September in Austin
 

We are coming to Texas in late September and will have about ten days before travelling North to Kansas. We arrive in Houston on Saturday 20th September (we didn't realise it was the last day of the Festival when we booked). We want to spend time in Austin and the Hill Country. Any suggestions in mid-range places to stay and places to hear some good music? We would like to be close to the action and use the car as little as possible (we like drink or two)unless this is unrealistic. Our musical tastes are quite varied but with preference for Springstein / rock / blues. Nothing too modern or techno. We also love walking and would be interested in any good walks (up to about four hours) in the Hill Country area. Any information would be much appreciated.

If it's music you want, then Austin is THE place to be. And late September is great as far as the weather goes. 80's during the day...

I don't know your budget, but in Austin, a good place near 6th st. and S. Congress would be the Hyatt. It's a bit of a walk after a "drink or two" ;) but still less than a mile. Another would be the Omini on 8th street, 2 blocks from Sixth St. or the Radisson on Cesar Chavez. Any of those would do. The Omni and the Radisson being closest to the music scene.

Closer to the time you get here, check out www.auschron.com and the music listings.

Also, Sept. 27th is a home football game for UT, so rooms may be hard to find the 26th - 28th. You may want to check around now if you'll be here those days. A quick look at the Radisson shows rooms for $129. Another nice thing about the Radisson is that it is right next to the Congress Ave. bridge where the bats fly at night. However, not sure how many are there late September.

There's the Hotel San Jose..it's the hip little hotel on the new "hip" side of town, S. Congress...very close to downtown. If you want to pay anywhere from $120-$400, there is an AMAZING new boutique hotel called Mansion at Judges Hill...it's right off UT Campus and therefore also very close to sights. IT's absolutely gorgeous. For cheap downtown there is an ExtendedStay hotel in the area, as well as a LA Quinta just up from the capital. For music there is the Warehouse district, 6th street, really all over the place :)

For walking/touring try Fredericksburg, if you want hiking, next to Fredericksburg is Enchanted Rock. There are alot of greenbelts in Austin, as well as the path around Townlake/Zilker Park.

I agree that the San Jose is a very cool hotel! Not for everyone tho. Very small, no huge lobby with tons of amenities, but a small renovated property that is "botique-ish". Lovely. It's on S. Congress, a very hip area. One or two bars there. Mainly across the street from the Continental club, a populare, Austin stapel for music (Raul Malo of the Mavericks is playing tomrrow nite...). A few blocks from Gueros restaurant. . Other cool shops and restaurants near by. If you head to 6th street, it will be a bit of a walk home - maybe a mile or so.

Like others have said, the Radisson would be my reccomendation as well. Price wise its about the same as its big name competitors in the area (Hyatt, Marriott, Doubletree, etc., etc.) but defenately the best location in Austin (as well as the Four Seasons next door).

As for the music scene, just go to 6th Street and walk around for a while until you find what you want. It's there... I promise. The most action on 6th Street is Fridays and Saturdays (no surprise). And expect to see a VERY diverse group.

Walking is just outside the door of the Radisson. 10 miles of it in fact. The hike and bike trail offers beautiful views of the lake and the city.

Just a side note... San Antonio offers many unique and enjoyable attractions as well. And has some very nice hotels and resorts to experience the hill country. Although a little pricey, The Westin La Cantera and Radisson Hill Country Resort are my personal favorites. Maybe a place to spend a day before or after Austin, and not too far away. Enjoy!

Try using Priceline.com and bid on a four star hotel downtown. I just did that for a room in late aug. and got the Omni for $51 a night. I used www.biddingfortravel.com and read their FAQ's on bidding for hotel rooms. I promise you won't be sorry. There are only four downtown hotels in the 4 * catagory. The Omni, the Hyatt, the Marriott at the Capitol and the Intercontinenal Stephen F. Austin. Any of these hotels would put you "close to the action". Read their advice carefully and you won't have a problem. Good luck and have a great time in Austin. If you are in town during the UT home game, and like football, buy some tickets off the street and take in a game.

If you don't go the Priceline route, there is a brand new Hampton Inn right off First and San Jacinto. It is a bit pricey as Hampton Inn's go but the location is good...right across from PF Changs and other good places to eat as well as The Four Seasons Hotel.

With all due respect, I've stayed in Radisson several times prior to moving here, and the last few years this property has seriously gone down hill. Our last...and I echo LAST..visit, we had to change rooms twice b/c of broken bed/window.
In general this place is in drastic need of new decor and alot of repairs. Which explains why it is the only place you can find this close to the river and downtown for $99 on a weekend. I'd say pay the extra $25-$50 and stay somewhere else.

I echo Branv's thoughts about the Radisson. We have not stayed there in several years due to the condition of the hotel. Since we have not stayed there in so long, I do not know if there has been any upgrade to their facilities. I would at least check directly with the hotel to ask when the last major renovation took place.

We stayed at the Hyatt during South by Southwest and it was fine. But we stayed at the San Jose last week and it was fantastic- I highly recommend it if you want something a little off the mainstream. Again, not for everyone, but it's very zen-modern with a great location.

Remember that 6th street caters to the college crowd and the warehouse district is for folks over 25 or so.

Don't forget to eat at the Magnolia Cafe (open 24 hours) on South Congress!

You will have a great time...