Name: The Stephen F Austin Royal Sonesta Hotel
Address: 701 Congress Avenue, Congress Avenue Historic District, Austin, Texas, United States of America, Austin, Travis County, US
Price range: $141–$393 per night
Rating: 8.95

What guests think

The Stephen F Austin Royal Sonesta Hotel earns praise for its historic charm, central downtown location near the Capitol and 6th Street, friendly staff, comfortable beds, and the popular second‑floor bar and terrace overlooking Congress Avenue.

Common drawbacks include street and venue noise affecting some rooms and high valet parking and added fees. Housekeeping is by request and service quality can be inconsistent, and some guests report maintenance issues or wear, such as AC problems, dated furnishings, or out‑of‑order/over‑chlorinated hot tub and indoor pool. On-site dining and drinks are often well reviewed, though room service is limited or unavailable and breakfast service can be uneven; the surrounding area is very walkable but some mention panhandlers nearby. Expect a character-filled downtown stay with strong location and service, plus a few trade‑offs.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Guests like the second-floor bar and terrace, indoor pool and hot tub, and the gym. Downsides mentioned often are expensive valet and extra fees, occasional hot tub/pool closures or cleanliness, limited or no room service, and bar closures for private events.

Related guest reviews

10

Jiliane

Jul 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I love the room and its aesthetic. I love that the place has a pool and gym. I commend the staff for being pleasant and efficient.

10

Ivan

Dec 17, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean and quiet stay with plenty of cooperation from the staff. The indoor pool and hot tub were a nice plus.

10

Lindy

Jun 19, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great view off 2nd floor Balcony of Austin, TX

4

Mark

Jun 26, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

The pool was drained for maintenance halfway through our stay, so not available There is an additional fee (resort fee) that added over $100 for the length of our stay that was not mentioned when booking the hotel on Expedia. They allow you to use a $10 per day stipend but then charge you taxes on anything that you spend it on and is not covered within that $10. The $10 can not be used to help offset the cost of parking which ended up being an additional $64 per day. You have to pay for any little additional thing including a mini fridge in the rooms.

10

Philip

Jul 16, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The Sonesta has an old school classy look and feel with all the modern conveniences you could need. The staff were very helpful and friendly. The Restaurants offer a good menu at competitive prices. The 2nd floor Cocktail/Cigar bar is one of the highlights with a terrace that overlooks the street below and makes for really relaxing place for pre-drinks or a night cap...bar staff were very friendly and helpful. Would definitely return to the Sonesta.

8

Robert

Jan 23, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Good hotel, good people, good location. Unreal valet parking rates. unjustifiable

10

Susan

Oct 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful hotel with lovely bar that overlooks Congress Avenue. The only negative I have is that they do not have room service.

10

Jess

Dec 31, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location as it is close to everything. Walking distance to most attractions, which is key. Parking is expensive, but you will find that anywhere in Austin. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Room was very good, but nothing exceptional. Ours was clean, well kept, had a coffee maker, fridge (but no microwave), and pretty much all you need w no frills. Would stay again. Did not try the bar or restaurant, cause there are better options just steps away. But we did heard good things about the in-house options. I also like that there is a snack bar right as you check in. Oh, also - the pool is great for laps . . . so long as nobody else is in there. Nice gym which is 24 hours.

8

Stephen

Apr 3, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It is a very neat historical building with a great location right near sixth Street and the state capital. A bit overpriced for what was offered. I would think though. The pool area was nice, but the pool and hot tub need to be cleaned and head look like they Have been cleaned recently. The only other annoyance was that we received a VIP coupon for a free drink, but the bar was not open until 830 due to a private event. No alternate accommodations were made. Overall, a very neat facility and a lot of history there with a great location, would highly recommend if you can find a more reasonably priced room.

10

Gary

Aug 11, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

HOT TUB BROKE !!!

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Cleanliness

Many reviews note clean rooms and public areas, but others report missed housekeeping, worn fixtures, odors, and peeling or dirty bathroom finishes. Overall cleanliness feels inconsistent.

Related guest reviews

10

Susana

Jan 21, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Stayed here for the weekend and decided this hotel due to location, mostly for siteseeing and events at Pros: Walkable area for the closeby attractions. Though definitely need transportation if you want to go anywhere else farther out of downtown. The hotel is definitely on the century old side. So don't expect modern. Check in was a breeze and valet/front desk staff were friendly. Ended with a room in the high floor on level 14. Noise level was okay. You can hear minimal street noise, minimal hall way noise unless someone is really loud then you can definitely hear that. So not totally soundproof. Had adequate necessities. Bed was comfortable and clean. Roomy for 2 ppl. Bathroom: extra vanity space was nice. Soap,lotion, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner available. Extra towels, blow dryer. The shower water pressure fantastic, hot water works. Tv works, complimentary items available as described. Cons: Bathroom cleaniness could of been improved. ( Seemed like whoever was assigned housekeeping on Jan 18th slacked it and didn't fully sanitize the toilet or mopped the floor). As far as cosmetic issues the ceiling needs work. Definitely peeling noted from moisture. Poor patch work. Hopefully y'all can fix that. Valet: it is on the pricey side $55 per night with extra fees. A lot of panhandlers present during the day and night near the sidewalk areas. We where mostly out and about so can't comment much on the gym, pool or the WiFi. But they are there.

6

Didrik

Oct 23, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Room wasn't impeccably clean, not really dirty per se, but could find some dust and stains in corners etc. The AC was so loud that it was almost impossible to sleep when it kicked on during the night. But, as far as a place to sleep, it did alright and wouldn't avoid it on an upcoming visit. My credit card was charged an equivalent to a resort fee and some taxes etc. after the stay without any notice from the hotel, had to go back to get a receipt for it, which was a bit annoying.

6

Tamre

Mar 19, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel was very dated and not very clean.

10

Laurie

Sep 2, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great stay. Hotel very clean

4

Erika

Dec 3, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our room smelled strongly of mildew. The bed was very hard with small thin pillows. Carpeting worn and bathroom was dated with a stained bathtub. We opted to shortened our stay and the management was helpful with that. Do not recommend

8

Marie

Nov 13, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Friendly service. Room a little dirty, no one vacuumed under the bed.

8

leslie

May 24, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff was great, the location is terrific, but the hotel needs some work. The bathtub in our room was peeling paint and there was mold around the caulk. The desk chair's leather seat was tirn and tattered. The carpet had several large stains. Theres no exhaust fan in the bathroom, so the room was quite damp after a couple showers and the towles never completely dried. Oh, and they clean the room only on request. Not what i expect to get for the amount of money spent, even with hotels.com.

10

Brandi

Jul 28, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property was extremely clean and the staff was very attentive to our needs.

4

Elizabeth

Oct 22, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hotel looks so nice when arriving. However it goes downhill quickly. The room was dirty, like smears on the light switches and hair in the shower. You have to request housekeeping daily and specify clean towels, coffee replacement, etc. If you just request clean towels this does not include facecloths and a bath mat. The area is unsafe. I was traveling alone with my teenager and it felt unsafe around the hotel. Every time we were waiting for an Uber outside the hotel we were approached by homeless asking for money or food and not once did the hotel staff step in to help. Bring ear plugs as you hear everything. Very limited food in the hotel and around the hotel. I wish I had trusted some of the other reviews. This was not a cheap hotel and I spent the whole time regretting my choice.

10

Kimberly

May 21, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location, clean rooms and property. Would stay again when in town.

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Rooms

Rooms are comfortable and some are spacious with good beds and views, but others feel small or dated. Noise from streets or nearby venues and AC/thermostat issues are recurring complaints.

Related guest reviews

10

Margaret

May 7, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very comfortable beds. The room was lovely. I would stay here again when visiting Austin.

4

Shannon

Sep 17, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

I would not recommend staying in room 409 or any room within this proximity. The Josie music blaring from the hotel across the street didn’t stop until 2:30am. It was so loud that even white noise and headphones wouldn’t block out the noise. The front desk wasn’t apologetic or accommodating either. So glad I spent $250 a night in a room where I couldn’t sleep at all.

6

Valerie

Aug 5, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff was very friendly but the room was right on top of an ally filled with dumpsters that were picked up by a dump truck daily at 3 am. Super noisy. The hotel was not full at all so we are disappoint they woken put us in such an unsavory room.

8

Janice L

Apr 13, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Loved the historic ambiance of the hotel. We generally avoid generic "modern" hotel chains & try to seek out unique hotels with a deep connection to the city. The 2nd floor bar with outdoor seating on the balcony was wonderful! We ate at both on-site restaurants. Quite impressed with our dinner at the Roaring Fork. Incredible food & Ty was the best waiter we had during our entire trip. The front desk staff was hit or miss. Maybe some were recently hired? Location of hotel was perfect for exploring downtown (& beyond) by foot. Room was very clean but furniture showed some wear & tear. The bed were heavenly! But we were never able to sleep in too late because of noise. We could hear our neighbors talking. One morning it was someone repairing the ice machine in the hallway well before 8AM! We could hear morning street noise even in our 7th floor room. But downtown Austin is vibrant so probably a risk you take staying downtown? Overall, we enjoyed out stay here but not sure we would stay here again. We would definitely return to the Roaring Fork and the 2nd floor bar however!

8

Michael

Oct 13, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Bathroom is too small and not well thought out. AC controls confusing.

10

Elizabeth

Aug 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very nice hotel, great location. Large rooms and good service. All details in room were great. Only downside was expensive parking and no AC in the elevator, not much in halls either. AC fine in room.

6

Meghan

Feb 20, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The location really cannot be beat, especially since we were there for the marathon. However, this is not our first time staying here and our experience this time was very different from the first time. Our thermostat in our room did not work so it was fairly warm all night. And the bed was like sleeping on a concrete slab with the flattest pillows ever. It was manageable for one night but frustrating nonetheless.

10

Sabitha

Apr 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It is a nice room, but smallish. The bathroom feels cramped, but works just fine.

6

curtis

Nov 9, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

It was fine. Small, dated rooms. Not much space in the bar. Pool is indoors. Good location, but high priced for what it is.

2

Ned

Jan 9, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. Wonderful, large room on 9th floor. Comfortable bed and furniture. Excellent friendly service. Close to everything and very safe. BUT we could not sleep on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday nights because cars were racing until 3 am and loud music, with be heard late into the night. We brought noise machines but still heard everything. Hotel cannot eliminate noise but should mitigate noice with better windows. We would NEVER stay here again.

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Service

Service is frequently praised as friendly and accommodating across valet and front desk, with occasional upgrades. A smaller number report rude interactions or slow responses at check-in, housekeeping, or valet.

Related guest reviews

10

Kenneth

Nov 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great stay. Good location. Service was attentive and crisp. As the bellman as he offloaded my bag in the room, he asked how long I was staying. When I mentioned that I needed to leave at 7 am the next day, he offered to come get my bags. Not only did he do so, but he had my car waiting out front. Special shout out to Rodney Hartfeld, the Rooms Director, who was very proactive and accommodating when there was a slight delay in my check-in process. This is now my go-to place in Austin.

2

Robert

Mar 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

While the property itself is beautiful and the bellman and valet were exceptionally friendly, our experience quickly took a disappointing turn upon entering the hotel. The older woman at the reception was extremely rude. As I approached the front desk to check in, she abruptly exclaimed, “ARE YOU CHECKING IN?” When I responded yes, she snapped, “WELL, IT’LL BE A MINUTE!” Fortunately, a younger receptionist stepped in and assisted me in a much more professional manner. The room, while aesthetically pleasing, was incredibly small, cluttered, and lacked adequate walking space. The real issue, however, occurred when we returned from an evening out on 6th Street. At around 2 AM, we discovered that our air conditioning had stopped working, leaving the room uncomfortably hot. Given the poor customer service and maintenance issues, I would highly recommend staying at Aloft across the street, where the rates are more reasonable, the staff is consistently friendly, and they offer a well-maintained café and restaurant. Additionally, they are pet-friendly without excessive pet fees or hidden “resort fees.” Overall, this hotel fell short of expectations, and I would not stay here again

10

Kendall

Nov 10, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The staff was super helpful—especially when I checked in early because of an unusual situation with another hotel. They accommodated us even on a very busy weekend—The Texas Book Fair! The bed was comfortable and the hotel was beautiful. Highly recommend

10

Eric

Jun 30, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Very nice hotel centrally located with amazing staff. Each employee was friendly and helpful.

10

Suzanna

Oct 27, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Geraldo made my stay perfect! What a great attitude and hard worker! You should give him a promotion and raise!!!

6

Yvonne

May 27, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

I love the historic look and feel of the hotel as well as the location. What I did not love was experiencing water come down from the bathroom ceiling when I woke up to pee. What I also did not love was having to pack everything up and change rooms after having settled in for the night. What might have made it better was some sort of apology or some indication that someone understood this inconvenience, but instead I was made to feel like I was the problem when I asked if someone could bring me my new room key rather than to go downstairs and pick it up, as they originally requested. The air conditioning was also not steady. It would turn on and get to the desired temperature, then immediately stop and get very warm, then it would power up and get cold again, then warm, etc. And finally, on my last day (@5:00 am and on my way to the airport) when I texted the valet service that I was on my way down, there was no response as there had been usually. After waiting around for a bit, I finally asked the front desk person if anyone was working valet. He then went over to the valet attendant who was sleeping in the lobby & had not received my text alert. When he awoke, he was in no hurry to help, but rather, kept us waiting even further. This was my 2nd stay at this hotel & had not had any issues during the 1st visit, so was quite surprised at the level of service during my recent stay.

2

Ben

Sep 24, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Didn’t clean room. Keys didn’t work multiple times. My wife and son arrived later and although I left their names at the front desk, when they arrived the front desk wanted me to come downstairs to bring them up. Have stayed here many times before and was incredibly disappointed.

10

Cynthia

Oct 18, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The character of the hotel first stood out. But during my stay the staff and service made it stand out even more!

6

Phillip

Jun 2, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

The front desk staff are all incredibly rude, given how many other options there are nearby I wont be returning ever.

6

Linda

Sep 5, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

I liked the location of the hotel, but parking was very inconvenient. Valet was $52 per nite, which is way too expensive. The front desk staff and hotel bar staff were not friendly or very welcoming.

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Location

Central downtown spot near the Capitol, 6th Street, and the Paramount makes walking easy. Several guests mention panhandlers in the area.

Related guest reviews

10

Erica

Apr 16, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location!

10

Ryan

Apr 29, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location in downtown.

10

Lana

Sep 29, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent hotel in the heart of downtown Austin. Easy to get to everything!

10

Colleen

Jan 3, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Nice property in the heart of Austin. Close to capitol campus, UT Austin, 6th Street, Rainey Street, and the river walk.

10

Ray

Mar 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The Sonesta is the perfect location for downtown Austin. Walking distance to the Capital & 6th Street. No shortage of entertainment or dining venues. Super nice staff. Park your car there & leave it in the garage for the duration.

10

Ana

Apr 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

I liked everything in this hotel. Its walkable, in a pretty safe zone, really clean and the food was delicious

10

Colin

Oct 13, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great location, easy walk to most things.

6

Mary

Jun 8, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The photos on the website create the impression that the hotel is newer; however, the carpets on the 12th floor appear old and have a musty odor, as does the elevator. Additionally, I found the $50.00 parking fee to be outrageous, even though the hotel is located near the Capitol. Also, we were scared to walk at night because there were people in the streets who looked homeless. I found the $50 parking fee to be excessive, even though the hotel is located near the Capitol. Additionally, we felt unsafe walking at night due to the presence of people on the streets who seemed homeless. On a positive note, the staff was very friendly.The photos on the website suggest that the hotel is newer; however, the carpets on the 12th floor appear old and have a musty odor. On a positive note, the lobby was nice, and the staff was friendly.

8

Tammy

Dec 16, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

The location is fantastic. The pan handlers were abundant.

10

Elizabeth

Feb 25, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great downtown location.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

Roaring Fork and the second‑floor bar earn strong reviews for food and drinks. Room service is limited or unavailable, and breakfast service can be understaffed or inconsistent, with occasional items unavailable or venues closed for private events.

Related guest reviews

10

Tammy

Jan 1, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great location, friendly staff, food & drinks were excellent at the Roaring Fork.

10

Adrienne

Oct 8, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Perfect location and beautiful hotel. We were able to walk to ghost tour (highly recommend), art galleries, Comedy Mothership, restaurants, groceries, tourist attractions, and bars. Loved the terrace for morning coffee and evening cocktails, as well as dinner at the Roaring Fork. Can't wait to stay again!

10

Michael

Feb 5, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent hotel in a prime downtown Austin location. Large guest rooms and two nice restaurants

6

Jessica

Feb 25, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Though our room was clean and the bed was comfy, that’s kind of where it ended. The rooms were tiny, there was no room service offered, and the TV only has a handful of cable channels. No ability to buy a movie or log into an account on Netflix or anything else. The front desk staff was kind, which was great. The pool was ok, but the hot tub was filthy. Like no way would you want to soak in that, which was super disappointing since we booked this hotel specifically because of the indoor pool/hot tub for the kids. We also had what I’d probably deem as the worst breakfast service ever at their cafe. It is the only time in my adult life that I tipped less than 20%, because it was that bad. Overall very mediocre and so disappointed for the money spent. We won’t be back.

8

Cynthia

Feb 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean and great location. Service for breakfast was poor and understaffed.

8

Stephanie

May 21, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

The hotel overall was nice but the restaurant did not have pancakes available two days in a row for breakfast. Not sure how that happens

10

Susan

Oct 6, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Beautiful hotel with lovely bar that overlooks Congress Avenue. The only negative I have is that they do not have room service.

10

Samantha

Feb 26, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff have been amazing. We were upgraded to a suite which we love. We had a delicious dinner at Roaring Fork and ended our evening sitting on the terrace with some good drinks at the bar. We will be back!

8

Stephen

Apr 3, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It is a very neat historical building with a great location right near sixth Street and the state capital. A bit overpriced for what was offered. I would think though. The pool area was nice, but the pool and hot tub need to be cleaned and head look like they Have been cleaned recently. The only other annoyance was that we received a VIP coupon for a free drink, but the bar was not open until 830 due to a private event. No alternate accommodations were made. Overall, a very neat facility and a lot of history there with a great location, would highly recommend if you can find a more reasonably priced room.

10

Jeremiah

Dec 28, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Service was excellent, both friendly and efficient. The room was clean comfortable with excellent amenities. We visited the bar which was cozy and beautifully decorated for Christmas.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17 $145	18 $145	19 $145	20 $145	21 $145	22 $145
23 $145	24	25	26 $205	27 $145	28 $145	29 $145
30 $141	31 $145

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1 $145	2 $145	3 $145	4 $145	5 $145
6 $145	7 $145	8 $276	9 $276	10 $255	11 $374	12
13 $276	14 $285	15 $330	16 $393	17 $289	18 $297	19 $332
20 $234	21 $303	22 $314	23 $317	24 $279	25 $297	26 $331
27 $234	28 $297	29 $314	30 $317

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The Stephen F Austin Royal Sonesta Hotel