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The Westin Austin at the Domain

Rating: 7.67 Location: Texas

The Westin Austin at the Domain Author:guyonthego

The Westin Austin at the Domain is a refined hotel built in 2010. It has 341 rooms and suites and 8 floors. The hotel is nonsmoking but does accept pets and without a pet fee. The Westin also can provide a pet bed and bowl upon request. Standard rooms are typically 300 square feet, and suites tend to be 600-800 square feet. Standard rooms range from $180-400 with higher rates during the week and in spring and fall. Summer and weekends tend to be less expensive. Free parking is available or you can valet your car at a $21 daily rate.

Hotel amenities include an outdoor heated pool and a large workout room. There also is a full-service restaurant and bar. The Westin offers 24 hour room service and a concierge during workday hours. A business center has free guest computers. Unlike other Westin properties, this hotel does not have a club lounge. The local neighborhood is a posh mixed use development called the Domain that used to be part of a University of Texas research campus. The rest of drab and dated campus is nearby, but the shopping and residential complex is fairly vibrant and definitely trendy. You won’t lack from restaurants to choose from. Popular options include California Pizza Kitchen, Fleming’s Steakhouse and Maggiano’s. There also is a Salvadoran/Mexican food restaurant called Gloria’s that’s a good pick if you are looking for something more local. The hotel offers a gulf cart shuttle to the shops, or you can walk. Walking only takes a few minutes. Austin is widely considered the live music capital of the US, and in that vein, the Westin has live music at the hotel six days per week.

Many Westins have the same fragrance in the lobby. The scent is not unpleasant but is noticeable, and is a real a mystery as to its rationale. With that aside, the clerk was amiable and welcoming. She provided courteous service with a smile. Also, the concierge was helpful with suggestions for Austin restaurants. Some minor items in the room included a carpet stain, a small (but very much alive) spider perched on the cap of a courtesy bottled water, and water temperature in the sink faucet that varied more than normal. Aside from the stain and spider, the room was otherwise clean. The bed was a tad bit soft but generally comfortable. Bathroom equipment worked OK, as did the AC. Extra soaps and towels were requested and sent up promptly. The rooms here have mini fridges. A few microwaves also are available on a first come first served basis. Room furnishings were in good shape. Noise levels both in and outside the hotel were low. Breakfast was a buffet style. The potatoes and yams had a delicious combination of sweet and starchy flavors. An omelet was somewhat bland but was packed with veggies and cooked properly. It really benefited from some salsa and tostada sauce, both of which were made in house and tasty enough to lick the plate. A waffle was about average, filling but not distinctive, and a croissant was slightly hard to chew. For a $25 cost the value of the meal was reasonable but not great. As for the hotel itself, the total bill came to $200, which is in-line with the value received for a pleasent stay. While the Westin was good, it would be hard to justify a stay here at a price north of $250.

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