REVIEW: Hyatt Place Austin Downtown

As far as limited service properties go, I’m a big fan of the new-built Hyatt Place hotels.  They’re all similar and very consistent.  I was in town for the Austin MegaDO (more on that event later, just think lots of Texas BBQ and a bit of drinking) and figured I would try this property out since it was fairly new.  I’ve stayed at the Hyatt Regency Austin in the past and enjoyed it but since I was traveling alone I didn’t need a suite.  I’ve also enjoyed the Driskill hotel but it was sold out for my dates when I checked.

The Hyatt Place is located right downtown, not far from Congress street, the river and 6th street.  The lobby was very spacious, bigger than any other Hyatt Place I can remember.  I was checked in quickly and efficiently and went to my room even though it was a few hours prior to normal check-in time.

I had a room with a King bed.  The normal layout of the new rooms has an L-shaped couch as soon as you walk in as well as a work desk.  There’s a small faux wall in between the bed and the couch but it’s essentially one big room.  There’s plenty of space to work or lounge.  While I don’t love the desk chair there’s plenty of space on the desk and plugs just about everywhere.

The new-build Hyatt Place hotels have a separate bathroom, a difference from the older properties where the sink is in the room.  The bathroom is well-lit with tons of counter space.  I don’t love the sliding glass door for the bathroom but they have a rubber gasket on them now which offers a bit more privacy.

It was very clear from the view out my window on the top floor where I was.

Breakfast is standard Hyatt Place fare, again something I think they lead when it comes to free breakfast at a limited service property.  They normally have breakfast sandwiches out, though the day I ate breakfast they had two different types of eggs.  They also had sausage and french toast for hot food.  There were plenty of fresh juices, fresh fruit, yogurt, cereal, pastries and bagels as well.

The hotel has both an exercise room and an indoor pool.  The exercise room is a bit bigger than previous Hyatt Places I’ve stayed at, and absolutely my favorite one for a limited service property.  A bit of inside baseball for exercise enthusiasts (enthusiast might be a bit of a stretch for how I feel about exercise).

The new treadmills have a bunch of new features and a huge video monitor.  I don’t personally want to play solitaire while I run, but some may.  There are some great visual courses for people that need to be distracted.

There are a couple of exercise stations as well as a multi-function Life Fitness cross-training station.  It would be hard not to get a good workout here.

All in all, a clean consistent property, things I’ve come to expect from Hyatt especially from new construction.  The property is a Category 4, which means 15,000 points a night but also means you can use your free night from the Hyatt credit card here (I did this trip).  It’s the same category as the Hyatt Regency though a slight bit better located for walking downtown.  Frankly, unless you’re really lazy, downtown Austin is walkable from lots of places. But, having a brand new Hyatt Place downtown is a solid option for me as I consistently find the Hyatt Regency and Driskill either sold out or very expensive, and the Starwood options right downtown (like the W) can be pricey as well.

ETA: I received my bill from the hotel via e-mail after I checked out and was charged $29 a night for valet parking.  I remember seeing a sign at the front of the hotel garage that said it was for valet only, so I’m not entirely sure this hotel offers free self parking at all.  The hotel website only references paid valet parking.  I generally lean towards valet anyways but this seems kind of steep in a city like Austin.  I was also never informed of the charges by anyone upon check-in or when I checked out, so just a quick heads up in case you’re planning to stay and they don’t make you aware of the charges.

Related Posts:

Austin:  Hyatt Regency Redux And Some Authentic Texas BBQ

REVIEW:  The Hotel Driskill, Hyatt’s Yellow Rose