You'll need a car if you're planning on staying here. The hotel is 7mi north of downtown and at least a couple of miles to the nearest anything else. The front desk staff is pretty worthless, so do not expect much from them. The price is okay when considering that you have to rent a car or take taxis (taxis are scarce in Austin) and the frustrations with the front desk.
I had a King Room in the first Atrium. It was a large room with a window that opens and is equipped with a pretty large refrigerator and microwave. This was a HUGE help financially and very convenient. The bathroom is large, too.
I would recommend a room in the first atrium where the lobby is because the second atrium houses the breakfast room, which can get loud during the the complimentary breakfast hours or during the staff lunch hour. And the third houses the swimming pool, which is loud and has an awful stench of chlorine. It is, after all, indoors.
I stayed a week and told the Spanish speaking girl that works the mornings that I wouldn't need any service while I was there. All I asked that extra towels and shampoo be brought to my room. I wasn't going to be there, but let them know to drop it on the bed. She said fine. I came in late that evening and found nothing there. I went again the following morning and repeated my request, she remembered and said it would be delivered. Again, I returned late in the evening and found nothing in my room. I finally had to stop the housekeeper on my floor and the exec. housekeeper was quick to provide. She also had no idea I didn't need service for the week.
At check-in I told the agent that she could use my card to authorize the payment for the stay, but I would be using another card at check-out. She said that would be fine and she made note of it. The light was blinking on my phone and when I called down the same Spanish speaking morning girl said she turned it off. I returned late in the evening to find my phone blinking once again. Called down and the overnight lady said they needed another form of payment (they already have an authorized card on file, so why they needed the payment now I have no idea) and I said we would come down in the morning to take care of it. In the morning, the same Spanish speaking girl was expectedly confused. In the midst of all of this she is answering phone calls and looked totally disheveled. One time the phone was ringing and I told her she could answer it before I spoke with her and she gestured like she was going to ignore the call, but as soon as I started talking she answered the phone. Then she answered another.
My room key was demagnitized/shut off 4 times in the week I was there - and not because it was near a cell phone or credit cards. Each time I asked the front desk to make sure it was set for the remaining nights. One time the older White lady that works the mornings really pissed me off. She never said hello or good-bye or thank you or you're welcome. I asked for my key again and she just slid it across the desk towards me and walked away. She is the most unpleasant of them all. It happened one last time, but the overnight guy took care of that issue once and for all.
I've been working in hotels, the front desk more specifically, for over 10yrs and I am usually very understanding and low maintenance. However, their front desk staff is some of the worst I've seen. They don't communicate with each other, they have ZERO customer service skills, and can reall make for a terrible experience.
Overall, I was so pleased with the room and amenities, complimentary breakfast, wifi, computer and printer access and parking that I can't help but give them a good review.
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