1886, and it knows it. Lyndon Johnson had his first date with Lady Bird at the Driskill Bar. The building alone is worth the room rate.
The Driskill is Austin's oldest hotel, an 1886 Romanesque Revival landmark on 6th Street with 189 rooms, the storied Driskill Bar and the 1886 Cafe. Now in the Unbound Collection by Hyatt, it is the city's most historically charged stay, currently mid-way through a careful phased renovation while staying open.
You stay at the Driskill for a sense of place no other Austin hotel can match. It opened in 1886 as cattle baron Colonel Jesse Driskill's monument to Texas ambition, and the Romanesque Revival building, the longhorn busts above the entrance and the barrel-vaulted lobby still carry that swagger. Lyndon Johnson had his first date with Lady Bird here and later watched election returns at the hotel, and generations of Texas political and business life have run through the Driskill Bar. As the oldest operating hotel in Austin, now in the Unbound Collection by Hyatt, it trades on heritage rather than resort gloss, and for the right traveller that heritage is exactly the point.
The practical draw is location. The Driskill sits at the corner of 6th and Brazos, in the middle of downtown, a short walk from the State Capitol, the convention center and the live-music blocks of 6th Street. For an anniversary weekend or a business trip that wants character rather than a chain lobby, that combination of history and central position is what earns the Driskill its place near the top of our Austin list.
The 189 rooms split across two very different buildings, and the choice matters. The original 1886 Historic Wing carries the full weight of the architecture: high ceilings, original woodwork and the character of a building designed to impress, though the rooms vary in size and layout as old buildings do. The 1929 Tower rooms are larger and more conventionally comfortable, and they were the first to be refreshed in the current renovation. The Driskill Suite, with its longhorn motif and view over Brazos Street, is the most recognisable hotel suite in Texas. If you want maximum period character, ask for the Historic Wing; if you want a larger, updated room, the Tower is the safer bet.
Dining centres on two Austin institutions. The 1886 Cafe & Bakery serves all-day American comfort food in a Victorian tearoom setting, with a coffee-and-pastry counter that locals use as much as guests; its migas and chicken-fried steak are longstanding favourites. The Driskill Bar is one of the great American hotel bars: dark wood, leather banquettes, a serious whiskey list and a century of Texas political ghosts. As part of the renovation, the Driskill Bar and the Driskill Grill have been redesigned and a new cocktail bar, the Victorian, has been added, so the drinking-and-dining side of the hotel is being renewed rather than replaced. The 6th Street location puts dozens more restaurants and music venues within a few blocks.
For an anniversary, the Driskill offers something no modern hotel in Austin can: an occasion set inside 140 years of Texas history. A room in the Historic Wing, a martini in the Driskill Bar and dinner downtown make a weekend that feels rooted rather than generic, which is exactly what many couples want for a milestone. For business, the Driskill is where downtown Austin has always done deals, a short walk from the Capitol, the convention center and the University of Texas, with the new ballroom adding meeting space. The through-line is the same: this is a character hotel for people who value story and central location over spa-and-pool resort amenities.
The Driskill is the heritage pick in a city with strong modern and design-led alternatives. The table sets it against three of the best.
| Hotel | Best for | Style | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Driskill | History and downtown character | 1886 landmark on 6th Street | $250 |
| Four Seasons Hotel Austin | Business and polished service | Lakefront modern luxury | $450 |
| Austin Proper Hotel | Design and a rooftop pool scene | Kelly Wearstler-designed downtown tower | $400 |
| Hotel Saint Cecilia | Privacy and adults-only calm | 14-room hideaway behind a Victorian mansion | $500 |
Choose the Driskill for heritage and a central address; choose the Four Seasons for a lakefront business base with full resort service; choose the Austin Proper for design and a pool-and-rooftop scene; and choose Hotel Saint Cecilia for a small, private, adults-only retreat. The Driskill wins on story and location and gives up the pool and spa amenities the newer hotels offer.
Recent verified reviews return to the same points. Guests love the building, the lobby and the Driskill Bar, and the sense of history is the single most praised feature. Service draws steady praise, and the central location is called a genuine convenience for both leisure and business. The recurring caveats are the ones you would expect of a historic downtown hotel: room sizes and layouts vary in the older wing, 6th Street can be loud on weekend nights, and there is no pool. Reviews from 2025 and 2026 also mention the ongoing renovation, so it is worth asking which areas are affected during your dates.
The Driskill is a landmark, not a resort, and it is honest to name the trade-offs.
Rates and availability swing hard around Austin's event calendar, so avoid SXSW, ACL, F1 weekends and UT home games unless that is why you are coming. Book six to eight weeks ahead for a normal weekend, request the wing you want (Historic for character, Tower for space and the newest refresh), and ask the front desk about the renovation status for your dates. Because the Driskill is in the Unbound Collection by Hyatt, World of Hyatt members can earn and redeem points on the stay.
The Driskill opened in 1886, built by cattle baron Colonel Jesse Driskill, and is the oldest operating hotel in Austin. It reaches its 140th anniversary in December 2026 and now operates in the Unbound Collection by Hyatt.
Yes. It is staying open through a phased renovation. Phase one, completed in fall 2025, refreshed the 1929 Tower rooms and added a ballroom and the Victorian cocktail bar; phase two, in summer 2026, covers the lobby, grand staircase and the 74 historic-wing rooms.
It has 189 guestrooms and suites split between the original 1886 Historic Wing and the larger, more conventional 1929 Tower.
Lyndon Johnson had his first date with Lady Bird at the Driskill and later watched election returns at the hotel. That political history is a large part of why the Driskill is Austin's most storied hotel.
It sits at 604 Brazos Street on the corner of 6th Street in downtown Austin, a short walk from the State Capitol, the convention center and the 6th Street live-music district.
From $250/night. Independent review; we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
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