I agree with the consensus of the other reports and won't go into detail reiterating those comments (i.e. kitschy/funky, great location and price). A few pertinent comments I haven't seen: + Spectacular coffee in the lobby. Just what the doctor ordered for mornings after closing down the Continental Club. + The wireless internet sucks. If you absolutely need a connection, prepare to hunt for the weak signals from Hotel San Jose, Jo's or Amy's. + Prepare to book well in advance, especially for weekends. read more

We love the Austin Motel. Mind you, my partner and I are low maintenance, and we would rather savor local flavor than stay in a luxury motel/hotel. The staff was super friendly. The 50s pool amazing, and there were only a few other folks swimming, the 3 nights we were there. So the towels are threadbare...bring your own. Our tiny room was very clean and comfortable. The location can't be beat, and we truly loved the kitschiness of the motel. We will be back, and if you can handle a truly fun, quirky, charming place to stay...this is it!!! read more

Favorite place I stayed during my Texas trip. Awesome pool, great location and such character. We checked out the bat bridge on the way into downtown. I'm glad I stayed there! read more

Fun, retro decor, (with some sly--and not so sly--phallic symbolism) very nice staff, and free parking made this the perfect weekend getaway spot. The location is good, with lots of restaurants and cute boutiques right around the corner, while you can walk downtown (across the river) in about 20 minutes. Very comfortable bed, great water pressure! Will definitely come again. read more

I actually didn't really like Austin Motel when I stayed here for 2 nights waiting for my furniture to arrive. Now I appreciate it's supreme location. Not a pampering place, but roll out of bed and you're at El Sol y Luna for breakfast migas. Roll a little bit further and you're getting an iced Jo at Jo's. Not for you if you want room service, good TVs, or plushy bathrooms. A great base if you want to be in the heart of SoCo for cheap. read more

This hotel is located in the cool neighborhood of South Congress with lots of cute shops and restaurants everywhere. I stayed for 2 night and were impressed by the friendly and helpful staff, the cat in the lobby, proximity to bus stop, and price. The room was a trip. The bed was off center in the room and the wall paper was bizarro. I know this was all part of the charm but if you are going for themed crazyness go all. the. way. you know? read more

Great place to spend the night on S Congress. Located to some great food and event places representing all Austin. Nice dated motel with period furniture make for a fun place to walk to one of my favorite places in Austin to make a staycation close to home. Very accommodating and user friendly. Looking forward to another opportunity to hang out down there! read more

Great location and fun retro vibe but it ends there. The room is disgusting. Bathroom door is filthy and shows dirty hand prints on it. Bathroom had no electrical outlet. I had to go buy an extension cord so I could dry my hair in front of the only mirror in the unit. No fan in bathroom so when showering you have to keep the door open. To use the sink you have to shut the bathroom door. Overall bad! read more

I love this place. Totally kitchy, but totally Austin. Great location, as well. It's worth it to kick it up a notch and get the more expensive "suites" as it makes you feel like you are in a small Villa. I've stayed here 3 times now, and enjoyed each time. read more

It's hard to grade the Austin Motel as there's a huge positive and several drawbacks, but a three star seems to be fair. Unquestionably, it's got a 5 star location. As long as you can tolerate some hipsters, Austin Motel is in ground zero of "SoCo" or South Congress. It's within a block or two of several good restaurants, bars, food trucks, etc. and walkable down to Town Lake. From there it's not as great. For what you get the price is high. No fridge or coffeemaker in room, rather shabby carpet, wonky A/C. I'd stay again if I were solo, but it's not great for families or folks looking for more amenities. read more

Okay, where to begin... making the reservation was somewhat complicated. Website kept shutting down after multiple attempts so we called. Didn't receive an email confirmation so after multiple calls we finally got it. Once arriving arriving parking was almost nonexistent. Being a paying a hotel guest I didn't like that we had to find street parking blocks away if we were lucky. After checking in, took a walk the property which was very cool. They're definitely trying to attempt the Parker Palm Springs look. On my way to the room stopped by the bar to grab a drink. Bar tender could not have been nicer. I tipped her well. While passing one of the waiters , he mumbles under his breathe, "so this is who stays here now". I turned around to see who it was - blond greasy uncombed hair, dirty clothes and multiple earrings dude looking me up and down. I guess he thinks a well dressed, clean guy with money and a fresh haircut is not the look he thinks belongs there. Walking past him again to my room he gives me more unfriendly looks, extremely rude and unprofessional. What he should have done is say "welcome , can I get you anything"? Getting to the room, which was very AUSTIN and cool and dirty, which is what we were wanting for our trip, minus the dirty. After noticing the toilet filled with someone else's crap and torn toilet paper we knew for sure it wasn't gonna work. So, we flushed the toilet and washed everything down really hoping to give it all one last ditch effort after driving 4 hours and looking to relax and stretch out.. Sadly the toilet backed up and room wreaked of shit. Hotel tried to convince me that you need to hold the handle down. You have got to be kidding - it was someone else's shit! Also hotel did not a handyman on staff and would take hours to repair it. We immediately checked out and went to the Fairmont where they remembered my name and greeted us with smiles and friendly service. Best choice we made - 5 star service, friendly staff ( unlike Austin Motel) willing to make your stay the best it can be and we saved money! Plus the toilets worked beautifully. read more

Hip, kitschy remodeled (keep the old stuff slap on a new coat of paint style) motel in a fun area of the city. Lots of cool places nearby -- coffee, costume shop, boot store, restaurants, bars. Nice staff. Clean room. Loved the decor in the room. Bright colors, cool furniture. The bed and bedding was comfortable. Sweet comfy bathrobes were provided. All that said, it was kind of bare bones in the room. No coffee maker. No rack to put your suitcase on. Nothing in the bathroom to put your toiletries on. With tax, the room was over $300, about $100 more than what the accommodations were worth. Would recommend but understand what you're paying for -- hipster decor and location. read more

Whether you're a tourist from Toronto or a staycationing redneck from Tuscola, the Austin Motel will give you a taste of the Violet Crown City with a SoCo twang. Staff and management are laid back but not disinterested; in many stays, I've had but one concern, and it was handled promptly and fairly. Vintage rooms are in good repair and uber-clean. Furthermore, the pleasures of Jo's coffee, Guero's Tacos, and the Congress Avenue bats are just down the sidewalk.Bonus points: a human being will answer the phone when you call! read more

Disappointing. The website made it seem cool and hip. The reality is there is no alcohol allowed at the pool, the pool is unheated and could only go in up to my ankles. There is no refrigerator and could not keep anything chilled. No company is allowed in your rooms. The ironing board we had to get from the front desk had mouse shit on it. The A/C had a terrible odor and the only fresh air was from propping the door open. Room #129 was so slanted that all the doors slammed open or closed and anything dropped rolled across the room. The central courtyard is a parking lot and there is no where to relax. I spent as little time as possible in my room because it was awful. Very, very unfortunate. The only thing keeping this place in business is it's lack of competition read more

First things first, it's not luxurious, there are no extras available at the front desk if you forget something, there's an air of not giving a care in the world if you are unhappy, and even with all this it's my very favorite place to stay in Austin. I won't go if they are sold out. The location is amazing, smack in the middle of Congress. The atmosphere is great with open doors and open beers. I find the rooms charming and eclectic rather than old and out dated. Just have an open mind and know 7-11 is down the street if you need toothpaste and you will love it too. read more

Stay for the location not so much the "comforts" there is free parking! No mini fridge the showers will remind you of your great grandmothers house. I would recommend bringing your own shampoo and conditioner and body soap the one that is provided didn't give me that "clean" feeling especially on the days it was above 100 outside. Also the toilet paper is a bit rough so bring your own if you enjoy the comforts of 2ply. The beds are amazing! So much so we asked who made them they are Casper brand the pillows as well they are very comfortable. The A/C kept the room could it will feel a bit muggy but it's a window unit and to me as long as I'm not sweating I'm fine with the humidity. The pool was great! You can't bring your own drinks they do have a bartender there. read more

Giving the Austin motel another chance for its convenience on congress right across from where I sing tonight at midnight. It is double the price I am paying for the rest of the band at the crowne plaza south but the parking spot and the proximity to the continental is worth it. I thought I could edit my review based on how I am treated THIS time (perhaps the 42nd time I have stayed here.) the owner, Dottie Dean isn't here today ( because she's deceased!) but the man who took my reservation and credit card info did so, without incident. A few mins later, he called me back by phone, to tell me that he remembered my name as being a "trouble maker"!!!!! I guess telling your truth on yelp is making trouble! He said if I make any trouble I will never be allowed to stay there again. Mind you, I have never had a party at this hotel, snuck animals in, smoked in the room or torn a sheet or stolen a bedspread or a towel. I always tip the maids and am a considerate neighbor to the people next door because I hate loud neighbors, All I did was stand inside in the cool room for another few minutes after check-out. It was 106ish outside, I'm shocked he called back to rattle my cage. Well we shall see what happens after this stay. Hopefully he figures out that being nice to his customers is called customer service. It's not a foreign thing. Bring accused of being "too nice" is a GOOD thing, one that business owners strive to achieve. Will he be nice? Or refuse to rent to me when I arrive? Ohhhh I love a good drama but I hate stress. I hope the young man decides to act like he cares about the customer. We shall see..... ****************************************************** Well, the pressure seemed a bit much for him because he was much nicer. He still bombarded me with the one word answers but the room was nice and clean and tho the heater didn't work properly, it was a better experience than last time.. They have so many customers I guess they don't care if one or two return regularly. read more

Great, fun, quirky motel. I didn't even know there were places like this anymore! I knew it was going to be fun the moment I checked in. The check-in guy was as charming and fun as the rest of this place, really helpful giving directions to our dinner place. It's a little expensive, if you're just going on price for comparable rooms, but this place isn't really comparable to any other place around. read more

Everything was lovely except for the "attitude" at the front desk named L**a. I have NEVER been spoken with such a scolding tone when making a reasonable request for a bit of extra time in my room as I suffer from IBS. I needed to be near the bathroom, not on the streets with luggage. Not only was she rude and disrespectful, she treated me like a child. I am a grown woman and know what integrity means. Don't need to be reminded by a nasty little schrew with a librarian hair style that made her behavior seem even more severe. We enjoyed our stay in every way and had made plans to return until this scold used such poor manners when we were leaving. We will NEVER return and will not use this facility for the family reunion we were scouting for during our stay. I will NOT recommend to anyone. Luckily, the staff next door at the Snack Bar restaurant were SO KIND TO ME that they made up for her nastiness. L**a is the only rude person we met on our entire trip of 2 weeks. Ironically, we chose the Austin because the San Jose desk gal was rude while we were making our first reservation. What a funny turn of events. read more

My family with two young children stayed one night during the week when it was really dead. We were put in a room with people on either side even though most of the motel was vacant. The alarm clock engineer to the left of us woke up the kids at 12:30am and again at 6:30am. When there are so many vacancies, families should get some distance for that reason. When checking out I answered the "how was your stay?" with the same explanation. The front desk said, "That sucks." and that was that. I wouldn't stay here again with the expectation of sleeping a full night. read more

This was my first visit to Austin being over 21 and with the motel being located on Congress I thought I had found the perfect location on a budget. As I predicated; the location was ideal and the room was great for the price- clearly this isn't the Hilton and I knew that. What really ruined my stay at this motel was the management; I had never encountered such crass and rude behavior especially at a business establishment. God forbid you check out a little late( even when they call your room and tell you there's a $25 late check out fee and you agree) don't be surprised if some angry lady comes knocking on your door and cussing you out. Not very professional. I would say if you need a place to stay for cheap and you don't care how professional management is- you've found your place! read more

c'mon man there you are just a walk from downtown that's why i like this place stumble back and sleep comfortably and the next day you are right by some decent food to help out your hangover rooms are weird which is cool right? read more

The pool alone gives it 5 stars, no Internet and no bar should drop it 1 notch... but it doesn't. Great value and very cool if you don't want to shell out the money for the San Jose (although you've got the SJ wine bar just across the parking lot) and you don't want to stay at some sterile assed Marriott. Did I mention the pool? God I love that pool. read more

Very affordable rates, quirky motel and the location is phenomenal! There are no "luxury" amenities but if you'll be out and exploring Austin, Austin Motel gets the job done. :) Room 254 is the garden cafe themed room. read more

If you are looking to have an authentic Austin experience on a budget stay at the Austin motel! Each room is decorated differently while keeping with the mid century theme. My room had a photo-mural of tulips on one wall with mint green shag blankets on the bed. The grounds and the rooms are very well kept and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful! The pool area is beautiful and so needed on a hot Texas afternoon! Being conveniently located on South Congress many shops, restaurants, and music venues are just outside your door. It is also walking distance from the bat bridge and downtown Austin. I absolutely love this place and would recommend it to anyone! This is now my go-to place in Austin. read more

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Loved it! Cute, clean, awesome staff, great prize, and the location can't be beat! We were so happy with our experience! They even have really helpful security at night so you feel safe. Best place to stay in Austin for sure! read more

Ahhh, Austin Motel.......I've stayed here 3x now and will continue to stay there when needed as well as refer friends and family there when they come to visit. You can get a room for $85 a night including tax and you absolutely can't beat the location, rooms have kind of a Santa Fe feel to them and are fairly clean. It's not that you're even within walking distance of things to do, you are in the heart of it! The reason for not giving this place 5 stars is because on all 3 occasions that I've stayed there the service has been horrible. The way the front desk treats people is far from the overall Austin niceness. So just remember when you check in that it's not personal, many people have been treated poorly before you and I'm sure many more to come. Jo's coffee is right across the street, San Jose hotel is next to Jo's and great for a glass of wine. Also, the Continental Club and the Gallery are across the street too and they have live music nightly. read more

"Valentine Weekend" We found this motel online and booked a Valentine get away. We chose it after reading the Southern Living Article and looking at all the cool pictures. It is exactly that, a cool looking, old retro motel. We happen to love vintage style and can appreciate renovated spaces plus the location is great! I'd say this is the only reason people stay here. The staff seemed friendly enough & helpful upon arrival BUT when I booked the room by phone, he came across very rude, way too rushed, with little to no patience and lacking people skills. Our room seemed clean, had quirky eclectic decor with modern conveniences HOWEVER...the bed was seriously BAD, vintage mattresses are NOT cool! Rates here are comparable to "Embassy Suites" so we expected a descent quality bed. I strongly suggest some upgrades, other than the worn out mattress, we enjoyed our stay in the area but wouldn't return here to stay. Stayed February 2015, traveled as a couple read more

My new favorite place to stay in Austin! A great location to visit some of Congress Ave Shops, Music Venues (Continental Club) and Jo's Coffee right next door. Lisa working the Front Desk was very accommodating and made our stay even more enjoyable. Great Value and Awesome pool, weather permitting. Rooms eclectic and nice. read more

Get room 119, its the suite and only costs 168 a night, and thats with tax. Every room is different, mine had a huge living room with a nice small bedroom w comfy bed for a motel. The nicest motel you'll prob ever stay at. Only drawback, my beer rolled out of the fridge onto the floor shattering glass everywhere and they told me I was not welcome back because they had to deep clean. PFFFT! read more

Clean, great location, surrounded by cute shops, near downtown, friendly staff, large room (albeit small bathroom and shower...not so great for two people): totally worth the $100/night. read more

This is my kind of motel. Sure it's old and funky but it's not dirty. I was in town playing a gig at Antones and asked to have a first floor room so my heavy gear was easier... they upgraded me to a suite on the ground floor which was very easy for me. Nice easy check in and its right in the heart of a great strip of restaurants and stores on S. Congress... it was my first time in Austin and it turns out that this is a great area to stay. Some folks that are used to pristine chain hotels probably wont like this. It's definitely funky. If you normally stay at Hiltons, Mariotts, places like that I wouldn't recommend this place to you. If you dont mind funky and old but for a very reasonable price this is a great stay. read more

You can't beat the location of the Austin Motel, right on South Congress with great coffee shops, restaurants, and shops up and down the street to either side. We chose it for both its location and its eccentric vintage character, and overall, we loved it. The staff is friendly and fun, each room has its own unique decor, the lobby and grounds are chockablock with awesome strangeness, the pool is pure vintage swank, and the location is convenient and walkable to everything from morning coffee at Jo's to late-night fish tacos and beers at Gueros, as well as great shops like Feathers (vintage clothing), Monkey See Monkey Do (toys and gifts), Limbo (t-shirts and sneakers), and Uncommon Objects (antiques and oddities). It's definitely not the Best Western. The rooms are small and the place shows some wear and tear. And that's fine. I'm only giving it four stars instead of five because there are a few things the Motel could improve fairly easily that were really a pain. For instance, vintage style also meant vintage wiring and plumbing. Despite the bundles of cords stapled to the baseboard, there was no convenient unused outlet to charge our phones or laptops (next time we'll pack a power strip!) and the shower head was nipple-height with a faucet that required a magic trick to turn all the way off. Also, housekeeping was a little lax. They made the beds every day but didn't wipe down surfaces, and the whole room could have used a power cleaning: there was a stain on the bathroom curtain and gunk in the grout. I think it's possible to upgrade a few little things so that the place could have both character *and* comfort-- but overall we LOVE the Austin Motel!! We're already looking forward to our next stay and will recommend it to friends! read more

This is a pretty cool place that I think everyday road warriors might overlook. I travel a ton for business and usually stay at the garden variety "business person on a budget" hotels like Hampton and Holiday Inn Express. Wanted something different when I was in Austin recently to see a client. The Austin Motel is just that--a MOTEL. It's an old style "motor court" style motel that's been "hipster" updated with cool interior design and feel. Don't expect a beautiful lobby, full service restaurant, meeting facilities, etc. But do expect a unique, colorful, and cool experience. Congress Street location is great--I walked to a great texmex place down the way and the area has a really energetic vibe. Oh, and my room was $95/night with tax. Can't beat that. read more

Very kitchy, but worth the price for the area. Always wanted to stay here, and now I have

Bright blue sheets and polka dots on the walls! This is a great little place with a great location and price. Can't beat the South Congress location and it's fairly close walking proximity to 6th and 4th streets. Definitely a no-frills place, and it's made up for atmosphere, crazy themed rooms, and but it has a pool and next to great restaurants, stores and Jo's coffee. read more

Austin Motel is charming, affordable, and right in the heart of ATX. Skip the chain hotels and get a real feel of this kick ass town. :-)

This is a HIP Palm Springs-ish alternative to Hotel San Jose for a fraction of the price and is RIGHT in the heart of all the action in Austin, TX. It's not NEW by any means, but great with every room having it's own theme. We stayed in the the private suite in the original portion of the hotel and enjoyed it very much for 2 nights. read more

I enjoyed my stay at Austin motel. It's in an awesome location outside of downtown, it was never crowded yet there were a lot of places to eat and things to do. The pool was beautiful. The rooms were standard, but themed. Beds were comfy. No complaints and a bonus that it's historic. The nightly price was super reasonable. read more

I LOVED AUSTIN MOTEL!! Me and my beau stayed in room 132, we were being tourists in town on a budget so opted for the cheapest place closest to downtown. As soon as we walked into the room I couldn't believe it was called a "motel". The shabby chic furniture matched the bed, It was so cute! Pretty small, but super tidy and CLEAN. I also really appreciated that the floor was tiled instead of carpet, you could feel on your feet how the staff takes care of the rooms. The folks at the front desk were sweet, the room I was in didn't have a fridge but they were kind enough to hold my growler I picked up from the local brewery in their own fridge for me while we continued to sightsee. The A/C worked perfect, a welcome relief from the 90 degree weather. We didn't have time to actually get in the pool, but it looked like a good time. All in all one of my favorite hotels I've been in while traveling! read more

Austin Motel - Room 132 - Hotels Near Me - Austin, Texas