Embassy Suites by Hilton Austin Downtown South Congress is at 300 South Congress Avenue, on the south end of the Congress Avenue Bridge, which gives it one of the best locations for bat watching and a one-minute walk to the start of South Congress Avenue. The hotel lists 262 suites, a guest rating of 8.2 out of 10 from more than a thousand reviews, and the all-suite format that makes the brand popular with families: separate living area, free cooked-to-order breakfast every morning and a free manager's reception with drinks and snacks in the evening. There is an indoor pool, which helps in any season. Lady Bird Lake is a three-minute walk, the Palmer Events Center seven minutes, and the Congress Bridge bat colony is listed as just steps away. The airport is about a seventeen-minute drive, and the Capitol is within a mile.
The value proposition is space and inclusions. Breakfast, listed on weekdays from 6:30 to 9:30 and on weekends from 7:30 to 10:30, and the evening reception reduce the cost of feeding a family or group in an expensive city. Rooms are suites with separate sleeping and living areas, which is helpful for children,. This is less glamorous than the boutique hotels along South Congress, but it is better value for groups.
Costs and policies to check: covered self-parking is a nightly charge with in-and-out privileges and height restrictions. Pets are allowed, up to two weighing up to fifty pounds each, with a fee per stay, and service animals are exempt. The guest rating is lower than the downtown towers', so read recent reviews for notes on room condition and service before you book.
This hotel suits families, groups of friends and visitors who want to be on South Congress, with its shops, food trucks and the Continental Club, and also close to the bats. It is a short walk across the bridge to downtown, within a mile of the Capitol, and a rideshare away from most other sights. For bat watching, you can step out of the lobby at dusk in season and be at the bridge in minutes, which saves arriving early to claim a spot. If you prefer a design hotel, the motor-court boutiques elsewhere in this guide have more character.
Why stay here
- ✓262 two-room suites
- ✓Free cooked-to-order breakfast
- ✓Free evening manager reception
- ✓Indoor pool
- ✓One minute to South Congress
- ✓Beside the bat bridge
- ✓Covered parking
- ✓Pets allowed with fee
Good questions
Is breakfast included?+
Yes. The hotel lists free cooked-to-order breakfast, on weekdays from 6:30 to 9:30 and weekends from 7:30 to 10:30, and a free evening reception.
How close is it to the bats?+
The hotel lists the Congress Bridge bat colony as just steps away, so you can walk out at dusk in bat season.
Is parking available?+
Covered self-parking is available for a nightly charge, with in-and-out privileges and height restrictions.
