Address: 701 Congress Ave.
Overview
The Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental Hotel is located on Austin’s Congress Avenue in the heart of downtown. The classic hotel is teeming with history, offers plentiful amenities, and is within walking distance from dozens of restaurants, bars, and museums.
History
In the 1920s, Austin was growing and there was a need for more accommodations for the increasing amount of visitors. Austin residents banded together and paid $600,000 worth of fist mortgage bonds to the city’s Chamber of Commerce. T.B. Baker built the hotel, and he and the committee first named it The Texan. Austin citizens wanted to memorialize Stephen F. Austin, the Father of Texas and a beloved Texas Statesman, so they fought to change the name of the hotel to honor him. The hotel opened in May of 1924 and has been witness to much Austin history; for example, LBJ used the Stephen F. Austin Hotel as his campaign headquarters during is 1937 run for the House of Representatives and George Bush, Sr. once used the presidential suite as a makeshift office.
According to Director of Sales and Marketing, Danelle Awtrey, the Stephen F. Austin was bought by InterContinental Hotels and Resorts in 1999; and reopened May 2000. Before that, the hotel was closed for 13 years due to the Texas oil crunch, though it was supposed to be closed for only a year. The hotel was restored and rebuilt to look like it did in 1924, giving you a good glimpse into the hotel’s history., says Awtrey. Despite several million-dollar remodels and owner changes over the decades, the hotel still retains its classical style and Texas charm. Awtrey says when Intercontinental reopened the hotel, so many people came by the office and told stories about the hotel from when they were younger; some attended prom or graduation there, while others visited when their parents worked in the legislature.
Awtrey says the hotel has done a lot of work with Universal Studios, the Texas Film Commission, and Troublemaker Studios. In the first week the hotel reopened, a scene in “Miss Congeniality” with Sandra Bullock was filmed in the ballroom. The VIP party for “Grindhouse” was held here, and they recently worked with Robert Rodriguez on his latest film, “Machete.”
The Feel
When I walked into the lobby of the Stephen F. Austin, I felt like I had stepped back in time. The lobby features marble floors and a beautiful grand staircase in the center. Behind the front desk is a large wooden case full of empty slots, reminiscent of the days when hotels kept physical keys for each room. Everything is elegant but in a subdued, classy way. It is easy to imagine people in the 1920s milling about the lobby. There are many professionals in and around the hotel, as it is a popular spot for business travelers.
The Rooms
The 16-story hotel holds 189 guest rooms and suites, all of which feature king or queen beds. All rooms are non-smoking, and there are handicap-accessible rooms available. The beautifully decorated guest rooms all feature marble baths and custom dark wood furniture.
I had the privilege of staying in the luxurious Yellow Rose Sweet. Located on a corner of the top floor of the Intercontinental Hotel, the spacious suite features both a half bathroom for guests near the entry, and a much larger full bath with two vanities in the back of the suite. It has a roomy work area with a desk plus a wet bar. There is a large wooden armoir holding a television facing a comfortable seating area with two chairs and a couch in the middle. The drapery on the many windows is ornate and beautiful, with the corners artfully bunched up to look like yellow roses. There are several paintings in the room with the yellow roses in them, and the classically upholstered furniture has themes of yellow. I enjoyed the vase of fresh orchids in addition to a large potted plant, which added some life to the spacious room.