South Congress Hotel
1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704-2475
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Avg. $480 /night, 12/11 - 12/12
$480
per night
$325
per night
$169
per night
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About
4.0
#80 of 238 hotels in AustinLocation
4.8
Rooms
4.2
Value
3.9
Cleanliness
4.6
Service
4.4
Sleep Quality
4.2
South Congress Hotel is a boutique hotel located in the heart of Austin’s iconic South Congress shopping, dining, and entertainment district. South Congress Hotel features 71 guest rooms, 10 suites, two premier suites, three restaurants, coffee shop, pool and lobby bar, retail shops, parking garage and valet parking.
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Property amenities
Valet parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Pool
Bar / lounge
Bicycle rental
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Paid private parking on-site
Wifi
Rooftop pool
Outdoor pool
Coffee shop
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Happy hour
Outdoor dining area
Snack bar
Wine / champagne
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Concierge
Non-smoking hotel
Shops
ATM on site
24-hour check-in
24-hour front desk
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
Room features
Blackout curtains
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Minibar
Cable / satellite TV
Walk-in shower
Room service
Safe
Telephone
Clothes rack
Laptop safe
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Hair dryer
Room types
Pool view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Boutique
Trendy
Languages Spoken
English
Location
1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704-2475
Getting there
Good for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 83 out of 100
83
Austin-Bergstrom Intl Airport
6.2 mi•
See all flights
Rental Cars
37 Restaurants
within 0.3 miles
Reviews
4.0
895 reviews
Reviews summary
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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The South Congress Hotel stands out for its strategic location and stylish ambiance, drawing guests to its variety of amenities, including pools and bars. While the hotel's cleanliness and modern rooms receive commendations for being well-kept, issues like poor lighting and noise have been flagged in some rooms.
The vibrant local scene makes it a hotspot for those eager to explore the area's shopping, cuisine, and music. However, opinions on value and service are divided, with some guests finding the hotel overpriced and experiencing inconsistent service.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Stylish
Rooms
Uncomfortable
Value
Pricey
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Well-appointed
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Detailed Reviews
We loved everything about this great hotel. The access was easy from the garage to the room which cannot be said form many hotels around downtown Austin. We used the pool on both days of our stay and the atmosphere was quiet and relaxing. We will definitely be back.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: August 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hanna Avdey, Guest Services / Front Office at South Congress Hotel
Responded Aug 30, 2020
Good Morning Ctalbert246, Thank you for choosing South Congress Hotel for your recent visit to Austin and for taking the time to write about your stay. We are so grateful you enjoyed your time here and were able to kick back and relax at the pool. We feel so lucky to have the pool deck raised, creating the perfect oasis in the heart of South Congress. We look forward to welcoming you back soon and hope you stay safe in the meantime. Kindly, Hanna
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our 4 night stay started nicely enough with an unasked for room upgrade. Unfortunately, Room 351 was situated adjacent to a collection of air conditioner units just outside that corner of the building. The incessant loud humming and squeaking of those A/C units kept me up all night! However, the next morning the front desk was very accommodating in relocating us to a quieter location. So, other than this initial fuss, our stay was very pleasant. The facility is clean, modern and stylish. The location is perfect. South Congress is a quaint fun part of Austin. There are numerous shopping and restaurant options within short walking distance. The valet service for the car was also stellar. Of course, valet is also $34 a night. We were on a couple only getaway... so, the room set up worked for us. I would advise families to ask about the bathroom situation since there's a window from the bedroom directly looking into rain shower. This would not have worked with my teenagers! Lol.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hanna A, Front Office Manager at South Congress Hotel
Responded Jan 15, 2020
Dear 986betsys, Thank you for visiting the South Congress Hotel and for taking the time to review your stay. We apologize for the initial inconvenience of the noise from the Air Conditioning, but are so happy we were able to place you in a room that was more accommodating. We feel so lucky to be located in the Heart of the South Congress District and are grateful you were able to experience some of our neighboring restaurants and shops. As for the peek-a-boo window in the shower, we are able to pop up a quick curtain if you do choose to return with your teenagers, just mention it when you make your booking. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly, should you like assistance in planning your next trip to Austin. We look forward to welcoming you back. Kindly, Hanna hanna.avdey@southcongresshotel.com
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveler reviews.
The good:
Great location
Best doorman
Friendly staff
Valet is quick
The bad:
I appreciate great design, I’ve stayed at hotels all over the world but at the end of the day a hotel has to be functional. We spent $1600 for a three day weekend. It lacked so many basic amenities that even a comfort inn would have.
My biggest complaint has to be the lack of lighting it is so DARK! I’m all for mood lighting but there is NO overhead lighting anywhere. Just two lamps for the entire room.
Awful bathroom sink, in fact it’s not a sink it’s a platter. Try washing your face and brushing your teeth in a platter. It makes a mess everywhere.
If you’re going to have a rain shower head you also need another hand held extension. Poor water pressure.
There no towel bars or hooks to hang anything in the bathrooms.
No safe.
You can’t call yourself a 4 star hotel and not even have coffee/tea in the room. These days Nespresso type machines are standard in most hotel rooms. I guess they do that so you’ll go downstairs and buy coffee from their coffee shop.
No full length mirror. It’s really dark in the rooms, so I guess a full length mirror would be pointless. You’re basically getting dressed in the dark.
We stayed in room 301, there were built ins one on side of the wall but no shelves or bar across to hang your clothes. It’s was bizarre. It’s was like a giant cubby.
Lastly all the furniture in the living room looked great, but that’s it. Have fun sitting in it!
Great location
Best doorman
Friendly staff
Valet is quick
The bad:
I appreciate great design, I’ve stayed at hotels all over the world but at the end of the day a hotel has to be functional. We spent $1600 for a three day weekend. It lacked so many basic amenities that even a comfort inn would have.
My biggest complaint has to be the lack of lighting it is so DARK! I’m all for mood lighting but there is NO overhead lighting anywhere. Just two lamps for the entire room.
Awful bathroom sink, in fact it’s not a sink it’s a platter. Try washing your face and brushing your teeth in a platter. It makes a mess everywhere.
If you’re going to have a rain shower head you also need another hand held extension. Poor water pressure.
There no towel bars or hooks to hang anything in the bathrooms.
No safe.
You can’t call yourself a 4 star hotel and not even have coffee/tea in the room. These days Nespresso type machines are standard in most hotel rooms. I guess they do that so you’ll go downstairs and buy coffee from their coffee shop.
No full length mirror. It’s really dark in the rooms, so I guess a full length mirror would be pointless. You’re basically getting dressed in the dark.
We stayed in room 301, there were built ins one on side of the wall but no shelves or bar across to hang your clothes. It’s was bizarre. It’s was like a giant cubby.
Lastly all the furniture in the living room looked great, but that’s it. Have fun sitting in it!
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from SouthCongressHotel, Guest Relations Manager at South Congress Hotel
Responded Jan 28, 2020
Dear 001wander, I would first like to thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your stay with us. We are happy to read that your interactions with this staff here were notably good ones. I hope the genuineness of our apology is reflected in this reply for the other issues you experienced, as the last thing we would ever want is for our guest to have an experience at South Congress Hotel that feels like anything less than 5 stars. Although you may have not been satisfied with your overall experience, we do pride ourselves in making sure our rooms, and our staff are held to a very high standard. I am pleased to share that our hotel owners and management are in the process of refurbishing South Congress Hotel on multiple fronts. Please note that your review will be shared with the entirety of that leadership team, and we will certainly keep your suggestions in mind as we enhance our property. I would truly love to speak with you about your concerns and address them properly. Please feel free to email me directly at dillon.magnuson@southcongresshotel.com. I look forward to your response, and hope to welcome you back in the future. Kind Regards, Dillon M
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I had a stay-cation in Austin with my wife for one night out without the kids. While the location and aesthetic of the hotel was fantastic, the function of some elements in our room frustrated us to the point that we wouldn't choose to stay here again.
The faucet handle was sticky and turns the opposite direction as we expected, which over time just got to be an annoyance.
The toilet seat is a rectangle and very uncomfortable. I never thought I would judge the comfort level of a toilet seat, but this is definitely worth mentioning.
Water leaked out of the shower head when it wasn't being used, and when I went to turn it off I couldn't because the dial was already in the off position. The leak was only brief, but was significant and a little strange.
I never called housekeeping, but they knocked on our door twice - once shortly after we arrived, and once at 9am the next morning. That's never happened to me in all the hotels I've stayed at.
The floor lamp was too close to the bed with a large globe, and my wife and I both bumped into it multiple times. Cool aesthetic, bad design and placement. This same light flickered on and off.
It wasn't intuitive which light switches controlled which room lights. A small thing.
The bed sheets reminded me of hospital sheets. We looked up the brand and we think they are all cotton but they felt more like a plastic/cotton bled that was rough and loud (for bed sheets).
All of these small things added up. The location is great. Hotel looks really cool, but we wouldn't return by choice.
The faucet handle was sticky and turns the opposite direction as we expected, which over time just got to be an annoyance.
The toilet seat is a rectangle and very uncomfortable. I never thought I would judge the comfort level of a toilet seat, but this is definitely worth mentioning.
Water leaked out of the shower head when it wasn't being used, and when I went to turn it off I couldn't because the dial was already in the off position. The leak was only brief, but was significant and a little strange.
I never called housekeeping, but they knocked on our door twice - once shortly after we arrived, and once at 9am the next morning. That's never happened to me in all the hotels I've stayed at.
The floor lamp was too close to the bed with a large globe, and my wife and I both bumped into it multiple times. Cool aesthetic, bad design and placement. This same light flickered on and off.
It wasn't intuitive which light switches controlled which room lights. A small thing.
The bed sheets reminded me of hospital sheets. We looked up the brand and we think they are all cotton but they felt more like a plastic/cotton bled that was rough and loud (for bed sheets).
All of these small things added up. The location is great. Hotel looks really cool, but we wouldn't return by choice.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hanna Avdey, Guest Services / Front Office at South Congress Hotel
Responded Feb 25, 2020
Good Morning Dream01913449500, Thank you so much for taking the time to review our property and for going into detail about your stay. These reviews help us tremendously in making improvements to our property and the service we provide. I would first like to thank you for choosing to stay with us for your night away from your kids and do hope you were able to enjoy your stay and the surrounding neighborhood. We are making a lot of improvements to our property this year, including some of the functionalities that you described in your review, and are hoping those adjustments will not go unseen. As for the bedding in the room, we do use 400 Thread Count Cotton Matteo linens out of Los Angeles that perhaps were over-starched on your particular stay. We are very excited to add our laundry facility this year that will help us control those levels. We do hope you visit us again to enjoy some of our property-wide improvements and am happy to help you set up your trip. I have included my email in the signature should you choose to reach out to me directly to discuss the review further or help plan your next stay. Kindly Hanna hanna.avdey@southcongresshotel.com
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
When I went to bed on Wednesday, February 19th, noticed that the sheets on the bed were made improperly. The sheet was tightly tucked and only covered 3/4 of the bed revealing the bare mattress the remaining 1/4 at the foot of the bed. This made me a tad uncomfortable due to sanitary issues so I ended up sleeping on top of the comforter this night - also gross. I attempted to check out a day early the following morning around 6:30am but was told that I was outside of the window and could not check out. I explained what happened with my sheets and was told that it would be fixed for the next night.
The next night was even worse. This time when I pulled back the sheets to inspect, there appeared to be multiple "wet" spots. Upon closer inspection, these spots were stains (maybe from grease or oil?) Nevertheless, the sheets were dirty. I went down to the front desk to show the photos (of both that night and the night before) and to request new sheets that I offered to put on myself. I just wanted a good night's sleep at this point. By the time that I returned to my room, a man in blue jeans who worked with the hotel was stripping my bed of the sheets and together he and I put on the new sheets. The hotel discounted one night of the room by 50% but I still paid full price for 2 out of the 3 days.
TLDR: 1st night: clean sheets, 2nd night: lacking sheets, 3rd night: dirty sheets.
The next night was even worse. This time when I pulled back the sheets to inspect, there appeared to be multiple "wet" spots. Upon closer inspection, these spots were stains (maybe from grease or oil?) Nevertheless, the sheets were dirty. I went down to the front desk to show the photos (of both that night and the night before) and to request new sheets that I offered to put on myself. I just wanted a good night's sleep at this point. By the time that I returned to my room, a man in blue jeans who worked with the hotel was stripping my bed of the sheets and together he and I put on the new sheets. The hotel discounted one night of the room by 50% but I still paid full price for 2 out of the 3 days.
TLDR: 1st night: clean sheets, 2nd night: lacking sheets, 3rd night: dirty sheets.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled on business
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hanna Avdey, Guest Services / Front Office at South Congress Hotel
Responded Feb 25, 2020
Good Morning Twoods2020, Thank you for taking the time to review your recent stay at South Congress Hotel. I would like to sincerely apologize for the issues your experienced in your time here, cleanliness and comfortability are of utmost importance to us and it sounds as though that was not your experience. I do hope we are given the opportunity to welcome you back to show you that is not the type of service we strive to provide. I have included my email in the signature should you wish to speak further about your stay or if you would like to reach out directly to give us another shot. Kindly, Hanna hanna.avdey@southcongresshotel.com
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I live in Austin and have been wanting to stay at SCH for awhile now. I'd been to to Cafe No Se, Central Standard and their hotel bar and always enjoyed the food/drinks & the ambiance. My husband & I decided to do a little staycation for my birthday weekend for two nights.
I'll start with the good. This is one of the only pet-friendly hotels we could find in Austin that doesn't charge a fee. They had a bed, food & water bowls set up for our pup in our room which we really appreciated. Our bed was pretty comfortable and our room service from Cafe No Se was delicious. The location of the hotel cannot be beat. We had such a nice time walking South Congress; we hadn't been there in awhile and it was awesome to see all of the new stuff that's popped up since the last time we were there. There are a ton of delicious restaurants surrounding so you really can't go wrong food-wise either. We ate at Neighborhood Sushi, Perla's, Home Slice and had drinks at Watertrade which were all fantastic.
Now for the not so great. Let me preface by saying that we booked a very reasonable rate through HotelTonight, so we were expecting the room to be small. However, HotelTonight lists the room as approximately 385 sq feet, and our room was definitely the River City room, which is 285 sq feet. It was so small and for such a "hip" hotel, I was so taken aback by how basic everything was. There was no coffee maker, no alarm clock, bad lighting (one kept flickering on and off), very few outlets and the vent in our bathroom didn't work so the countertops was soaking wet and the floor was slippery post shower.
Unfortunately, we weren't impressed with the service either. We requested ice our first night and realized after an hour that nobody was coming and had to call to request it again. We also requested housekeeping on our way out onto South Congress and came back two hours later to find that nobody had serviced our room as requested. Out of everything, what bothered me the most was how incredibly dirty the mirror in our room was (see photos).
I was expecting a much higher standard for such a cute hotel and I am disappointed that the cons outweighed the pros in regards to our stay.
I'll start with the good. This is one of the only pet-friendly hotels we could find in Austin that doesn't charge a fee. They had a bed, food & water bowls set up for our pup in our room which we really appreciated. Our bed was pretty comfortable and our room service from Cafe No Se was delicious. The location of the hotel cannot be beat. We had such a nice time walking South Congress; we hadn't been there in awhile and it was awesome to see all of the new stuff that's popped up since the last time we were there. There are a ton of delicious restaurants surrounding so you really can't go wrong food-wise either. We ate at Neighborhood Sushi, Perla's, Home Slice and had drinks at Watertrade which were all fantastic.
Now for the not so great. Let me preface by saying that we booked a very reasonable rate through HotelTonight, so we were expecting the room to be small. However, HotelTonight lists the room as approximately 385 sq feet, and our room was definitely the River City room, which is 285 sq feet. It was so small and for such a "hip" hotel, I was so taken aback by how basic everything was. There was no coffee maker, no alarm clock, bad lighting (one kept flickering on and off), very few outlets and the vent in our bathroom didn't work so the countertops was soaking wet and the floor was slippery post shower.
Unfortunately, we weren't impressed with the service either. We requested ice our first night and realized after an hour that nobody was coming and had to call to request it again. We also requested housekeeping on our way out onto South Congress and came back two hours later to find that nobody had serviced our room as requested. Out of everything, what bothered me the most was how incredibly dirty the mirror in our room was (see photos).
I was expecting a much higher standard for such a cute hotel and I am disappointed that the cons outweighed the pros in regards to our stay.
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Date of stay: November 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Val Pizarro, Guest Services / Front Office at South Congress Hotel
Responded Dec 4, 2020
Hello nicoledecilectis, First, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to leave us this feedback. I am very sorry to hear that there were aspects of your stay that did not hit the mark. As far as the service requests, we can definitely look into what happened that day. To address one of your main concerns, I can assure you with the most factual value that the mirror in your room was not dirty as they are vintage glass with permanent marks on them. We apologize for the confusion. If you'd like to further discuss issues you have experienced, we're happy to listen! Feel free to call the hotel and ask for any manager. We do hope you return to stay and we can assure you that these issues have been looked into already. We are evolving and getting into the groove quite quickly through this pandemic and hope that you join us to experience all the changes! All the best.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My girlfriend and I stayed over Memorial Day Weekend. We felt comfortable booking 2 nights ahead of the trip with the information regarding cleaning practices, and social distancing during these interesting times. Masks are required in the lobby, guests and staff respected social distancing, and the room was very clean. The pool is limited to 25 people at a time, and you can reserve a 2.5 hour block to enjoy some pool time in a relaxed and comfortable environment. The staff really made this stay excellent. Hanna in particular really stood out. She engaged with us in conversation and helped us with nearby recommendations without solicitation. Thank you for your help and positive attitude, Hanna! We will be back.
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Date of stay: May 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hanna Avdey, Guest Services / Front Office at South Congress Hotel
Responded May 27, 2020
Good Morning LandonB1, Thank you for choosing South Congress Hotel for your Memorial Weekend getaway and for taking the time to write about your stay. The safety of our guests and staff during these times is at the forefront of every decision we make, and we are grateful that we succeeded in providing a safe and comfortable environment for you and your girlfriend on a weekend that is typically spent with a crowd! In addition to our heightened cleaning practices, mask requirements, and pool reservations, all guest rooms are placed out of order for 48-72 hours after check-out to limit the exposure for our housekeeping team as well as the next guest that will go in that room. All of our Covid19 protocol can be found on our website under the tab, "A Note to Our Guests". I would love to help you plan your next visit and hope that we will soon be able to loosen some of our restrictions and open up the rest of our spaces for you to enjoy! Please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly by the email in my signature. Kindly, Hanna hanna.avdey@southcongresshotel.com
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This hotel is in the middle of everything you want to see or experience on South Congress Avenue all within walking distance. The space is modern, spacious and features a lively bar as gathering place in the evenings especially on Friday & Saturday nights. Adjacent to a couple of hip restaurants and shops. The rooms are big with a cool bathroom and shower, wooden floors and comfortable beds equipped down pillows and comforter. I found the room to be quiet which made for a restful sleep. The staff is extremely nice, friendly and well trained. I look forward to staying there again.
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Date of stay: November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dillon Magnuson, Guest Services / Front Office at South Congress Hotel
Responded Mar 7, 2020
Dear Epicutious-J, Thank you for taking the time to review your recent stay with us at South Congress Hotel! We're happy to see that you enjoyed our amenities, and you liked the location of our property as well! We're fortunate to be smack-dab in the middle of the heart of Austin; the South Congress District, where there is plenty to eat, see, and do! Please feel free to reach out to me directly if you would like any assistance booking your next stay with us! We hope for the chance to host you again soon! Brest regards, Dillon M dillon.magnuson@southcongresshotel.com
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I stayed at this hotel for training while in Austin. Let me preface this by also mentioning that this was booked for me by the company I just started working for.
Upon arrival, they asked for a card to put in file for incidentals. Pretty typical at any hotel. It was explained that it was $150 a night and I would be there for 4 nights. 150x4=$600. I received notification from my bank for an auth of $693. The additional $93 could not be explained. I was assured it was only a hold and would eventually be returned. I wasn’t concerned about it so I went about my day.
The next day, a second auth came through for $100. I spoke to the front desk and again, they had no explanation other than it was the overnight team and offered to reverse that charge. It is still pending 5 days later.
The night before I was set to leave, a 3rd auth showed up for $157. I decided to wait until the morning when I was checking out to talk to them about it. Once again, no explanation to what it was or why it was there. I was once again assured that these are all pending authorizations and would all fall off. It was a 4 night stay and cost somewhere around $550-$600 for that. Over the week I was charged almost $1k in pending authorizations.
I checked out with my final bill of $7 for face wipes that I used in the room.
A few hours later, I received yet another pending charge from south Congress hotel for $93.60. I called and spoke to the front desk person and she explained that this was for “amenity fees” and this information is on the website when you book the room. I told her that the room was booked for me and I wasn’t aware of this policy and asked if there was anything they could do for me. She replied with something along the lines of “nothing but ask you to consider staying at south Congress hotel on your next visit”.
I spoke to the manager who was also less than interested in listening to my story. Still trying to get all of this sorted. Be wary of random fees and charges when staying here.
Upon arrival, they asked for a card to put in file for incidentals. Pretty typical at any hotel. It was explained that it was $150 a night and I would be there for 4 nights. 150x4=$600. I received notification from my bank for an auth of $693. The additional $93 could not be explained. I was assured it was only a hold and would eventually be returned. I wasn’t concerned about it so I went about my day.
The next day, a second auth came through for $100. I spoke to the front desk and again, they had no explanation other than it was the overnight team and offered to reverse that charge. It is still pending 5 days later.
The night before I was set to leave, a 3rd auth showed up for $157. I decided to wait until the morning when I was checking out to talk to them about it. Once again, no explanation to what it was or why it was there. I was once again assured that these are all pending authorizations and would all fall off. It was a 4 night stay and cost somewhere around $550-$600 for that. Over the week I was charged almost $1k in pending authorizations.
I checked out with my final bill of $7 for face wipes that I used in the room.
A few hours later, I received yet another pending charge from south Congress hotel for $93.60. I called and spoke to the front desk person and she explained that this was for “amenity fees” and this information is on the website when you book the room. I told her that the room was booked for me and I wasn’t aware of this policy and asked if there was anything they could do for me. She replied with something along the lines of “nothing but ask you to consider staying at south Congress hotel on your next visit”.
I spoke to the manager who was also less than interested in listening to my story. Still trying to get all of this sorted. Be wary of random fees and charges when staying here.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2020Trip type: Traveled on business
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Val Pizarro, Guest Services / Front Office at South Congress Hotel
Responded Dec 7, 2020
Hello TrailBlazer546800! First, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to leave us feedback. I'm happy to breakdown the billing process, which is as follows: the pending authorizations are not charges. Those will clear out in the speed of the bank of your choosing and I can confirm that these were reversed by our team as soon as speaking to you. As far as the incrementals you saw during your stay, that is part of our operations system which Night Audit is in charge of monitoring to ensure that we have a proper authorization for the charges accumulated during your stay. I apologize for the team not providing concise information and can assure you we are not holding any authorization for your reservation. Lastly, I can assure you that there is wording in the booking site that refers to the Amenity Fee billed directly to the guest upon arrival at the property. I understand that your room was not booked by you, which made way for miscommunication on that front as all guests are aware of this upon coming in. I understand that our team has proceeded with sending a bill for these fees to your employer who had made the booking for you. Thank you again for taking the time to voice out your concerns and stay safe! Best wishes.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I had high hopes for this hotel after hearing all the hype and having gotten drinks here several years ago. The downstairs bar is stylish and lovey. Unfortunately, our expectations for the hotel were not met. It felt like a hotel built for Instagram that has not been well maintained— it is aged and beat up around the edges, with water marks, darkened grout, and dust in our room, which gave us the impression of lack of cleanliness. Seems more of a party hotel, which we should have expected, but were very turned off by this in the middle of a pandemic. To add to this, guests cannot use the stairs in the evening and are forced to take elevators. The back stairwell to the street does not have a key entry and is a dead end when trying to get to the parking garage. There seemed to be no enforcement of mask wearing. There were fratty drunk guys, not wearing masks, who were walking around the halls and hitting on me when my husband was away for a minute. Many of the rooms overlook the courtyard with great views of the courtyard wedding— request to not overlook the courtyard unless you want to watch and hear a wedding. This hotel is “fine” just not worth the $300 (including the $25 parking) we paid. I would come back and pay $150 during the week, in a future when COVID safety matter less. It is not worth staying a party hotel like this for now.
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Date of stay: November 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Val Pizarro, Guest Services / Front Office at South Congress Hotel
Responded Dec 4, 2020
Hello hkc242, Thank you for taking the time to leave us this feedback! I am very sorry to hear you had unpleasant experiences with other guests. Anyone can book a room at a hotel but when it's called for, we are happy to tone things down for the comfort and safety of everyone around. Your feedback is well received and thank you again for leaving it. We hope you come back again sometime soon so that you may enjoy other aspects of the property that were surely dimmed due to unpleasant experiences. All the best.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi Laura A,
South Congress Hotel does have onsite parking. Overnight is $29 for both self-parking and valet, so I highly recommend our fantastic valet service. The team is amazing, You are able to retrieve your car via text from anywhere on property to eliminate a potential wait at the valet stand.
South Congress Hotel is pet friendly. We happily provide dog beds, bowls, treats and poop bags. Our concierge team can help arrange a wide array pet services from walking to grooming to doggie daycare. There is a one time pet fee of $125.
Uber no longer operates in Austin. The hotel has a shuttle but it will only drop you off, they don't pick up. Taxis are easy.
I would not recommend it for a bachelorette party, the rooms aren't very sound proofed. We were just opening birthday cards at 10 pm, chatting and laughing when they sent someone (one person) to our room saying there was a noise complaint. Are you in the bunk rooms? There's not a curtain around the shower so it's kind of awkward taking a shower while others getting ready.
The pool's great and cafe NoSe is lovely and fun.
The management staff really disrespected me in their response to my similar, earlier comments, and never contacted me to discuss my concerns as I requested.
They also misrepresented our time by suggesting that their staff planned our outings which was untrue, I planned it all except the rides, which they helped with.
I would stay on South Congress, fun shops and restaurants, close to bike paths and paddle boarding. Check out two stepping at the Broken Spoke, so much fun! Austin is a wonderful place, you will have a great time!!
Not really.I used to travel a bunch with my kids.The Embassy on Barton Springs is great
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PRICE RANGE
$239 - $405 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United StatesTexasAustin
NUMBER OF ROOMS
83
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about South Congress Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to South Congress Hotel?
Nearby attractions include South Congress Avenue (0.07 miles), Continental Club (0.2 miles), and I Love You So Much Mural (0.3 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at South Congress Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at South Congress Hotel?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at South Congress Hotel?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at South Congress Hotel?
Yes, a parking garage, paid private parking on-site, and valet parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to South Congress Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Home Slice Pizza, Hopdoddy Burger Bar, and Torchys Tacos.
Are there opportunities to exercise at South Congress Hotel?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and a fitness center during their stay.
Are any cleaning services offered at South Congress Hotel?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Are pets allowed at South Congress Hotel?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Does South Congress Hotel offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers meeting rooms, a banquet room, and conference facilities.
Are there any historical sites close to South Congress Hotel?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Texas State Capitol (2.0 miles), The Driskill (1.5 miles), and O. Henry Home & Museum (1.4 miles).