Downtown / Lady Bird Lake

Four Seasons Hotel Austin

★★★★★

The Four Seasons is the quiet luxury choice downtown: a hotel on San Jacinto Boulevard set back from the bustle on the north shore of Lady Bird Lake, with landscaped lawns and gardens sloping toward the water and the hike-and-bike trail. That setting is the reason to book it. Lake-view rooms with private balconies look over the treetops to the water and the South Austin skyline; city-view suites look up San Jacinto; and the larger suites, including a two-bedroom with a wraparound deck and firepits and a residence-style suite with a service kitchen, suit families and celebrations. The saltwater pool is resort-styled and one of the most relaxing in the city, the lawns host lawn games and long evenings, and the spa offers Texas-inspired treatments. The hotel's bar is known for its margaritas, and the lakeside terrace is a lovely place to watch the sun go down over the water. Location is excellent for most trips: Rainey Street, Congress Avenue, Second Street, Sixth Street and the Congress Avenue Bridge are within walking distance, the trail along the lake leads west to Zilker Park and Barton Springs, and the airport is around twenty minutes away by car. Valet parking is expensive, as at most downtown luxury hotels, so think twice about renting a car if you are not heading to the Hill Country. Service is in the Four Seasons mold — polished, warm and unflappable — and the hotel has been refreshed in recent years. Book it for occasions, business trips that need a peaceful base and families who want a pool and space downtown.

The hotel has been a fixture of downtown Austin for decades, and its advantage has only grown as the skyline has filled with towers: few downtown hotels have this much green space or this direct a relationship with the lake. Mornings here can start with a run or walk on the hike-and-bike trail straight from the lawn, followed by breakfast on the terrace; afternoons by the pool; evenings with a margarita as the light goes gold over the water. In bat season, the Congress Avenue Bridge is a short stroll along the shore.

Rooms are traditional-luxurious rather than design-driven, with generous proportions, good beds and quiet; the lake-view balcony categories are the ones to request. Suites stretch to multiple bedrooms for families or groups. The spa menu leans on local ingredients and Texas themes, and the fitness facilities are well kept. The hotel's restaurant and bar cover all-day dining with a Texas accent, and in-room dining is available.

As a base, it is ideal for travelers who want downtown access without downtown noise. Rainey Street's bungalow bars and the Red River clubs are a short walk; Congress and Sixth are a few blocks more; South Congress is a quick ride over the bridge. The main drawback is price, including parking, but for a special trip the setting, pool and service justify it, and the lake view at dusk is one of the best hotel views in the city.