Hospitality is big, big business in Texas, which boasts the most hotels of any Southern state (nationwide, it’s second only to California). But it’s not all new construction and city high-rises: Some of the state’s most notable and inviting additions have revitalized once-neglected historic spaces, preserving character and reenergizing downtowns. From an updated midcentury motel in Galveston with a can’t-miss bar, to a gorgeous sprawling estate in Austin, to a collection of nineteenth-century bungalows in Round Top, these hotels artfully merge Lone Star heritage with contemporary flair—and keep their soulfulness intact.
THE GRAND RETREAT
THE COMMODORE PERRY ESTATE
Austin
1 Visiting the Commodore Perry Estate, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, feels like being in two places at once. The 1928 Italianate mansion sits on ten acres in the heart of Austin’s Hyde Park neighborhood, but one could easily mistake it for a country home in Europe with its glamorous grounds and manicured gardens.
