If you haven’t entered any dates, the rate shown is provided directly by the hotel and represents the cheapest double room (including tax) available in the next 60 days.
Prices have been converted from the hotel’s local currency (USD245.00), via openexchangerates.org, using today’s exchange rate.
If everything is bigger in Texas, then everything is immensely cooler in capital Austin. The city’s creative scene has brewed up as nicely as something chill and craft-y, and when Soho House Austin rode into town, they gained a hangout that hits the high notes. Texas modernist style with Spanish spirit seasons suites like a low-and-slow brisket; a music room showcases diverse talents, the rooftop pool relieves when the heat is high, and an energetic programme of pop-ups and parties take two-stepping to the next level. Add all the SH perks – a cinema, inspiring work spaces, some of the most interesting people in the city – and you have a stay that, true to Texan style, is a bigger deal than most.
Please note, if you are not a Soho House member, you have the option to add a 12-month Soho Friends membership to your booking for $130. Public rates are also available.
Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.
Prices
Double rooms from £230.02 ($287), including tax at 17 per cent.
More details
Rates don’t include breakfast.
Also
If you wish to become a Soho Friends member, you can add a 12-month membership to your booking for $130. Soho Friends is a global membership that gives you access to Soho House bedrooms, plus benefits at spas, restaurants, Cowshed and Soho Home. Please note, Soho Friends membership does not give you direct access to the Houses, and this fee only covers the room booked and any additional rooms for children under 18; additional rooms booked for guests aged 18 and over will be charged the membership fee for each room. If you have purchased a Soho Friends membership through Mr & Mrs Smith within the past year, please call our travel team directly to book your Soho Friends member rates. Please note, existing Soho House members should book directly through Soho House as Mr & Mrs Smith cannot offer their membership discount.
At the hotel
Roof terrace, cinema, club lounge, music room and green room, free wash-and-fold service, free WiFi. In rooms: flatscreen TV, Marshall Bluetooth speaker, Roberts radio, minibar with signature cocktails, tea- and coffee-making kit, homemade cookies, hair-straightener, Cowshed bath products, air-conditioning.
Our favourite rooms
Soho House’s designers have a keen eye for local colour, and in rooms they’ve taken on Texan modernist elements with a Spanish flavour, using sisal and terracotta, Navajo-style wall hangings, aged leather, reclaimed timber and lamps made by local ceramicist Keith Kreeger. All make chic crashpads, so size matters here – you’re in Texas, so why not go Extra Large which comes with a kitchenette, its own terrace and a freestanding copper bath tub.
Poolside
We share Soho House’s penchant for rooftop pools, and this Texan-flavoured one (open 9am to 9pm) is particularly delicious with its rows of striped day-beds (upholstered with Clarence House textiles), terracotta tiles, collection of cacti and an attention-earning mural by Dallas-based African-American artist Desireé Vaniecia, inspired by the female members of her family. And on top of all this visual stimuli, there are sweeping views of Downtown.
Packing tips
Austin’s music scene is keenly represented at Soho House Austin (there’s even a dedicated music room), so load yourself up like a one-man band if you’re so inclined. Bring any sun-protection stuff, plus a trusty pair of flip-flops; and, be sure to download the Soho House app, which can be used for inviting and logging guests (if you’re a member), reserving tables and poolside day-beds. And, if you’ve brought your laptop for some sly email checking, be sure to switch off by 6pm.
Also
The hotel’s screening room cossets moviegoers, with velvet armchairs and footstools and cashmere blankets.
Children
Children of club members can stay, although this is more of an adults hangout. They can use the pool from 9am to 3pm on weekdays and till 11am on weekends.
Sustainability efforts
It’s reassuring to know that Soho House are working to deliver an environmental impact strategy across their sites. With 2030 goals set to enhance and standardise recycling programmes and responsible food-waste management at every outpost of the member’s club globally. They also work with local suppliers selected for their like-minded responsibility. In the kitchen, there’s scrutiny around how Soho House sources coffee, cocoa and palm oil, as well as sustainable seafood and responsibly reared meat. Expect greater choice of meat-free dishes and seasonal ingredients whenever practical. Measures to assess Soho House’s carbon footprint and reduce emissions are ongoing.
Follow in Willie Nelson’s footsteps and get high with a seat on the roof terrace.
Dress Code
Austin’s known for its lax adherence to dress codes, so no need to suit up, but keep the flip-flops for poolside.
Hotel restaurant
Smartly, the Soho House group has chosen not to take on the pitmasters at their own game, and SH regular Cecconi’s Italian game is strong as ever here. Both the indoor and outdoor dining areas have whip-smart style, whether you sink into a velvet chaise under a vintage chandelier, or bag a tree-shaded banquette under soft lantern glow. The menu covers all corners of ‘the boot’, starting with fritti, baked gnocchi and meatballs, tossing up Tuscan salads and tartares, followed by pizzas, pastas and parmigianas. Plus there are some house favourites: a burger with porchetta and provolone or fried chicken with Calabrian-chilli mayo.
Hotel bar
For spicy cocktails, margaritas and espresso martinis, there’s the lively club lounge or the pool bar on the rooftop, but being a hotbed of talent and creativity, the hotel also has a music room for gigs and a space for pop-ups.
Last orders
Breakfast is 8am to noon every day except Saturday when it runs till 10am. Otherwise, guests can dine from noon till close.
Room service
Dine in your room from 8am till 11pm Monday to Wednesday, till midnight on Thursdays, 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, and till 9pm on Sundays.
Soho House Austin sits at the top of the Music Lane cultural space (also home to chic boutiques and a handful of street-food-style-eateries) along the very cool South Congress Avenue, a conduit for art, bat murmurations and breakfast tacos.
Planes
Austin-Bergstrom International is the closest airport, about a 20-minute drive away. It’s well connected across the US and has some direct links to Europe.
Trains
Austin Station, a 10-minute drive from the hotel, is where Amtrak’s Texas Eagle drops by on its way from Chicago to San Antonio (with a pause at Dallas).
Automobiles
In wider – much wider – Texas, a car is an absolute must; but if you’re not staying for too long, Austin can be navigated using its buses, light rail and tram. It is a vast city though, so if you want to avoid making liberal use of Ubers and Lyfts, acquire some wheels.
Worth getting out of bed for
Soho on SoCo – it was meant to be. Austin isn’t wanting for namecheck neighborhoods, but South Congress is a firm favourite with both locals and those calling it home for a little while. Its colour, coolness and full social life are in step with Soho House Austin’s ethos, and there’s much to entertain. For one, street artists have gone to town on its main drag, resulting in some of the city’s most photographed murals. Take yourself on a tour, hitting the Mr Rogers tribute ‘Won’t you be my neighbour?’; ‘I love you so much’, allegedly drunkenly spray painted by musician Amy Cook as a peace offering after a fight with her hotelier girlfriend Liz Lambert (former owner of fellow Smith stays Hotel San José and Hotel Saint Cecilia); ‘Willie for president’, which gives Mr Nelson his due; and Candy Chang’s ‘Before I die…’ wall, where you can add your own intentions in chalk. Another perk to this prime location is its proximity to Congress Avenue Bridge, which acts as a summer home for the most famous bats beyond Dracula – stroll along as the sun sets and you’ll see a colony of 1.5 million swarm the skies. And, you’re just a 10-minute drive from Lady Bird Lake; looped by hiking and biking trails, calm enough for canoeing, kayaking and SUP-ing, and with a romantic boardwalk hovering over its surface it pulls in locals in bat-rivalling numbers. SoCo also hosts hip indie boutiques, such as Allens Boots, for authentic Western footwear; Feathers Boutique Vintage for flower-child ensembles; and Stag Provisions for masterful menswear. And it’s worth making the pilgrimage to Uncommon Objects, a strange and wonderful flea shop. Swing by Preacher Gallery for more wall candy, or muse over works at the Contemporary Austin and Blanton Museum of Art (home to Ellsworth Kelly’s colourful Austin monument). Come evening, Austin lives up to its Live Music Capital of the World rep. You’re rarely more than a two-step away from a club with an occupied stage, but we like the Continental Club, just down the road; the city’s longest running and ongoing music series at ACL Live (just 20 minutes’ walk away); the White Horse honky tonk, where whiskey’s on tap; and the famous Broken Spoke (you’ll need to book a taxi, but it’s worth it), where the country is hot and the dance floor heaving. If you roll into town on the first Thursday of the month, you’ll find a party going on along SoCo as businesses band together to celebrate all that’s good about Austin, and the next day, support businesses owned by Women of Colour at the Frida Friday market.
Local restaurants
Austin’s dining scene isn’t easily corralled – even the most busted-up food truck might serve something that would have a Michelin inspector salivating, you could probably eat your way around the world given enough time, and well, there are just so darn many places to try… A five-minute drive away on Pickle Road, LeRoy and Lewis’s food truck is parked up in the Cosmic Coffee + Beer garden; it’s a humble setup, but this is stellar ‘new-school barbecue’ with meats sourced from responsible ranches. Choose from Akaushi brisket, pulled hog, house sausage, served with frito pies, hash or kimchi, and finish with a cheddar cheesecake. Still hungry – longstanding institution Franklin Barbecue has your back (or baby back ribs), with a very meaty menu of the usual grill suspects, plus cheddar-jalapeño sausage and the jaw-unhinging Tipsy Texan sandwich. And, for the likes of peach-tea-glazed pork and robust kielbasa, land at Interstellar BBQ. For something a little less hands-on and more romantic, Aba has a gorgeous leafy terrace and delicious Mediterranean dining: grilled carrots with lemon jam and rosemary-smoked yoghurt, eggplant-wrapped leg of lamb with cinnamon and dates, or shawarma-spiced steak with horseradish labneh and a black-garlic jus. Colourful Perla’s focuses on seafood, with Creole oysters, lobster rolls, Gulf catches and a cold bar. A tempting all-day menu at June’s includes ‘ndjua clams, whipped ricotta with hazelnuts and habanero honey and bone-marrow bolognese.
Local cafés
Jo’s Coffee (another Liz Lambert hit) serves a strong cuppa, but also has seasonal specials (say caramel-apple cold brew or French toast latte), live gigs and other community-focused events. For coffee with kolaches (fruit pastries) sidle up to Little Brother’s window. The original Home Slice Pizza is on the street too for custom pies, calzones and subs; and for those all-important day-starting tacos (or margaritas after noon), there’s Güero’s and Torchy’s.
Local bars
Start your night with a round of frosés on Hotel San José’s neon-lit patio, then cross over to Downtown for heavenly drinks at church-themed hangout Higher Ground – where the windows are stained and Gothic arched and outdoor space is beautifully festooned with hanging flowers. On the more down-to-earth side of things is Garage, whose low-lit pared-back industrial look makes it feel somewhat carpark-like yet striking, and their drinks have fun, themed names. There’s more gritty fun to be had at Central Machine Works beer hall, too – a brewery and artspace with a range of IPAs and juicier picks, Palomas on draft, and brats and pizzas to snack on.
Every hotel featured is visited personally by members of our team, given the Smith seal of approval, and then anonymously reviewed. As soon as our reviewers have returned from this sweet-music-making stay on South Congress Ave. and unpacked their buckaroo boots from Allens and baby-pink box of Voodoo doughnuts, a full account of their two-stepping and taco-munching break will be with you. In the meantime, to whet your wanderlust, here's a quick peek inside Soho House Austin…
If you attend Austin’s sprawling music extravaganza SXSW (South by Southwest), you might notice locals wearing t-shirts imploring people not to move there. We get it – we’d want to keep the blinding breakfast tacos and barbecue platters, anything-goes gig scene and vibrant bars and clubs all to ourselves, too. However, Soho House Austin is doing little to help. Placing itself on South Congress, close to big-deal street-art murals, intriguing indie shops and must-drop-in dining spots, and well placed for Lady Bird Lake kayaking or marvelling at taking-flight bat colonies, it’s the best of the city all at once. And this Austinite charm is even stronger within, where spaces are colourfully decked out in Texan modernist style, with terracotta, cacti, Spanish tiles, and artworks bestowed by locals; a music room hosts bands of all genres; the rooftop pool provides some much needed literal cool when the mercury rises; and anything from HiFi pop-ups to drag shows to tiki nights keep the energy up. We’re sorry Austinites, but we think we’ll be staying a little longer…
