1 Hotel Austin has officially opened, marking the first Texas property from the 1 Hotels brand. The hotel occupies part of the 74-story Waterline tower, Texas’ tallest building, and offers 252 guest rooms, including 60 suites. Located at the edge of Austin’s Rainey Street District, the hotel is part of the mixed-use Waterline development created by Lincoln and Kairoi Residential. Architecture was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, with HKS Architects as the architect of record. Interiors were developed by Studio MAI alongside the Starwood Hotels design team, and landscape design was crafted by TBG Partners. The hotel aims to reflect
Austin’s landscape, creative community, and urban lifestyle.
Sustainability and Natural Design Elements
The hotel emphasizes eco-friendly features by incorporating natural and reclaimed materials, such as locally quarried limestone, oak, and reclaimed wood salvaged from historic American buildings. Over 4,000 plants from more than 30 species of Central Texas flora are integrated indoors, including a living plant wall. The lobby conveys a residential atmosphere with soaring wood ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows framing views of surrounding greenery. Room interiors include woven textiles and natural finishes, while bathrooms feature spa-like stone vanities. Guest amenities align with wellness and sustainability principles and include filtered water taps, reusable glassware made
from recycled bottles, and cotton robes. The hotel also provides minibars stocked with local Austin snacks and drinks.
Food and Beverage Concepts
1 Hotel Austin has three food and beverage venues. Alteño is the first Austin restaurant from James Beard Award nominee Chef Johnny Curiel, focusing on the culinary traditions of the Jalisco Highlands, rooted in Curiel’s family heritage. Menu offerings emphasize fire-cooked meats and seafood, complemented by a large selection of Mexican spirits including over 40 mezcals. Neighbors Café and Wine Bar, the inaugural location for the 1 Hotels’ Neighbors collection, features Mediterranean wines, botanical cocktails, and a vinyl soundtrack. It hosts local
community events such as game nights and themed evenings. The rooftop bar watr, located 16 stories above ground, offers Japanese-inspired cuisine and inventive cocktails with a low-waste approach, providing panoramic views of Austin’s skyline and Lady Bird Lake.
Wellness Amenities and Programs
The hotel dedicates an entire floor to wellness, including a fitness center equipped with advanced cardio and strength-training machines, a yoga studio, and an outdoor terrace overlooking Lady Bird Lake. Personal training is available through a partnership with Monroe, an Austin private members club. Bamford Wellness Spa, founded by organic living pioneer Carole Bamford, provides six private treatment rooms, a couples suite
with a steam shower, and a boutique carrying organic skincare products. Spa treatments blend Bamford’s signature holistic rituals with massages, facials, and infrared sauna sessions. The hotel organizes a three-mile Sunday running club around Lady Bird Lake and offers first-time guests complimentary three-day passes to Monroe’s facilities.
Art and Urban Development Impact
The hotel features an art collection inspired by Austin’s natural environment and its history, including site-specific installations by artist Nate Page that reflect the historic Rainey Street area. The Waterline development transforms the Rainey Street District’s edge into a gateway connecting downtown Austin with nearby parklands around Waller Creek and the Waterloo Greenway,
enhancing the cityscape and urban leisure options.
