Austin for 5th anniversary
 

We will be going to Austin for our 5th anniversary and after looking at the Trip advisor and Yahoo travel , I am confused . Trip Advisor rated Super 8 as number 1? I guess I would like a hotel downtown or maybe in the close hill country. Around 200 dollars a night. I would appreciate your help.

Try the Stephen F. Austin. It is a fabulous 5-star hotel downtown and sometimes (esp. on weekends) they have rates that might fit into your budget.

The TA ranking is not based on quality, more on popularity.

<i>The TA ranking is not based on quality, more on popularity</i>

And popularity depends an awful lot on expectations. If the people who are doing the ranking expect the Ritz, then the Super 8 would not be no. 1, but if they expect Econolodge, then it's to be expected that Super8 would be no. 1. That's why I use TripAdvisor by reading the actual comments on the hotels, not the ranking --- I've seen too many of their No. 1s that I would not have been happy staying at.

Thanks it looks like a perfect location.

Just stayed at the Stephen F. Austin. The location is very good, very expensive car valet ($27 with taxes per night), and rooms were ok -- not great and I didn't feel it was worth the expense of $259/night. Again, great location though. Lacking in customer service and lounge service.

We also stayed at The Mansion on Judge's Hill and loved it. Very charming and room was very nice and opened on to the courtyard below. Excellent, excellent guest services and felt it was a bargain for what we received.

Four Seasons is fantastic! A true luxury hotel and perfect location! We toured and enjoyed the outdoor seating for wine and appetizers while taking in the gorgeous view of the water and greenscape. A gorgeous place to stay and would rate that my first choice even if I had to stay in their smallest room. It would be a perfect spot for an anniversary weekend.

Would also highly recommend the Four Seasons. Beautiful hotel and location downtown on the lake and hike/bike trail, wonderful outdoor terrace with pool, bar etc. Very nice restaurant with southwestern twist. We've always been able to get great rate online. Not sure if it would still be in your price range, but definitely worth a try. The Shoreline Grill next door is also excellent.

If you're interested in a B&B, there are several in Austin. We stayed at the Austin Folk House last August and were very happy (no valet/parking fees!). Enjoy!

I hope I caught you in time. Try Priceline. We used it for every occassion through 2 kids in college at UT (and everywhere elsewhere and got downtown and Town Lake (now Lady Bird Johnson Lake) 4 * hotels for anywhere from $55. a night for the Hyatt, to $95. for the Hilton. Prices increased over the years but I have noticed a big retraction of late due to the economy and I bet now due to the swine flu. If you are not arriving on graduation weekend you will surely get a fabulous deal. Use the money you save for fun stuff! If you are not familiar with bidding blind for a room then go to betterbidding.com or biddingfortravel.com to educate yourself.Have a blast!

If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind hotel experience, check out the Hotel San Jose off of S. Congress. The rooms are a bit on the minimalist side (with a trendy/cool/hip vibe) but the setting and scenery of the hotel is amazing. Even if you don't stay here, you must go check it out! Their outdoor patio bar serves some of the best Sangria I've ever had.

Hotel Saint Cecilia is where my fiancee and I will be spending our wedding night before leaving for our honeymoon. Owned by the same people who own San Jose but more on the romantic side.

Other places to check out would be the Driskill (comparable to the Stephen F. Austin in location) and the Four Seasons.

Good luck! Happy Anniversary!