Four Seasons Hotel Austin

Character and identity

Set on the banks of Lady Bird Lake with downtown Austin at its back, this 294-room property (including 33 suites) has held its ground since 1986 as the city's grown-up luxury anchor. A recent renovation has lightened the public spaces with limestone columns, a modern chandelier and steel-glass doorways, while the interior leans into rustic Texas materials softened by an art-forward Austin sensibility. Ciclo, from Richard Sandoval, plates modern Texas cooking with Latin accents; the indoor-outdoor Live Oak lounge channels Guadalajara. A refreshed 4,000-square-foot spa adds a eucalyptus steam room and a pink Himalayan salt wall. Service runs in the polished Four Seasons register.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The draw here is location alchemy: a calm lakeside setting that's still a short walk from Sixth Street, wrapped in a freshly renovated classic-luxury package. Book a lake-facing room or suite to get the full effect of the new facade and natural light, and time a visit around one of Austin's music festivals when the downtown position pays off most.