1 Hotel Austin has opened its doors, marking the nature-focused luxury brand's Texas debut.
The 252-room hotel sits inside Waterline, a 74-story mixed-use tower on the edge of the Rainey Street District that ranks as the tallest building in the state, positioning guests between downtown and the trail network around Lady Bird Lake.
The opening lands amid the second act of one of hospitality's most storied names. Parent company SH Hotels & Resorts rebranded as Starwood Hotels in March 2025, on its 10th anniversary, reviving the flag Barry Sternlicht created roughly 30 years ago — the original Starwood went to Marriott International in a 2016 acquisition, and the name sat dormant for years before Sternlicht secured its return. The revived company spans 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse Hotels, with more than 40 properties open or in development.
“1 Hotels’ DNA is about celebrating nature and healthy and sustainable living; this location is perfect for us—set in the heart of the city, alongside Waller Creek, overlooking the Waterloo Greenway, and steps from the trail around Lady Bird Lake,” said Sternlicht, founder of 1 Hotels and chairman of Starwood Hotels.
Developed by Lincoln and Kairoi Residential, the property was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox with HKS Architects as architect of record, interiors by Studio MAI alongside the Starwood Hotels design team, and landscaping by TBG Partners.
More than 4,000 plants spanning 30-plus species fill the interiors, where the lobby reads more living room than front desk. The accommodations, including 60 suites, lean residential — woven textiles, handcrafted textures, stone-vanity bathrooms — with floor-to-ceiling windows framing Lady Bird Lake, Waller Creek, or the skyline. Rooms come stocked with yoga mats, Bamford bath products, and minibar treats from Austin makers.
Dining anchors the hotel’s bid to pull in locals as much as travelers. Alteño is the first Austin restaurant from James Beard Award nominee Johnny Curiel, whose Denver spots Alma Fonda Fina and Mezcaleria Alma each hold a Michelin star; the fire-driven menu channels the Jalisco Highlands, backed by a bar pouring more than 40 mezcals. Neighbors Café and Wine Bar, the brand’s first wine bar under that banner, runs breakfast through evening at street level, while watr — the rooftop concept born at 1 Hotel South Beach — lands its second location 16 stories up, pairing Japanese-inspired plates with a low-waste cocktail program.
A dedicated wellness floor houses a Bamford Wellness Spa with six treatment rooms and a couples suite, plus a fitness center, a yoga studio, and personal training through Austin members club Monroe; first-time guests get a complimentary three-day Monroe pass.
For groups, the hotel offers more than 10,000 square feet of event space on the 14th floor, including a 4,500-square-foot divisible ballroom, 6,000 square feet of pre-function space with indoor and outdoor terraces, and three boardrooms, all supported by the brand’s Certified Sustainable Gatherings program.
The property is pursuing LEED Gold certification, and the sustainability details run deep: an on-site apiary supplying honey to Neighbors, seed-paper amenity cards, and fully electric Audi Q6 e-tron house cars for jaunts around town.
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