We stayed for 4 nights to check out Austin for the first time. We found the location to be in the middle of everything we wanted to see - South Congress, Warehouse District, 6th Street and the Capitol. With a bus stop across the street, it's easy to get around town or just walk to where you are going.

The hotel itself was clean (most floors have just been renovated and the rest will be done soon) and the staff was friendly. The layout of the room was a bit awkward, but that wasn't a big deal. We really enjoyed the outdoor pool, and the TGI Fridays inside the hotel was convenient for happy hour before we headed out for the evening!

We would have liked free internet in the rooms, and a more spacious fitness center, but we would still recommend the Radisson as an overall great value in downtown Austin.

The location is good especially if you are working a convention as said hall is right down the street. However, the rooms are like an econo lodge. Smallish, no mini fridge and not much to speak of. Even the sleep number bed was wierd and hard to figure out.There is a TGI FRiday's downstairs but it's expensive. Breakfast is ten bucks. Also, in four days I had to have them re-work my credit card key six times! What is more agonizing than getting to your room four floors up and the key doesn't work...and yes I had two keys that both didn't work. Also, self parking is fifteen bucks a night as well. You have to pay extra for the wireless internet. What was nice? Uhhhh...let me think....still thinking...the staff, That's about it. I expected more from a Radisson.

I posted the following to Radisson after the email asking about the stay--still no response weeks later. Didn't care when we were there, didn't even respond to poor review. Whyndam Hotels from here on out!!

We paid $171 from the radisson website, can't imagine paying more. We are in our 40's, I take at least 3 trips a year, including one to Europe. We stay in mom & pops as well as Hiltons and Whyndams. We are not hotel snobs, but expect clean rooms and good service.

Austin is an awesome city I would return to again and again--the Radisson is the only thing on our entire week's trip that (------) us off (other than the lack of lounge chairs at the Austin Hotel.)

1. Transfered from another Austin hotel so there by 12:10...asked Very Nicely for a room with a view of congress ave and the bridge. We were very early to check in, were staying for 4 nights in a 1 bedroom suite (fridge but no microwave) I'd booked on Radisson.com and were told that they could do that, no problem. When we finally checked in after 2:30, no view. WHY DID WE WAIT SO LONG FOR A SPECIFIC VIEW IF NO ONE INTENDED ON GIVING US ONE????? I immediately called to front desk to complain, but was told NO other rooms available. Really? I was to check back tomorrow. SO I did at 8:30--they still said nothing available and to check after noon when check out is. SO we still didn't unpack hoping for a room we'd requested and wouldn't you think they would have records of who was checking out with rooms with a view?! I'm sure they know...clueless why they won't share the info. Called at 12:05--nope, they have nothing. So we wasted time checking in waiting for this so called 'room with a view' and then a whole day of not unpacking or settling in, hoping for a room with a view.
2. No kleenex in the room---terrible to pay $$$ and have to use toilet paper to remove make-up, blow your nose etc. Rediculous. Also a fridge but no microwave.
3. Phone book hidden, not by desk with phone on it. Looking for food at bar time, received a sheet from front desk. Your pizza option is $$$$$. Seriously, if you were staying with family and the hotel provide one and one option only on a printed late night options sheet, would you pay $36 for a large pizza??? Really??? I compained to to front desk and asked why Radisson would give this option to it's customers, the lady and I were at odds. She kept saying that it was my choice to order or not. I responded that since this is the only option listed by Radisson, that they obviously approve of this business gouging customers. She also said that this was the single solitary only business that would deliver at 2am on a Friday night. So Austin has no Dominos, pizza hut, pizza pit, papa murphy's etc etc??? Someone should open one and make some $$.
3. TGIFridays, about 9:40 pm. Sunday. Not one clean table around the bar. Hard to find a clean PLACE at the bar. Trash is overflowing behind the bar (I have pictures). We just wanted a drink and some bar food (knowing how expensive a pizza would be) after the reggae festival and then crash. Soooooo slooooow. One or 2 tables in restaurant but 3 waitresses down there. Many people waiting around the bar, we're all talking to each other like 'do you believe this??" Finally, a manager came out and said, cheerfully, "who needs anything?" I said we do and we would have liked a table but they are all filthy. SO we order drinks and appetizers. AND THEN THIS IS EVEN WRONG!!! Food in the bag, in the room, not dealing with another problem so we just ate it. But geez, everytime you think it is a no brainer for good service it just is terribly bad.
4. Twice I was at the pool for hours, never saw anyone from Fridays come to offer us a drink. People went to get them, but isn't the point of having the restaurant close by to offer hotel guests drinks without having to go into the bar with a swimsuit on?! Especially when a selling point of this hotel is that the TGIFridays is by the pool?
5. Because we wanted to avoid the hotel shuttle of being homeless for 2 hours from leaving one hotel and checking into another and packing when we would have to pack the next day for our flight home, we decided to stay for another night, Monday. We'd already spent almost $800...would the front desk work we me??? Nope. They quoted $199 when I knew the going rate was cheaper. They said that was internet only. I said I really would have to book at radisson. com to get it, that they couldn't?? Yup. I had my blackberry so got up the web address, then used the phone # they provided for the rate of $171, almost a $30 savings. He didn't understand why the hotel wouldn't have helped me out either. So Monday comes, with my bill under the door, showing that tonights reservation (already paid for) was not on it. I call the front desk, they see I have rebooked and say all is well. But, since it is a new reservation, I should just bring down the keys to activate them for one more night. We get our swim-suits on and head out for the pool, stopping quickly at the desk to have our keys reswiped. I give the (8^*^%$#$!! female our keys explaining the situation, she takes them then asks for ID. I tell her it is in the room as we are going to the pool (like she can't see that) and that no one said I'd need it when I called down. " I didn't speak to you so I don't know what you were told but I MUST have an ID!!" Yeaowza. Can I have a key to run up and get it. "NO!" Really and truely. She now will not give us a key to go to the room to get our id to stay at this hotel. Not even give me a key while my boyfriend stays. She keeps telling us that it is for our own Safety. She calls a bellman to escort us--like criminals--to our own room. We wait for 5 minutes. She keeps checking in clients. Finally a man comes to see why these two people in swimwear and coverups are standing in the middle of the lobby with "Have you been helped?" I LOUDLY explain the rediculous situation and we go and get our id. On the way to the room I tell him the other problems we've had. He says only "we could cancel your reservation if you are unhappy here." No apologies, no offer of 'hey, here's 2 drinks at TGIFridays for your problems" just nothing. I've had better service at a super 8--I usually stay and Whyndam hotels and definately will before Radisson ever again. Oh, and after he unlocks the door and looks around, he doesn't even need to see that darn i.d.

This hotel is in a great location, especially if you are going to the convention center. You are easily in walking distance of both the things around downtown and also South Congress. Apparently, the TGI Fridays in the hotel is a great place to watch the bats.

The workers were very helpful. The room was nice. There is an awesome aquarium in the lobby and a Starbucks. They overcharged me for wireless, and then they tried to fix it, and charged me more. They were apologetic but it was annoying.

It was pricey, but it was SXSWi. Meh.
But then, on day four of my stay I found a mysterious brown stain. Ew. Ew. Ew.