Best Hotels in Austin

Austin hotel awarded in new U.S. News & Forbes lists for 2026

The Four Seasons Hotel Austin is the top-ranked hotel in the city and the No. 4 top hotel in Texas for 2026.

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Austin

Austin's grand Four Seasons Hotel has been recognized in U.S. News and World Report's prestigious list of the best Texas hotels in 2026, and it has also been awarded a four-star rating in Forbes Travel Guide's 2026 Star Awards.

Praise from U.S. News
The Four Seasons Hotel Austin was honored as the No. 4 best hotel in Texas, and it additionally ranked as the No. 1 hotel in Austin. The hotel last appeared as the No. 21 best Texas hotel in 2025.

The publication's Best Hotels rankings annually examine more than 31,000 hotels and resorts across more than 400 destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Europe to "help travelers find the hotel that suits their needs." Hotels are ranked based on industry awards, star ratings, and online guest reviews.

According to its U.S. News profile, the Four Seasons Hotel Austin lives up to the luxurious reputation that the Four Seasons brand is widely known for.

"Sitting on the northern shore of Lady Bird Lake (just a block or so from the Austin Convention Center), Four Seasons Hotel Austin earns rave reviews from travelers thanks to its sumptuous atmosphere and extremely friendly service staff," the profile said. "The accommodations also garner praise: Rooms are decorated in neutral tones and feature cozy furniture, down bedding, flat-screen TVs, Gypsy Water by Byredo, Aqua di Parma or Bvlgari bath products and complimentary internet access."

Other Austin-area hotels that made it among U.S. News' top 50 best hotels in Texas include:

No. 8 – Austin Proper Hotel
No. 10 – Commodore Perry Estate
No. 15 – Archer Hotel Austin
No. 19 – Fairmont Austin
No. 22 – The Driskill
No. 23 – Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa
No. 27 – W Austin
No. 31 – Thompson Austin
No. 33 – Horseshoe Bay Resort, Horseshoe Bay
No. 37 – The Line Austin
No. 39 – Hotel Magdalena
No. 42 – Hotel Saint Cecilia
No. 44 – Hotel Zaza Austin
No. 46 – AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Praise from Forbes Travel Guide's 2026 Star Awards
Forbes Travel Guide recognized 25 Texas properties in its 2026 Star Awards rankings, with nine Austin restaurants, hotels, and spas all earning four-star ratings.

To determine the ratings, anonymous inspectors visit every hotel, restaurant, spa, and cruise ship in person, visiting as a typical guest for a minimum of two nights. Then, they'd review the quality and condition of each property and its overall guest experience. According to the rankings' methodology, inspectors pay their own way, and no one can buy a rating.

These are the Austin properties that earned four-star ratings, by category:

Restaurants:

Garrison: 4-star

Hotels:

Archer Hotel
Austin Proper Hotel
Commodore Perry Estate
Fairmont Austin
Four Seasons Hotel

Spas:

Fairmont Spa Austin
The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Austin
Verbena Spa at Austin Proper Hotel

hotel travel hotel awards forbes travel guide us news & world report reports rankings

HAUTE PROPERTIES

Texas beach town plans new community with kid-friendly water park

Spoonbill Bay/Facebook

No, we don't know why these folks are wearing suits at the pool.

If Austin's indecisive weather has locals yearning for a beach vacation, an upcoming Port Aransas housing development may provide some inspiration — or at least a few daydreams. Spoonbill Bay is currently under construction on Mustang Island, promising ocean views and a slew of fun amenities.

Future residents of the community, located bayside of State Highway 361, are in for some splashy fun. State regulatory records reveal that Spoonbill Bay will soon begin work on a water park that will have multiple pools, a lazy river, a splash pad, an amusement park-style slide tower, sunning decks, and cabanas.

“This is what Phase One will be like when we open in May 2026,” said Alex Harris, owner and CEO of Brite Star Construction, in a Facebook post. “Children’s water slides and water playground, large family pool with a swim-up bar, second-floor pavilion for relaxing and parties, tiki bar with lots of TVs, and a full assortment of food at the entry building.”

Residents can enjoy their own private lap pools.Spoonbill Bay/ Facebook

Surrounding the aquatic park will be several white cottages built in Lowcountry style with raised foundations, porches, and large windows to take in the Coastal sun. The two- to three-bed homes come in a variety of floor plans with their own private lap pools.

Spoonbill Bay closes a gap in Port Aransas’ luxury vacation home market. Although the city is speckled with several ultra-high-end properties, the development provides a less expensive gateway to island living. The 916 to 1,284 square feet cottages start at $500,000, a hair below the area’s almost $600,000 median home price, according to Zillow.

Some of the homes have already been completed, and the full construction is expected to wrap up in 2026. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filings say the water park will be finished by late June, although timelines are always subject to change.

Spoonbill Bay/Facebook

No, we don't know why these folks are wearing suits at the pool.

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