Downtown Austin is brimming with big-brand hotels (and has more on the horizon), so what makes this one unique? With 1,012 guest rooms, three restaurants and 42 meeting rooms, the property, which opened in February, is the city’s largest hotel and the second-biggest JW Marriott in the world. (JW Marriotts are part of a luxury brand within Marriott International that includes Ritz-Carlton.)
Read MoreBrass reading lights flanked a gilded bed frame, whose blue fabric headboard provided a pop of color. Draped across the bed was a faux-fur blanket that I loved for its substantial weight. A black, spidery light fixture dangling from the ceiling added a contemporary twist to the vintage vibe. The cozy room with oak herringbone floors and delicate crown moldings gave me the feeling of being in someone’s brownstone.
Read MoreTopnotch is on a five-mile recreation path trailing a winding river — suitable for year-round outings — and close to Smuggler’s Notch State Park. Guests can unwind with a spa treatment or make use of the indoor pool, sauna, steam room and shower, which are comparable to what’s behind closed doors in the spa.
Read MoreTexans love to boast about the republic they enjoyed after divorcing Mexico, but no place celebrates the six flags over the state quite the way San Antonio does. The city has started a celebration of its history called Fiesta, whose signature event is the Battle of the Flowers parade on Friday.
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