In the last few years, Austin, Texas has stepped up its boutique hotel game beyond mainstays like the Hotel Saint Cecilia, Hotel San Jose and South Congress Hotel. Hospitality megabrands like the Sydell Group and Miraval have recently expanded into the market in the hopes of bringing the outdoors in and tapping local talent. “The Texas Hill Country surrounding Austin conjures a style all its own,” says architect David Rau, a principal at Hart Howerton who oversaw the Miraval property. “This special place is suffused with a strong sense of place, a pioneering legacy and an architectural vocabulary reflecting a simple, pure life under wide, open skies.” Several of these new properties are located in the burgeoning East Austin neighborhood. “Austin is an amazing city with talented craftsmen, artists, and musicians that has a laid back sensibility but at the same time very thoughtful and uniquely it’s own,” says ARRIVE Hotels co-founder Chris Pardo. Here are six new properties championing fresh design points of view.
Set on 220 acres overlooking Lake Travis, Miraval Austin is a new resort experience from the wellness group which boasts locations in Tucson and the Berkshires. Its latest, where the Travaasa property was previously, offers 117 guest rooms and suites, a serene Life in Balance Spa, a 10-acre farm and ranch and a state-of-the-art Life in Balance Culinary Kitchen. The design firm Hart Howerton was tapped to create this harmonious space using a soft neutral color palette, hand-crafted accessories, and art to create a restorative atmosphere. Conceptualized by renowned designer Clodagh, the serene 20,000-square-foot Life in Balance Spa boasts 30 treatment rooms, a spa pool, relaxation rooms, salon, sauna, and steam room. “Our work at Miraval Austin is based on the natural palette of the regional landscape, with new buildings designed to feel as though they have their own deep history, and interiors meant to set the stage for contemplative experiences,” says architect David Rau, a principal at Hart Howerton. Guest rooms feature exterior porches with sweeping views, open bathrooms (some with outdoor showers) and custom built-in beds with hand-painted murals as headboards. “The design for Miraval Austin was inspired by the natural environment and architectural legacy of the Texas Hill Country location, as well as the vibrant counterculture of the larger Austin community,” says Rau. “The result is a uniquely Texan experience: at once rustic and refined, edgy and elegant.”
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