Austin Proper Hotel, Austin, TX

Austin Proper immerses guests in the renowned designs of Kelly Wearstler in a new 32-story high rise, with pool-deck views over Lady Bird Lake and the Texas Hill Country. Upon entering the lobby, guests are greeted by a monolithic wooden staircase dressed in a patchwork of vintage rugs and pots by local ceramicist Rick Van Dyke. An abundance of design quirks pop up throughout the hotel’s communal spaces and 244 guest rooms. Add in a state-of-the-art fitness center, an intimate spa, a Mediterranean grill serving cuisine from Greek to Israeli to Lebanese, a café, two cocktail bars, wood-fire Mexican cuisine by the pool, and nearly 10,000 sq ft of event space, and Austin Proper easily proves itself a neighborhood hive.

Austin Proper’s LEED® Gold certification (the first in the area) ensures the building minimizes its footprint and maximizes sustainability. Rigorous environmental standards extend from water use (reclaimed irrigation systems and in-building chilled water loops) to insulated windows that save energy and block UV. Austin itself has a focus on active transportation—walking and cycling—that is helping take the city to carbon neutral in 2020. That is reason enough to visit.