Intercontinental Stephen F. Austin, Austin,Texas

An elegant yet edgy sense of decorum presides over the lobby of the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin, in Austin, Texas, easy to find at night thanks to the glowing red stripe around the building’s exterior. This is in stark contrast to the rowdy street party in full swing just a block away on 6^th Street, the music city’s main nightlife drag. With a grand winding staircase that looks right out of Gone with the Wind and miles of polished wood paneling at reception surrounding three colorful portraits of Mr. Austin himself, the scene oozes warmth and comfort, just what you’d expect in the capital of Texas.

And big, of course, as in the super-sized wrought iron chandelier which casts a lovely glow over both the open mezzanine and the ground floor’s clubby little lounge. The fixture allows just enough light to admire the sumptuous cast iron bronze of a cowboy restlessly herding a stubborn steer sitting on a giant console table dead center or to choose a book from the bright red lacquered shelves in the nearby library. Perhaps an old Stephen King novel will strike your fancy; if so, you can relax in one of the smart patterned club chairs with bright red pillows or laze on a deep chesterfield sofa with an expertly mixed martini from the snazzy Stephen F Bar & Terrace up on the mezzanine. There the hotel’s “red” connection is in hyper gear with red paneled walls, red velvet loveseats, shiny red patent leather bar stools and a giant steer head on the far wall stately surveying the entire red scene.  Red gives a room energy and the public spaces of the hotel are alive with the color, too, down to the red doors on all the guest rooms and a quirky bright red waste can smartly placed next to the black and white striped settee in the elevator bank.  Who can argue with keeping corridors spiffy?  Not me.

The city’s music connection is cleverly worked into those corridors with cool shades of black mixed with white, emphasis on the black of course.  It’s all sensitively coordinated (like a hotel should be) and works wonders with the “nouvelle Early American” décor.  Opt for the corner junior suite if you can, roomy and cozy with a nice double closet and full length mirror in the separate foyer. Wraparound windows allow you to see what you’re missing when you’re not outside having fun here in the nightlife capital of Texas. Kick back on the cushy corner sofa and have a snooze before a BIG night on the town or just toss yourself on the grandiose king size bed with a double set of down pillows. A snug red tattersall throw will stave off any chill.

You see comfort is key here at the InterContinental. And when you wake up you can grab an energy drink from the mini bar, conveniently stored in the “personal space” on the top shelf behind the carved wood double doors, a nifty idea if ever I’ve seen one.  No more moving around of endless cans of soda to store those left over ribs you’ll be bringing back tonight from one of the many food trailers all over town. Here in Austin nothing beats an impromptu snack to end the night or to begin it for that matter. You’ll need provisions to keep going in this party town.  And it certainly doesn’t hurt to have your own personal coffee machine – Austin club nights are long winded my friends just like the endless conversations you’ll find yourself having with the locals.

And finally we can’t forget the marvelous marble bath with amenities from Agraria, America’s oldest luxury home fragrance company.  Take a late night shower before going to bed then relax for a bit in the rich brown velvet club chair in front of the huge flat screen TV. I’m sure something on one of the hotel’s 70 channels will catch your eye.  In the morning, you’ll be thankful for that coffee machine and the full service gym will get you back in shape for another long day of sights, smells and margaritas, made the Austin way with anejo tequila, of course.