spineangel

Just checked in today to the Domain location. Hotel just opened last week. Everything in order. Was given one of only 7 suites, (junior or otherwise). Suite is huge. Service is great. Would like to know what a regular room is like, since the chances of a platinum upgrade again is slim with only 7 options.
Somewhat between a Aloft and a Westin.

LakersFan_2008

I am also at the hotel this week. I was given just a standard room. It's very typical, although I do like the full showers with glass door (vs. the tub with shower curtain which I hate).

Service is good. No Lounge, which is a bummer since the other 2 Austin hotels I have stayed at have a lounge with breakfast and cocktails in the evening. I haven't tired the restaurant in the hotel. That'll be next week.

traveling_consultant

I was also at the hotel last week. I was not exactly thrilled that I got an accessible room, and what is the deal with no bar soap? My colleague didn't get any soap either. I suspect this is due to the recent opening and perhaps extra business due to SXSW being in town.

Rooms were nice and obviously new. The gym was pretty good with four treadmills, two elliptical trainers, two bikes, a weight machine with a few different settings, and dumbells up to 50 pounds. Spacious too.

Pool looked nice, though surrounded by the parking lot. The area was very nice with a lot of shopping and a large number of restaurants within walking distance. In my experience, took about 15 minutes to drive downtown.

Final touches are still being put in, but the Westin is a big step up from the Sheraton (ick!), where I stayed last week.

TxTrav

How is this location? Walkable to any sights or restaurants?

evansmommytx

No sights but tons of restaurants ^

techgirl

Also here this weekend. No suite for me, but they were able to change the king I had (all that was available online) to a 2 queens with no problem.

My shower has the curtain (not a glass door) and I've had bar soap.

The HVAC seemed to be disfunctional on Thursday/Friday - my friend had a room that required maintenance to come look at it Thursday night - we needed it my room on Friday.

Staff is very friendly and efficient, especially for just having opened - and then being full with SXSW and spring break travelers.

I love the Domain location since my Austin business doesn't always require me to be downtown and the shopping is great as are the restaurant selections. I'm told taxis were easy to obtain to/from for those needing to be downtown.

I will definitely stay here again... and hopefully get a suite next time around!

JFKSFOLAX_friend

I would think (though I am not positive) that this would be the easier switch. Usually when I have problems with hotels is when I book a King but they can only give me a room with two beds.

Maybe during the week business travelers want kings and on weekends two queens are more popular? Just guessing...

techgirl

Considering the number of families and groups (many going to SXSW) that I saw, I wasn't expecting to be able to get 2 queens. I had also been told when I called earlier that rollaways were not being guaranteed either.

nonesuch flyer

Location is in the Domain multiuse development. This is an up-scale shopping and residential development in north Austin. Restaurants within short walk include North (good Italian); a south american place (Glorias or some such name), Kona Grill (great happy hour); Jaspers (upscale happy hour is good value) Daily Grill (pricey); Flemings Steak House etc etc. Steeping Room nect to Starbucks is known for Tea and high tea style food.

Shopping includes Macy's Neimans, Dillards, Borders, and many upscale boutique stores

No sights to see but good location to access Hwys to easily drive to down town or out to Lake Travis etc.

mrEzE

Is the Aloft domain open? I see it on the SPG site, but it doesn't have availability.

snowymt

Yes I believe it's open. What dates are you looking at?

mrEzE

Oct 24 - 29. I tried multiple checks, but don't see any availability until 1/1/2011, which strikes me as very strange. The entire hotel sold out for 2 months?

OK - finally saw this:

Hotel Closed Due to Water Damage

Effective Wednesday, October 6 to Friday, December 31, 2010, the Aloft Austin at The Domain will be closed temporarily due to water damage incurred during Tropical Storm Hermine. Repair and restoration efforts will be underway through the end of the year. All current hotel guests and those with future reservations during this time period are being relocated to other area hotels. Please contact the hotel for further information.

Moriens

Weird. Friends of mine stayed at the Aloft in September after the rain. They said it was pretty empty, but didn't mention any kind of water damage (at least not in their room).

Later, other friends stayed at the Westin and said the Aloft had shown up as full. When I picked them up at the Westin and drove past the Aloft, its parking lot was surprisingly empty.

I don't know of any buildings in that area damaged by the storm in early September.

Is it possible that the Aloft was closing floors due to low occupancy, and has now decided to close entirely? That would make a lot more sense than closing the whole hotel because of water damage (on the roof? top floors? in the walls?). Or did the pool overflow and somehow undermine the building?

JFKSFOLAX_friend

Lots of posts on the status of the aloft, but are there any recent reviews of the Westin?

Thanks.

LakersFan_2008

Love the Westin Austin at the Domain. My favorite non-boutique hotel in Austin. Staff is incredibly friendly and will bend over backwards to assist you. Rooms are pretty standard, but nice and new (opened in March 2010). Gym is nice, as is the pool (usually pretty empty). Urban Restaurant serves decent dinner foods. And the Domain shopping area is very nice. Lots of good restaurants to choose from.