Three of us spent three nights in a 2-queen-bed room on the second floor on the back side of the parking lot. We liked the location, the staff were friendly, the room was pretty quiet and the decor was fun. It definitely fit the "1960s Flower-Power Motel" vibe. BUT, while we liked the 1960s retro vibe, it seems like important features of the room have also not been updated since the 1960s. None of the windows open (including the rather rusty window in the bathroom) and the cheap AC unit blows directly onto the bed nearest the door. I noticed that, like us, many guests on our floor kept their doors propped open in the evening in an effort to get a little natural air into the room. The small bathroom area has a plastic shower curtain on the combo tub, little tiles that make the floor look dirty even if it isn't, a single sink, a miniscule wastebasket, and exactly four skinny metal hangers on the clothing rack (no closet). As there was just one drawer available for all of us, we didn't unpack our bags. There was no way to make coffee or tea in the room, and a cable-only tv, which meant no using personal Amazon Video or Netflix accounts. And did I mention we had no hot water in the shower the first morning we were there? It was fixed later that morning, but too little too late. All of this might not be deal-breaking at, say, $150/night, because it comes with free parking. But we paid over $400/night to stay in what was essentially a tarted-up version of a bad Motel Six. So no, Bunkhouse Hotels, we will not be staying in any of your other properties, and we'll be advising our family and friends not to either.
Austin Motel, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
JB, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us. While I'm glad to find that you enjoyed our location, friendly team, and some of the character of our little motel, I'm so sorry to find that the accommodations fell short of your expectations. The Austin Motel is certainly an old lady with plenty of history and personality, but we recognize that some of the features that comes with a historic property aren't necessarily what every guest is looking for. Your comments regarding the rooms furnishings, storage, and overall comfort are appreciated and have been shared with our teams as we continue looking for thoughtful ways to improve the guest experience. I'm also so sorry about the trouble with your shower's water temperature. I'm glad to see that our team was able to address the issue that morning, though I understand that it was still an inconvenience. While I'm disappointed that your experience with us has left you hesitant to explore our sister properties, I do hope you'll reconsider. We are one of the oldest properties in the Bunkhouse brand and each Bunkhouse property has its own personality, history and accommodations, and I hope that your stay with us doesn't define in your impression of them all. Thank you so much for giving Austin Motel a try. I'm sorry that we weren't quite the right fit for your visit, but we really appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective.
Y'all are the best. It pay great respect to the Austin that used to be weird even though the street surrounding the hotel is quickly selling out to massive corporations. I realize Bunkhouse is now owned by Hyatt, but if Hyatt keeps what makes this place special we will keep coming back again and again.
Austin Motel, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
Dani, thank you for your kind words. We absolutely loved having you! I agree that South Congress is constantly changing, but we're so proud to be one of the pieces of old Austin still standing. Our old lady has plenty of stories to tell, and keeping her quirky spirit alive is something that means a lot to us. We're so glad that spirit resonated with you and we look forward to welcoming you on your next Austin adventure.
We had a great experience at the Austin Motel. The location is perfect, the staff is amazing (including the option to communicate via text), the bed was comfortable, and the room was very clean! If you’re the type that has to have all the amenities/luxury, beware that the bathrooms are small with limited counter space and there’s not a lot of storage for clothes. But I strongly suggest you get over yourself and stay here for the nostalgia, the whimsy, and the location. The bar/food garden with Rocky’s was awesome too. Top notch experience.
Austin Motel, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
This made our day! Thank you for taking the time to share such honest feedback. We loved having you with us and hope you come back on your next Austin adventure.
Austin Motel was a perfect fit for the area and for authentic Austin vibes. Decor in the rooms was fun and lively. Beds were super comfy. Location is great. Only thing is- be aware you are in a busy area of town- it’s not particularly quiet at night (at least on weekends), so bring your sound app or ear plugs to sleep if you are sensitive to that. It was so convenient to walk to all the shops, restaurants, and bars. Jo’s Coffee is right next door for a simple breakfast. Over would definitely stay again.
Austin Motel, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
Thank you so much for staying with us and taking the time share your experience. I'm thrilled to find that you enjoyed our property, from the beds to the decor and our amazing location. We are just coming out of Austin City Limits music festival season which definitely can make the early October nights on South Congress a tad busier. We also have earplugs available at the desk - just ask! We hope to host you again whenever life brings you back this way.
10/10 Great accommodations, great location, great service, BEST POOL IN AUSTIN! We had a blast, we will be back soon...
Austin Motel, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
We loved having you with us! It means so much to see you had a lovely time poolside. We hope to see you back (hopefully) so soon!
We enjoyed our stay and the ambiance was great! The location was an easy walk to all the local goodness. We also took in breakfast at the Motel diner.
Austin Motel, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
Thank you so much for staying and sharing your experience. It means the world to find that you enjoyed our atmosphere and our location - we are so lucky to be where we are. Especially since we are just next door to Joann's Fine Foods, such a great spot to have breakfast! We hope to host you again, whenever life brings you back this way.
While this motel is centrally located, and the staff is friendly, I can’t recommend it. There are no curtains on the windows, only blinds which means you can be seen from the parking lot when getting dressed. It also means the light from the parking lot and the huge neon sign comes into your room when you’re trying to sleep. The AC is a loud window unit that rumbles and doesn’t cool below about 70 degrees. It’s also difficult to sleep with it on if you’re sound sensitive. There were also ants in my bathroom that I had to try and wipe down prior to showering. The phone in my room didn’t work so it wasn’t easy to contact the front desk.
Austin Motel, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
Thank you for sharing your feedback. While I'm glad our team made a positive impression, I'm sorry to hear that the room itself fell so far short of your expectations. I only wish we had heard from you about these concerns during your two-night stay. We would have welcomed the opportunity to send our maintenance team to address the air conditioning and other room concerns in real time, and to explore alternative accommodations if available. While our in-room phones are primarily intended for contacting the front desk, we also monitor a 24 hour guest texting line to make reaching our team easier. That said, I'm sorry to hear that you found contacting the desk to be difficult. Since your departure, we've had our pest-control partner service the room and our maintenance team inspect both the air-conditioning unit and the phone. We've also shared your additional comments regarding the blinds and room functionality with our team. I'm sorry we weren't given the opportunity to make your stay more comfortable while you were here, but I appreciate the additional feedback and the opportunity to follow up on these concerns.
This is such a unique property and in an amazing location. Couldn’t be happier with this hotel and will stay here again!!
Austin Motel, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
Thank you for taking the time to share and for trusting us with your time in Austin! We loved finding that you enjoyed your stay. We look forward to the next time you come to visit - whenever life brings you back this way.
DEF stay here. It's IMO the most iconic of stays for a true authentic Austin experience. The place takes you back to a time when life was cool, when things seemed easy and everyone was nice just because. The staff is so helpful and kind. The pool vibes and hotel property vibes are just so good. The rooms are basic but in the best and simplest of ways. The decor is legit and you'll LOVE the bathrobes. Snack and mini bar options far exceed the usual options. You'll just FEEL cooler walking out of your hotel room here.
Tricia Johnson, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
You have us BLUSHING! Thank you so much for coming to see us - we absolutely love getting the chance to host you! Thank you for seeing us so clearly - we love being able to enjoy the property through your eyes. Come back and see us soon!
Our group of 3 couples had a wonderful stay at Austin Motel. One couple in our group needed accessible accommodations, and the hotel had exactly what they needed, which made the trip much less stressful. The staff was friendly, and check-in was smooth from start to finish. The location on SOCO is hard to beat. We used to live in central Austin years ago, and I never imagined we’d come back and stay here as guests. It was such a pleasant surprise and a fun way to experience one of our old favorite neighborhoods from a different perspective. Everything was within easy walking distance: great restaurants, coffee shops, shopping, and live music. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and had the retro Austin charm the motel is known for. The common areas were inviting, and it was a great place for our group to relax and spend time together. My only suggestions would be to add a chest of drawers or dresser for storing clothing. There was a chair in the corner, but with a sofa already in the room, that space could be put to better use with additional storage. The bathroom also felt a bit tight, so a few wall-mounted shelves would make a big difference for toiletries and personal items. Overall, we had a fantastic stay and would absolutely recommend Austin Motel to anyone looking for a fun, comfortable place in an unbeatable SOCO location. We’d happily stay here again.
Austin Motel, Guest Services / Front Office at Austin Motel, responded to this review
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a thoughtful review. It was such a pleasure having you back in Austin and that we had the chance to host you during you return visit to your old home. We're thrilled to find that out team was able to make your group feel at home with us, and most importantly, provide accommodations that made the trip a little easier and less stressful. Hearing that you enjoyed the rooms, our common spaces, and our location means so much to us - I'll be sure to pass along the kind words. We also really appreciate your thoughtful suggestions around additional storage. Feedback like this is so helpful especially as we continue looking for ways of balancing the funky retro character of the property with the functionality of the property. Thank you again for choosing the Austin Motel as your home away from home. We'd love having you back- whenever life brings you out here!
Se muestran 10 opiniones desde 1 de agosto de 2026.