Hotel Review: Austin Proper Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels™
Austin Proper Hotel has been on my list for some time. It has been recommended to me over and over again by locals and other hotel enthusiasts. I was celebrating my anniversary, and the hotel’s strategic downtown location was perfect for a special occasion. Moreover, Austin Proper Hotel is one of Marriott’s Design Hotels, designed by world-renowned LA-based designer—Kelly Wearstler. There are over 300 Design Hotels in the world, and I was thrilled to learn there is one so close to my house. I didn’t know what to expect from a design-centric hotel, but I must say my lodging experience was absolutely fantastic, and Austin Proper Hotel became one of my favorite hotels in America. Here’s my review of Austin Proper Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels™:
Austin Proper Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels is located at 600 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. It earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities.
The AMEX Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee.
The Bonvoy Brilliant Card does come with a hefty $450 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, the mid-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
$300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit that can be applied towards your room rate
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Access to Priority Pass lounges
15 Elite Night Credits that can prove helpful for chasing Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Bonvoy Brilliant Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSMaWs?xl=cp01
If you are looking for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card with a low annual fee, consider the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of three Free Night Awards after spending $1,000 in three months, each covering up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. I personally value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each, making the 105,000 points offer worth $840. The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card earns 6X points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases every year on dining, grocery stores, and gas stations, and 2X points on all other purchases.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card’s annual fee is $95, and it offers useful perks to offset the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 elite night credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status (this cannot be combined with 15 Elite Night Credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card above)
Be aware that 15 elite night credits from the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card can’t be combined with 15 elite night credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.
Please note that you can only earn 15 elite night credits from a personal credit card and the other 15 elite night credits from a business credit card. Thus, if you own both AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, you would only earn 15 elite night credits.
If you’d like to apply for the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! https://www.referyourchasecard.com/252f/QJPU5UFB4R
The last Marriott Bonvoy credit card you could use would be the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. Considering that the annual membership costs $125, you get paid to have the card! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card’s annual fee is $125, and it offers valuable benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 elite night credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card is the only Marriott business card on the market.
As you can see, the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the Bonvoy Brilliant card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual free night certificate perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 elite night credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSN1lx?xl=cp19&mpt=v0
Lobby & Check-in Review
Before checking in, I received an email from the general manager, Natascha, who welcomed my upcoming stay at Austin Proper Hotel. Thanks to my Titanium Elite status, I was upgraded to Deluxe Suite. Perhaps, I was too excited when I heard the news because I struggled to find the entrance to the hotel. Luckily, the valet podium had the word “proper” on it, indicating I was at the right place. Then, I realized I was standing in front of immensely tall entry doors.
It’s easy to miss the sign if you are visiting the hotel for the first time.
A valet parking assistant opened the door for me, and a beautifully curated lobby appeared. To the left, the hotel’s in-house restaurant, The Peacock, was situated and a perfectly decorated stairwell greeted us. I loved every piece of art, but my favorite has to be the fat frog that put a smile on me every time I passed by.
Each ceramic was eye-striking, but my favorite was the toad.
The check-in desk was located to the right of the entrance, and a front desk agent greeted us behind a natural and minimalistic check-in desk.
Across from the check-in desk, there were some seating options and an elegantly decorated coffee table, which provided a quick glance of amazing design works I was about to witness in my suite.
The check-in area didn’t have many seats for lounging around.
The check-in experience was effortless, and the front desk representative recognized my Titanium Elite status and offered us glasses of champagne.
I always say yes to complimentary champagne!
After learning restaurant, gym, and bar hours, we went up to the seventh floor, where my room was located.
Living Room Review
Because I was upgraded to a suite, I was able to enjoy a beautiful living space. The entire room featured solid natural wood flooring, and I absolutely adored the overall aesthetics of the living room. The first thing I noticed was the wall fabric.
The picture doesn’t do justice; the wall fabric was soft to touch.
It was soft to touch, and its texture and pattern added another dimension to the room. The only time I felt this way was in Paris, France when I stayed at Le Dokhan’s. A decently sized round table with a marble top and two chairs were situated next to a beautiful floor lamp.
I adored every furniture in the room, and this beautiful black marble table was perfect for early morning coffee.
The living room had a couch that could easily seat three people and had a coffee table, which was one of my favorite pieces of furniture in the suite.
The coffee table was definitely one of my favorite pieces in the suite.
I was celebrating a special occasion during my stay, and the hotel manager kindly offered us a complimentary bottle of champagne and wrote us a handwritten card. A moment like this really elevates the lodging experience, and I keep coming back to Marriott hotels where Titanium Elites are recognized and celebrated.
I always appreciate when hotels recognize my elite status - thank you Austin Proper Hotel!
The blinds and shades on the windows were controlled using a master control pad on the wall and changing the mood of the room was easier than ever. The living room overlooked the hotel’s pool, but the windows were a bit dirty.
The living room overlooked the rooftop swimming pool.
Across from the couch, a handsome closet and TV cabinet with leather tabs were situated.
Every furniture had a great character and was thoughtfully curated.
The TV cabinet discreetly housed a mini-fridge, snacks, and a Nespresso machine.
If there were disposable takeout cups for coffee, it would’ve been perfect.
Overall, the living room was beautifully curated and exceeded my expectation. I naturally moved on to check out the bedroom with even higher expectations, and I immediately fell in deeper love with my room.
Bedroom Review
The corner bedroom also had natural wood flooring, and a king-size bed was intimately tucked away.
Unfortunately, the wall-mounted TV didn’t rotate, making it harder to watch.
The mattress was very comfortable and plush. Again, I was amazed by the fabric choices in the room. From the headboard and bed frame to throw pillow and wallpaper, I loved the beautiful harmony of Eastern and Western design elements.
The throw pillows were double-sided and had different patterns on each side.
There was a floating nightstand with a marble top at each bedside, and I found a sealed, complimentary water bottle and two cups.
The floating nightstand had USB ports and outlets on the side for your electronic devices.
Only one side had a master light and blind control switch, and the hotel kindly left a pair of earplugs for those who want absolute silence during sleep. It was very useful to have a master switch, especially for the blinds. Unfortunately, it glitched a few times, but I still appreciated it very much. Another Smart TV was wall-mounted. However, the TV didn’t have any ranges of motion, so the viewing angle was quite limited. Since the bedroom was a corner unit, across from the bed, there was a small space for a lounge chair.
It was odd seeing just one accent chair. I wish there was a small to accompany it.
I wish there was a tiny coffee table, but only an exposed concrete column accompanied the chair. The room overlooked the Butterfly Bridge and the Shoal Creek, which eventually meets with the Colorado River.
The view from my suite wasn’t anything spectacular, but it felt more private.
The view from the room wasn’t glamorous as the views from The New York EDITION or Hyatt Regency Seattle Downtown, but it felt more private and intimate.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom was gorgeously curated with natural wooden materials and marble flooring.
From the floor to the wall, marble was everywhere.
The single vanity featured beautiful marble, and even the soap dish was a tiny circular marble tray.
Even the soap tray was a beautiful marble tray.
The walk-in shower was spacious and had a standard showerhead.
The walk-in shower was spacious for two people and had enough room for personal toiletries.
I almost always prefer a rainfall showerhead, but the standard way worked in this case since the shower booth was not fully enclosed. Without having a door, a rainfall showerhead would’ve splattered water everywhere, which was what happened when I stayed at The New York EDITION. The toiletries were by one of my favorite natural skincare brands: Aesop.
I wish the hotel had non-communal, travel-sized toiletries.
I loved the mild, herbal notes of the Aesop products, and they didn’t dry out my skin and hair. If there is one slightly negative element that I had to pick, it would be the quality of bathrobes.
Though the robe was below my expectation, I liked minimalistic wooden wall hooks.
The robes were scratchy and very thin, which could be good for drying them out easily, but I usually prefer my bathrobe to be soft and plushy, like the one at the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta.
Gym Review
The gym was located on the 4th floor along with Proper Hotel’s spa, Verbena Spa. Though I didn’t personally experience the spa service, I’ve heard great reviews from people that the spa offers memorable and holistically relaxing experiences. If you wish to splurge on spa treatments, make sure to book an appointment since spots can book up fast. The gym was located to the left of the spa, and there was a sanitation/hydration station as soon as I entered the fitness center.
Fill up your own water bottle or grab a cool bottle of water!
The Rolls-Royce of treadmills - try it here and see if its worth the 11k price tag.
With that many Woodway treadmills or Peloton bikes at one property, you know you don’t have to wait for your turn to use the latest cardio machines.
Take a Peloton class and give these a spin!
WaterRower rowing machines were conveniently situated in front of wall-mounted TVs.
WaterRower’s water flywheel makes a rowing experience extra smooth.
TechnoGym elliptical machines and other cardio equipment were also available.
You can find the latest equipment from TechnoGym here.
In the middle of the gym, another sanitation/hydration station with disposable masks and wired earbuds was ready for use.
Having another sanitation/hydration stand was nice due to the gym’s massive footprint.
Moving on to strength machines, the gym was heaven for serious lifters. The fitness center had a Smith machine as well as a padded area for deadlifting and squatting, furnished with a trap bar and an Olympic bar.
The gym at Austin Proper Hotel was truly spectacular, and you will not leave disappointed.
On top of that, there were four adjustable benches with countless dumbbells, kettlebells, and medicine balls for exercise.
You will never have to fight for benches at this gym.
If heavy lifting is not your pursuit, look no further; there is an area dedicated to pilates, yoga, and HIIT workouts.
The gym has a full-blown pilates bar, along with abundant resistance bands and gymballs.
Are you looking for intelligent full-body exercises? Then, you can use Tonal and try bodyweight or digitally weighted exercises.
Whether you prefer traditional Olympic bars or digital weights, this gym has you covered.
The gym at Austin Proper Hotel was hands down the best hotel gym I’ve been to. The flooring was natural wood, and the facility was decked out with the latest and greatest gym equipment.
All equipment was in pristine condition.
In my opinion, the best part was that there are wellness classes hotel guests could attend.
Complimentary yoga and HIIT classes - grab you seat before they are all booked!
Complimentary yoga and HIIT classes are offered every Saturday morning, or if want to partake in more intensive training, you could schedule a personal training session with a professional. The gym managed to please all types of sweat seekers; lifters, runners, and body workout enthusiasts are all welcome here and no one would leave the gym disappointed.
Pool Review
The pool was located on the 5th floor along with the poolside Mexican restaurant, La Piscina, which was closed when I visited the hotel due to COVID-19.
When you get hungry from swimming, you can grab Mexican food from La Piscina.
The pool was on the smaller side, and since a part of my room overlooked the pool, I was able to see how crowded it could get during peak hours.
The rooftop pool was quite small for the size of the hotel.
Towards the end of the pool, a small mini bar would open during peak pool hours, selling refreshing drinks to combat hot summer days in Texas.
The mini bar was open during peak hours, serving bites and drinks.
Contrary to the small pool, there was a plenty of sunbeds available along the sides of the pool.
The pool was a popular destination for sunbathers.
There were a few covered, reservation-only seating areas on one end of the pool.
I liked the hotel didn’t have typical cabanas since they wouldn’t if the Proper branding.
The water wasn’t heated, but it wasn’t necessary considering the heat in Texas.
Bar Review
There are two bars at Austin Proper Hotel. The first option is at The Peacock Mediterranean Grill, and you can grab food and drinks at the bar. Though I didn’t try their drinks, it got very crowded during peak hours.
The bar at The Peacock has a nice atmosphere but is much casual than Goldie’s.
The second option, Goldies’s, is more exclusive and is definitely worth a stop. Goldie’s was such an intimately beautiful place to sip on craft cocktails and wine. In order to grab a drink, you either need to be a resident of the Proper residence or a hotel guest.
If you can get a reservation, I highly recommend grabbing a drink at Goldie’s.
Moreover, you will need a reservation, by sending an email to reservations@goldiesaustin.com. Frankly, I wasn’t a big fan of the rather outdated reservation approach, but the response from the bar was faster than I originally expected. Even though the bar was quite compact in size, it didn’t feel crowded, thanks to the speakeasy-like exclusivity.
The bar was intentionally lowered so that a bartender would be on the same eye-level as customers.
After we were seated, a bartender offered a complimentary snack from the bar. Among three options, maple bourbon popcorn, spicy cheese crackers, or mixed nuts, we went with spicy cheese crackers, and it was a good snack to nibble on between sips.
Tables were pretty close to each other but the noise level was on par with its intimate setting.
The cocktails started at $18, but most drinks were priced between $19 and $20. All drinks on the menu sounded appetizing, and the bartender thoroughly explained his recommended beverages. I ordered Oaxacan Hummingbird, and my girlfriend went with Warblers of Spring, and both drinks were phenomenal.
If you are a fan of Mezcal, I recommend the Oaxacan Hummingbird!
To top it off, the atmosphere was intimate and romantic. The design choices of wall fabric, chairs, tables, and everything at the bar worked in harmony to create a beautiful setting for premium cocktails.
The straw was a recycled, bio-degradable straw.
If you are staying at the hotel, don’t miss your chance and grab a drink at Goldie’s.
Breakfast Review
Even with my Titanium Elite status, there was no complimentary breakfast. However, if you just need a cup of joe and a few bites of pastries, head to Goldie’s, which is open from 6 AM to 9 AM for complimentary self-serviced coffee and treats.
For non-dairy creamers, there were oat milk and almond milk as substitutes.
You can either get it to go or eat them at Goldie’s, but I highly recommend enjoying your morning coffee at Goldie’s since the interior is gorgeous.
I adored Goldie’s extra chic interior design.
The coffee was smooth and not too acidic, and the mini sponge cake with lemon frosting was a great companion to start my day.
These little bites were not overwhelming sweet and went perfect with morning coffee.
Since I was craving for actual breakfast, we went to The Peacock Mediterranean Grill, which is located on the first floor.
Kelly Wearstler’s play on patterns and textures continued at The Peacock.
As expected, the interior design of the restaurant was on point, and I loved how airy the dining room felt due to the high ceilings.
Every interior design element was different from each other, yet the dining room was in perfect harmony.
We were seated immediately and ordered shakshuka with eggs and halloumi and lamb meatballs and soft eggs.
The shakshuka dish packed some heat!
Both dishes packed serious heat, and they were served on STAUB cast iron pans, so the food remained warm until the end of the meal.
The lamb meatballs were perfectly cooked, and the dish remained warm until we finished breakfast.
The portion sizes were significant too, and I couldn’t finish my dish. For those who want to dine outside, there were many seating options of which were mostly shaded.
The Peacock offers both indoor and outdoor seating options.
If you are looking for quality Mediterranean food in downtown Austin, I recommend checking out The Peacock Mediterranean Grill.
Summary
Austin Proper Hotel did not disappoint me and is worthy of every praise. The hotel used wonderful mixes of texture, patterns, colors, and materials, and the end result was a beautifully curated property. Every aspect of the hotel was visually striking, from the lobby and restaurants to suites and gym. The view from the room and the pool were not as impressive, but those are not the hotel’s primary focus. This is where you come to relax and enrich yourself—the perfect staycation destination. If you need creative cocktails in an intimate setting, make sure to book a spot at Goldie’s. Try the hotel's gym if you want to work out using tech-heavy equipment. If you are interested in interior design, stay here and fall in love with Kelly Wearstler’s thoughtful curation. I highly recommend Austin Proper Hotel. It is a must-stay property in Austin, Texas.
