InterContinental Stephen F. Austin

We had the pleasure of staying here at a special rate because my husbands company had their Christmas Party here. The building is beautiful and full of history we had a room reserved for us $ 179 plus Valet (there is no other option for parking that we could see as a better deal) We recieved a corner room (YES) get one of those. we stayed in room #1202 small YES but nice YES except of course for the transition from room to bathroom *WATCH OUT TOE STUBBER* it was quaint and quiet away from the construction on the other side. The 2 windows made the room less small when we opened the curtains. I took pictures of the room and minibar so look in the photos on this site. It is within walking distance of several places to eat and nightlife so leave your car there and venture out. Theres a 7 – 11 down the street for any snack needs and a couple of blocks theres a CVS for any toiletry needs. Also several places to dine and the Speakeasy was fun for drinks *divey but good* The Capital is just down the street within walking distance for any educational needs. There is a bar in the hotel which has a balcony that overlooks Congress for all your people watching needs (Yes that was Awesome) some snacks avail there too. All in all it was a great stay and now I can say we’ve stayed there and check it off our list. We live locally (Cedar Park) but I have always wanted the expierence to have a drink on the Balcony and people watch and I got that. Would I stay there again? With all the options avail at better rates probably not unless we recieved a great deal (like priceline roulette) name your own price. It was a good stay *pricey* but good. Our car was well taken care of and I had no worries. BTW the food at the Christmas Party was awful also whomever made the menu SUCKED the sliders tasted a bit on the soy/​beef side but who knows our food was picked out for toddlers. The food was bland and cold and came from the kitchen. and FYI when putting out tortillas to eat PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE lightly place on the stove and toast a little SUCH A PET PEEVE OF MINE. Just after the Christmas Party food we didnt want to have any other crappy food so we went out to eat. Im sure the Resturaunts in the hotel are Awesome and in no way reflect the food served at the party but we didnt want to risk it.

My stay at the IC SFA started-​off rocky and ended as well at it could possibly end after a series of minor debacles; some not caused by the hotel. When Murphy’s Universal Law kicks in (Whatever may possibly go wrong will go wrong) it is a slippery slope which is hard to recover from. Such was the case on my most recent stay at this IC property.
I arrived at around 11PM to learn that my reservation (which was expanded to three days from 2 days by miy admin) was on their system. Since this may have been – while highly improbable-​an issue with my folks and since they had a room available I let bygones be bygone. Would you like a wake-​up call asked the receptionist? No thank you, I’m sleeping in tomorrow or so I thought. While the hotel honored my request for no wake up call, the pre-​dawn construction crew two stories outside of my window and across the street from the Hotel’s main entrance changed my sleep-​in plans. Note to management: in the future if your guest arrives post 9PM, refuses a wake-​up call, and there’s construction across the narrow street from the front of the hotel, perhaps the staff shouldn’t give the guest a room facing that side of the hotel and the first room off the elevator – especially if the guest is a Spire E member of IHG? Just sayin’.
I quickly left my stuff in the room and managed to make it for last call at the hotel bar. I was hoping they would remain open later. The bartender was terrific regretfully I didn’t have an opportunity to return.
Bright and early the next morning ahead of the roosters, I decided to use the in-​room amenities such as the conveniently located k-​cup coffee maker and mini-​bar. The room and bathroom were spacious, well maintained and well appointed consistent with IC standards. I began plugging-​in the plethora of devices in the ample and conveniently situated power outlets, unpacked and started working. By 9AM I realised that I needed my suits and shirts pressed and thus began my ordeal…
I called downstairs and asked for a laundry pickup. Shortly afterwards there was a knock on the door and a forgotten ‘do not disturb’ sign hanging for the door handle. I let this major «faux pas» pass because I needed my laundry pressed. When can I have it by? We will have your laundry in the room by 3PM today. Thank you I said and I returned to my work inside the room.
At 3:45PM I called the front desk to learn that there was a delay in my laundry. Sugar happens and despite the inconvenience (I returned to the room at 3 to quickly change and then return to my conference) I waited around for my clothes with a forgotten «do not disturb» sign on the door exterior handle. Shortly afterwards, I received a phone call about the «DND» hanging on the door. «DND» I asked? Oh sorry sir, there’s a «do not disturb» sign on the door so we weren’t able to deliver your laundry. Apologizing for my ‘mea culpa’ I asked them to return. A quick inventory revealed that three sets of brass shirt collar stays, a silk pocket square and one smaller collar stay from a shirt were missing. I spend several calls, and over a few hours the incompetence of their outsourced laundry vender was apparent. In the end of the ordeal the pocket square was returned and the collar stays went missing in action.
To make up for my adverse experience – not fully described above – the hotel comped my incidentals and was very apologetic. I felt that they adequately addressed the issues with my stay and most of the issues were beyond their control (they need a new laundry vender). I’ll be back…

This will be a weird review. I apologize. Holiday party. Reserved room.
The Great — Customer service. Valet (didn’t get a name) was wonderful, treated Grace (the car) like it was a Ferrari (which its not) and me and the missus like we owned a Ferrari LOL. Coretta (I think I got it right) was ridiculously nice to me and the missus as we checked in, giving us directions to the venue as well as our room (NOTE: your door key activates the elevator — nice touch). Last thing — we were walking across the lobby and our paper bag broke — sending plastic bottle of soda across the floor. As the missus bent over to pick it up, a associate RAN over to assist… in picking up a bottle of soda. Priceless.
The Good — The Room. Okay, as other reviews mention, the room is small. BUT it is also an old hotel, so no party foul (i.e. expected). No microwave, but did have a stocked minibar (but almost NO fridge space for your items). Nicely furnished. The bed and pillows were very comfortable.
The Bad/​Scary — Sitting in my room and an associate used their key to walk in WITHOUT KNOCKING. Luckily the missus was sleeping and I was on my way there — Full disclosure, I usually do not double-​lock the hotel door (but I do now). It appears that the associate was coming to deliver/​change a lightbulb… I’m thinking for a empty room?
Reported to Coretta and she made a note of the discretion, offered concessions, made sure we were happy — everything you want in customer service.
I left before checkout, but the missus enjoyed a nice breakfast buffet —
SIDE NOTE: The room reserved for the party was NICE, with a deck that faced the street — food was great (buffet style) and again the servers were visible when they needed to be and invisible when not.
I will be back — when I can afford it LOL.

I want to thank Julie Stanfield, onsite coordinator at the InterContinental Hotel and all the staff for an excellent wedding they put on last night. Every staff member I interacted with was so friendly and helpful, polite and fast. Plated meals for wedding guests flew out quickly and looked amazing; our vendor meals were excellent. This hotel is such an iconic Austin site and the couple especially picked it because it represented the historical, luxurious, elegant Austin their families love. Even the valet staff were terrific and so helpful. I hope to work there again very soon!

Everything bigger in Texas? Not so at the Intercontinental in Austin. The room is so small as to be barely usable for two people. The view is of a roof full of air conditioning units. Not good at all.
I had a hard time at check-​in due to a screwup on my part. But rather than seizing that moment to make a bad situation better I got a lecture from the staff and only a grudging acceptance of my solution (I personally found a person who was cancelling from my conference and put them on the phone to get their room.).
So I am really unimpressed with the physical side of things and the service side of things. On the positive side, the hotel restaurant is very good; the blackened redfish was excellent.

Deaf-​Friendly! There is one staff member, Amanda O., who has been working at the hotel for over a year. The staff knows sign language. What a welcoming surprise!
Also, I was informed they just replaced every bed with a brand new bed recently. Bed felt nice and comfortable!

Clean rooms, exceptional staff! What else do you need at a hotel. We had 4 rooms on a fri and sat for a wedding and lots of stuff with us! They let us use cooler space, and were accommodating with everything we needed throughout the weekend. The terrace lunch was SO pricey, but I expected that being in the heart of downtown. I would stay here again and recommend it to friends.

I had plans to attend a half-​day conference here, so I decided to book a one-​night reservation with hopes that I could arrive from Dallas the night before, being refreshed and ready for the 7:45am start time the next morning. My excitement and adrenaline saved the day, as rest completely escaped me here.
Generally, the rooms are on the smaller side, though this is to be expected with an older building. I had a corner room on the eleventh floor (1102) where the morning light was beautiful from both windows and made the room feel a bit bigger than it actually was. It was also nicely appointed with a large flat-​screen, fully-​stocked (but pricey) mini-​bar, roomy desk and comfy chair.
My first sleep deterrent was the pillows. Reminiscent of those I «slept» on at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotel, they’re similar to Ziplock bags filled with a little bit of air, then sealed, leaving a lot to be desired. No substance and horrible for the neck. The saving grace? The decorative throw pillows. I ended up sleeping with one of those so that I could get a little rest. And the walls are really thin. At 2am, I was still awake from hallway chatter (my second deterrent to sleeplessness). I didn’t call the front desk, so that’s my fault, but any normal person should be sensitive to guests that are trying to sleep at 2am in the morning. I mean, duh. The air conditioner was the third deterrent to my sleep. With each automatic on & off of the fan, a loud knock would occur, making me think that someone was entering the room.
With that said, everyone I dealt with, from the valet attendants and doorman to the bellhops and front desk staff, was professional, polite and incredibly helpful. The breakfast served at the beginning of my conference was fresh and really tasty, as well. It’s a beautiful property in the heart of Austin and I’d definitely stay here again if the price was better ($ 300 after taxes, double occupancy, queen bed).
TIPS:
Register for an IHG account prior to your reservation so that you can receive complementary in-​room wi-​fi.
When making a reservation, search online or ask via phone for the ‘Park for a Penny’ rate to avoid a $ 30+ valet fee.
Ask for extra towels/​pillows at check-​in.

This is a perfect place to be able to see the thanksgiving and other parades and also to go to the events at the Paramount. We even painted one of the rooms in our house the color of the suites. We are living in Austin and the only way to go to a downtown event is here!

Cricket infestation… The hotel is nice, new and has some nice amenities but that was all quickly forgotten when we twice found crickets in our rooms on our beds. Apparently, it was cricket season which while maybe true does not excuse them being in our room, on our bed. It’s always roach season in New York but the good hotels don’t tolerate them.
As an update, the staff were courteous enough to offer us a discount each night plus a free breakfast for our troubles.

Made reservations for one night. Arrived and dropped the car off with the valet, who was very nice and had some great 6^th St. pointers. Checked in, got our room on the 7^th floor and we hit the elevator. Get to the room, put the key in, and find that the safety lock is in place, allowing the door to open only a few inches. Fiddle with it a few times and then notice that I can see a suitcase inside and some shirts hanging in the closet… umm, ok. Thankfully the occupant didn’t come to the door because that would have been a little weird. Go back down to the front desk (with our bags) and are promptly issued a new room key to a new room on a higher floor. The person at the front desk was a different person from when we checked in moments ago.
Go to the 14^th floor (look at the elevator buttons… no 13^th floor… WTF lolz). Find our room and let ourselves in… wow. I believe that we got an upgraded room for our troubles and it was amazing. Very spacious and tastefully appointed. Had a great view and a lot of amenities. As we got settled in, the original person who checked us in with the occupied room called and apologized for the mishap. Wasn’t a big deal, but it was nice that he took the time to do so.
We enjoyed our stay and when we went out for dinner, we used Über and had a car in 30 seconds. 6^th St was an easy walk (go down Congress and avoid all the bums a few blocks over). Checkout was quick and easy and the valet quickly had our car back to us. We found a deal from the hotel’s website that had the valet for free… otherwise it is pretty pricey.
I think the only drawback is the minifridge. It was supposed to be stocked and still have room for a few of your own things, but for some reason, we couldn’t open it. There is a bucket for ice but it was very small, only room to ice down one drink at a time. No big deal though.
If we ever come back to Austin, we would stay here without question.

I have been to the intercontinental serval times over the past few years doing cookie drops for my place of business. I have always had great experiences until today. Marcia Lepore, the concierge on staff today treated me like I was a waste of life… For her being in the hospitality Industry, this was just crazy to me. I have NEVER been treated like the way she treated me. I needed 30 seconds of her time, and was shooed away. I am a business owner in downtown Austin and have always acted professional. I expect the same in return. On this particular day I hit over 12 hotels Downtown including the 4 seasons and the Driskill, all of which were amazing and professional!!! Bravo to them! I will no longer come to the intercontinental. Shame on her.

A top shelf hotel in Austin, TX. The location is perfect. The rooms are great. The staff is very accommodating. The Roaring Fork restaurant is one of the best in Austin. I stayed here for several nights this week with a large group. We were treated like VIP guests. I highly recommend.

These guys are AMAZING. Everyone is incredibly friendly, helpful and polite — constantly. Its incredible to be in a location (we are here for an event) that is so accommodating and tirelessly helpful and positive.
Sherie Tester and Britt Barnstone are the bomb! We couldn’t have survived this week without these two angels!
If you want to host an event — do it here! The food is incredible, the service is impeccable and the view is beautiful!
Thank you !!!

This is an older hotel that has been nicely modernized inside. Sleeping rooms have good lighting and electrical sockets everywhere. Bed and bathroom are in good shape. The staff was extremely helpful at check-​in, with a valet who wrangled our bags for us and showed us all the features of our room. The hotel’s location is great, at the corner of 7^th and Congress, just a block from all the club action on 6^th.

Great Location! Friendly Customer Service! Excellent Food!
I recently had the opportunity to celebrate my wedding at this Historic Venue.
Every member at the staff was very helpful. Special thanks to Sheri from Catering, Ferhat at Front Desk and Mark with the Valet.

This hotel was beautiful and the room was wonderful. Lots of space and a large bathroom with a vanity area separate from the sink. The lounge on the second floor was great for a nightcap/​snack, and the service was great.
Loved the location, which was near lots of restaurants and bars on 6^th Street.
Valet was fast and courteous.
I’d love to return on my next trip to Austin.

I was only here for work meetings but was very impressed. The food catering was delicious for a work meeting buffet, They catered to my specific food allergy, even though the event planner forgot to tell them about it.
The meeting room was large, comfortable, and the sound quality was better than most. They also provided wifi for us in the business meeting rooms.
The balcony was a blast on breaks to go out, enjoy the view, and get some fresh air!
Would love to stay here when in Austin next time as it looks like a beautiful facility.

Recently renovated, and tastefully combining modern with classic style, our stay at the InterContinental Hotel Stephen F Austin was perfect. The location was just a few blocks to the bar-​lined 6^th street, and there were plenty of nearby restaurants as well.
I was in town for a professional conference and my wife was working on her dissertation. Shortly after my wife arrived at the hotel first, room service was up and welcomed her with a plate of cheese and crackers and a nice bottle of cabernet sauvignon.
We stayed in the corner king suite which was very private as we only shared one wall with another guest. The room was spacious, the bed was so comfortable, and the bathroom was very nice. I was very happy to have the option of working at the office table, sitting on the couch, or sitting in one of the armchairs. I also enjoyed the little markers that they had pointing out extra power outlets. I have often run into issues trying to find a free power outlet in other hotels that I have stayed at, and generally, I would end up unplugging a lamp or radio. There was morning/​afternoon bed service and an evening bed service which was a nice perk, we were never low on any supplies and our room was always much neater than when we left it.
During our stay we had all day club lounge access, which was great, and my wife absolutely loved it as she could sit in there and work, drinking some tea or champagne during happy hour, and eating biscotti’s and plates of cheese, and any other snacks that they decided to make that day. The free wifi access in the lounge was a wonderful bonus (Note that you do have to pay for wifi access in your room if you are not an Intercontinental Hotel member).
Every morning we would make ourselves get out of bed and eat the breakfast buffet. There wasn’t a variety of food at the buffet, but they had a different special each day, and all I wanted to eat were the breakfast potatoes and sausages. And I’m not saying typical breakfast sausages like Jimmy Dean, these were great real hearty sausages. There was also a fruit bar, cereal, and greek yogurt. We loaded up on the fruits. They also had very good, very strong and dark coffee. Our server was the same every day and he was very kind and attentive.
We also valeted our car at the hotel and we never had a long wait. The valets were always very helpful with directions and suggestions of where to go in the city.
I would definitely stay here again.

This is one of the better hotels that I’ve stayed at in Austin. The last time I was in town I stayed at a hotel nearby, and had a horrible experience, so I was nervous that I wasn’t going to get any sleep here. I couldn’t have been more wrong about this place! From the moment I pulled up to the valet, I was warmly greeted by the staff and treated as a valued guest. Geraldo the bellhop was exceptionally nice, he helped carry my bags up to my room, get my settled in, and each time I saw him in the lobby he remembered my name, asked if I needed recommendations, and wished me a great day.
The location is great, right in the good part of Downtown, walkable to 6^th street, the capital, and even up Congress if you’d like! They have a great bar and restaurant downstairs, and another bar upstairs with an outdoor balcony so if you’re looking for late night grub or drinks and don’t want to go far, you can be sure and get what you want without leaving the hotel!
Checking in was a breeze, it only took about 5 minutes total before I was headed up to my spacious, clean, and comfortable room. The room its self wasn’t anything special, but the pillows and bed were so comfortable, and the curtains on the window managed to block out the early morning sun to ensure that I slept deeply and well all through the night. I really did enjoy the fact that I had a «control panel» next to my bed, which allowed me to turn on and off the lights around the room (and in the bathroom), and adjust the air conditioner without ever leaving my bed. Exceptionally beneficial if you’re like me and wake up often, and need to adjust the air but don’t want to get out of bed. Now you don’t have to!
The hotel was quiet, no construction that I could hear going on. My room was located closer to the elevator than I would have liked, but it was a non-​problem as the room was well sound-​proofed. Being a light sleeper, I normally get woken up at hotels when others use the elevator nearby, since there’s bells dinging, doors slamming, and people generally moving around the area constantly. I couldn’t hear any of it!
I will definitely be staying here again the next time I’m in town. Everything was fantastic.

Solid place, but nothing exciting. I guess it depends on the room you score. Mine was a closet, but the rest of my group had rooms twice the size. I’m from the East Coast so I have stayed in my share of small rooms… I guess I just expected a larger room in Texas.
On a positive note… great location, boutique feel and very clean. I’m hoping that the Kimpton Brand sets it’s sites on Austin. They do Boutique Hotels right.

Negative 10 stars. NEGATIVE. NEVER park here. I’d rather walk 6 blocks in 6 in” stiletto heels than park here, it would be worth it the damage caused to my car.
To update I received an email from Marilyn to contact Jeff Girgenti, the manager of the valet service. What a joke. After over 15 emails and a few phone calls asking me to send him the details of what happened, «allowing time to review surveillance footage» he concluded what we already knew from the beginning. That I left the hotel without first telling them of the damage. Really?
YOU contacted me. We already knew we left and didn’t notice it till the next morning or did you not read the review I wrote to help my fellow Unilocalers avoid the same fate that happened to me! That’s the point of Unilocal.To share the good and the bad. To be honest. The email came from a title that just said «claims» stating:

«The first notice we had of this claim was after your vehicle had left the property and you did not report anything to our valet staff while the car was in our care, custody and control. Our company cannot acknowledge a claim that was made after a vehicle has left the property, as there is no way to prove where or when the damage occurred. Therefore, we must respectfully decline to make any payment to you on this claim. –Towne Park, Claims Department»
Yes very good. We established that I left prior to. So if you had no intention of actually fixing anything, then why did you bother contacting me in the first place? You ALREADY knew I left. The only reason they pretended to care was to see how much damage their incompetent staff actually caused to my car. If it was worth it to fix or not. I truly believe they contacted me just so they could «say» they did and pretend to care for Unilocal sake.
Please avoid this fate and
1) eat somewhere else
2) stay somewhere else
3) if you cant avoid 1 and 2 above… at least park somewhere else
4) if you cant avoid 1,2 and 3 then for heaven sake, do a walk around with said incompetent staff BEFORE and AFTER getting out or in of your vehicle.