooms are adorned with warm, brass accents and deep green leather furnishings, weaving together a modern aesthetic with classic elements. The picturesque wall-to-wall marble bathrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook into downtown beckon guests to explore the city for themselves.
Room rates at the Thompson Hotel Houston start at $379 a night, placing this right in between our two other Texas hotels on the budget scale.
The full list of hotels can be found at esquire.com.
