The Swanky Hotel Van Zandt Proves It’s Still One of Austin’s Hottest Hotels

Over the past few years, Austin has become an even bigger entertainment capital (more than just music now) of the country. More films and TV shows are being produced in the area (i.e. Love & Death), and most recently, podcaster/comedian Joe Rogan opened a new comedy club in the former Ritz theater on Sixth Street. (We visited the club, and it’s a lot of fun if you’re into stand-up comedy.) During our latest trip to Austin, we stayed at Hotel Van Zandt, a music-themed boutique hotel in the middle of the bustling Rainey Street District, which affirmed that the growth in the capital of Texas isn’t slowing down any time soon.

Opened in 2015, Hotel Van Zandt is a 16-story boutique hotel named after singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. It was originally a part of the Kimpton brand before it was purchased by Host Hotels & Resorts in 2022. The hotel boasts chandeliers made from French horns, flying bird art made of vinyl, framed replicas of vintage posters, and more nods to its musical theme. In 2018, it was named No. 9 in the U.S. Condé Nast Traveler‘s Best Hotels. On a recent weekend visit, we experienced one of the 2023 best hotels in Austin according to Time Out for ourselves. And there are a lot of reasons to stay at Hotel Van Zandt.

Here are our top three:

Location, Location, Location

One of the most important things we should begin with. Hotel Van Zandt is located right next to one of Austin’s most bustling nightlife destinations — Rainey Street. It is great to be right in the middle of the action with easy walkability to bars, restaurants, and live music. I will say, it can get loud at night because of this. If you’re not planning on staying out until 1 am with the rest of the city on the weekend, I’d request a room on the pool-facing side of the building. Or, the hotel offers earplugs at the front desk if you need them. It is tough to beat the convenience of being only about a 12-minute walk to Sixth Street or a seven-minute walk to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.

Geraldine’s New Chef and Menu

Hotel Van Zandt’s new Executive Chef Sergio Ledesma just released a new menu at the Texas-style restaurant earlier this month and we got to try it for dinner. Classics from the previous menu remain like buttermilk biscuits and pork ribs, but there are now some new dishes with Asian and Latin American influences. But first, start out with the Saved By the Bell cocktail. It’s a mezcal, red bell pepper, honey, basil, lemon, and angostura creation. The bell pepper part sounded weird to me at first, but it is surprisingly refreshing and delicious.

Our server suggested we order about four or five dishes as everything on the menu is meant to be shared. For starters, we enjoyed the hamachi crudo with passion fruit nuoc cham and mango. A table of two, we each got a few fresh pieces of raw fish with the sweet and savory combo. We also split the scallops which were tender and flavorful and the Creste di Gallo pasta — my favorite of the evening. It’s a beetroot pasta with kohlrabi top pesto, horseradish, and burrata. I couldn’t get enough. That was until the Korean Fried Chicken came out. Served in a gochujang sauce and topped with fried peanuts and garlic, the chicken was crispy, a bit spicy, and addicting. And if you’re feeling beef, the 12-ounce Picanha Steak with a side of bone marrow you literally scoop out of the bone is also great.

Live Music at Geraldine’s

Geraldine’s doubles as a live music venue offering jazz brunches and local songwriter showcases. There is something every night of the week beginning at 8 pm on weekdays and 10 pm on the weekends. This summer, you can catch artists Trevor Helt, The Weekday Band, Sahara Smith, Daniel Fears, and so many more. The restaurant is also doing a “Record Society” event every Sunday where guests can bring their own vinyl to play.

The Rooftop Pool and Pool Deck

There’s unfortunately new building construction blocking most of the Lady Bird Lake views, but you can still enjoy an afternoon sipping cocktails and munching on bites on Hotel Van Zandt’s fourth-floor rooftop pool. Guests can rent cabanas or daybeds, or lounge chairs are first-come, first-serve. You can even order straight to your chair by scanning a QR code and ordering online. I enjoyed a Mai Gai (a twist on the Mai Tai) and order of calamari with tzatziki one afternoon while soaking in the sun.