JW Marriott Hotel, Austin, Texas [Master Thread]
Feb 5, 2015, 8:31 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 51
JW Marriott Hotel, Austin, Texas [Master Thread]
I couldn't find a thread on it, but it opens next Friday (Feb 13). I have a reservation for the Mrs. & I for the following Saturday. I will give a review sometime the week after. The Mrs. is hoping the Spa will be open but they have said they won't know about the spa till next week.
Anyone else going to be there?
Anyone else going to be there?
Feb 8, 2015, 5:38 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: The place where it gets so hot in the summer some planes can't take off.
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, WoH Globalist, National EE, United Platinum
Posts: 1,446
JW Austin
I'm guessing my company (RR based) will not have this as an approved hotel 
Feb 12, 2015, 11:17 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 51
So initially it was said there was going to be a full service spa here, but they have stated no spa, massage service will be available in special rooms.
Plus they have not finalized an agreement with their spa contractor so they aren't booking massages for Saturday. But they might call us on Saturday.
That's a big disappointment b/c right now the only hotels with Spa's in downtown are the Four Seasons and The W.
Plus they have not finalized an agreement with their spa contractor so they aren't booking massages for Saturday. But they might call us on Saturday.
That's a big disappointment b/c right now the only hotels with Spa's in downtown are the Four Seasons and The W.
Feb 12, 2015, 11:32 am
#7
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Looking at the website says this for exec lounge:
This room features Concierge lounge access
Open: Sun-Sat, Open: 6:30am - 11:00 pm Mon-Fri, 7:00am - 11:00pm Sat-Sun
Complimentary food:
- Continental breakfast
- hors d'oeuvres
Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages
Honor bar
Complimentary pressing
Expansive Concierge Lounge overlooking the city of Austin.
Offers complimentary upgraded continental breakfast and nightly Hors d'Oeuvres.
A nightly dessert service and snacks throughout the day are also provided.
Has this listed for parking:
Parking & Transportation
On-site parking, fee: 30 USD daily
Valet parking, fee: 37 USD daily
Valet fee includes in/out privileges; Parking rates do not include tax
This room features Concierge lounge access
Open: Sun-Sat, Open: 6:30am - 11:00 pm Mon-Fri, 7:00am - 11:00pm Sat-Sun
Complimentary food:
- Continental breakfast
- hors d'oeuvres
Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages
Honor bar
Complimentary pressing
Expansive Concierge Lounge overlooking the city of Austin.
Offers complimentary upgraded continental breakfast and nightly Hors d'Oeuvres.
A nightly dessert service and snacks throughout the day are also provided.
Has this listed for parking:
Parking & Transportation
On-site parking, fee: 30 USD daily
Valet parking, fee: 37 USD daily
Valet fee includes in/out privileges; Parking rates do not include tax
Feb 13, 2015, 9:59 am
#8
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Press release on Marriott website today.
http://news.marriott.com/2015/02/lon...its-doors.html
Interesting trivia - largest JW in N. America (1,012 rooms) & 2nd largest in world. 30 suites.
"The hotel is located on the square block bounded by Second and Third Streets and Brazos Street and Congress Avenue in downtown Austin and is within walking distance to major attractions, including the Austin Convention Center, the Texas State Capitol, the Ann & Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail on Lady Bird Lake, and more.
Osteria Pronto is a regional Italian restaurant that is driven by a thoughtful approach to cooking from scratch and a sincere commitment to fresh, local ingredients. Osteria Pronto’s menu is designed to offer a twist on classic Italian dishes with simple, distinctive flavors such as burrata campagna, paglia e fieno and bistecca fiorentina.
Corner is a lively dining destination that will feature Texas-inspired cuisine using fresh local ingredients and uniquely crafted Tequila cocktails. The menu features a selection of grilled meats and fish, a variety of local craft beers on tap, as well as several Texas wines and spirits.
For those seeking a quick indulgent bite, JW Marriott Austin’s Burger Bar on Congress, has a walk-up food truck-style window on Congress Ave. Burger Bar serves freshly ground flat-top burgers, french fries and shakes at lunchtime and the early evening.
The JW Marriott Austin has a distinct local feel. Key interior design elements were incorporated to celebrate the spirit of Austin and the state of Texas. Unique design features include large columns throughout the hotel and lobby built from Texas limestone; a topographical map of Austin illustrated in the lobby ceiling and floor; illuminated artwork behind the check-in area that resembles a magnified cactus graphic; and a large outline of the state of Texas etched into the bottom of the fifth-floor pool.
The first guest to check in will be Major Walter Engle, who is based at Fort Hood. He has served in the Army for more than 18 years and been deployed eight times. The JW Marriott Austin donated a weekend stay at the hotel for his family, including his wife and three children, in appreciation for his service to the United States."
http://news.marriott.com/2015/02/lon...its-doors.html
Interesting trivia - largest JW in N. America (1,012 rooms) & 2nd largest in world. 30 suites.
"The hotel is located on the square block bounded by Second and Third Streets and Brazos Street and Congress Avenue in downtown Austin and is within walking distance to major attractions, including the Austin Convention Center, the Texas State Capitol, the Ann & Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail on Lady Bird Lake, and more.
Osteria Pronto is a regional Italian restaurant that is driven by a thoughtful approach to cooking from scratch and a sincere commitment to fresh, local ingredients. Osteria Pronto’s menu is designed to offer a twist on classic Italian dishes with simple, distinctive flavors such as burrata campagna, paglia e fieno and bistecca fiorentina.
Corner is a lively dining destination that will feature Texas-inspired cuisine using fresh local ingredients and uniquely crafted Tequila cocktails. The menu features a selection of grilled meats and fish, a variety of local craft beers on tap, as well as several Texas wines and spirits.
For those seeking a quick indulgent bite, JW Marriott Austin’s Burger Bar on Congress, has a walk-up food truck-style window on Congress Ave. Burger Bar serves freshly ground flat-top burgers, french fries and shakes at lunchtime and the early evening.
The JW Marriott Austin has a distinct local feel. Key interior design elements were incorporated to celebrate the spirit of Austin and the state of Texas. Unique design features include large columns throughout the hotel and lobby built from Texas limestone; a topographical map of Austin illustrated in the lobby ceiling and floor; illuminated artwork behind the check-in area that resembles a magnified cactus graphic; and a large outline of the state of Texas etched into the bottom of the fifth-floor pool.
The first guest to check in will be Major Walter Engle, who is based at Fort Hood. He has served in the Army for more than 18 years and been deployed eight times. The JW Marriott Austin donated a weekend stay at the hotel for his family, including his wife and three children, in appreciation for his service to the United States."
May 14, 2015, 7:35 am
#9
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Anyone have experience with a stay at the Austin JW Marriott they would like to share? A couple of posts up-stream indicated pending visits but no one has posted any reports yet.
I have a 9 day stay coming up and was wondering about the facility, as well as any local area attractions/restaurants, etc.
I have a 9 day stay coming up and was wondering about the facility, as well as any local area attractions/restaurants, etc.
Jun 6, 2015, 10:24 am
#10
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I recently had a week-long stay at the newly opened JW Marriott in Austin, Texas. I thought I would post a mini report with pics as no one has provided much info on this hotel yet.
The room: I was in what I would deem a standard room. As a discounted rate week-long stay, I was not expecting much of a room upgrade.
As usual, the air conditioning vent was positioned to blow directly on the guest when seated at the desk area. The vent was pretty high on the adjacent wall so I could not find an effective way to block the air flow.
Also, the marble surface was very cold on the arms when spending some time working / browsing....but at least there was a desk area in this new room.
The room safe (located in the closet) was a bit different then the normal type. It was more vertical instead of flat. Was plenty roomy to hold my laptop / ipad and such.
Standard single-cup coffee/tea maker. 2 small bottles of water supplied daily.
Sliding door with opaque glass for the bathroom.
The room: I was in what I would deem a standard room. As a discounted rate week-long stay, I was not expecting much of a room upgrade.
As usual, the air conditioning vent was positioned to blow directly on the guest when seated at the desk area. The vent was pretty high on the adjacent wall so I could not find an effective way to block the air flow.
Also, the marble surface was very cold on the arms when spending some time working / browsing....but at least there was a desk area in this new room.
The room safe (located in the closet) was a bit different then the normal type. It was more vertical instead of flat. Was plenty roomy to hold my laptop / ipad and such.
Standard single-cup coffee/tea maker. 2 small bottles of water supplied daily.
Sliding door with opaque glass for the bathroom.
Jun 6, 2015, 11:04 am
#11
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Concierge lounge
Afternoon snacks
I didn't get any pictures of the evening appetizers, but it was a very nice spread that changed every night. Staff was very friendly and everything was well maintained. Plenty of bottled water and cans of soda available at all times.
Afternoon snacks
I didn't get any pictures of the evening appetizers, but it was a very nice spread that changed every night. Staff was very friendly and everything was well maintained. Plenty of bottled water and cans of soda available at all times.
Jun 7, 2015, 3:14 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: CMH/CVG
Programs: Marriott, Southwest, American, Delta, Amtrak,Multiple others
Posts: 564
I stayed there for a conference a few weeks ago. It is a very nice convention hotel and I found the staff to be very friendly and helpful. Although I didn't get a suite upgrade, my room was large and comfortable. The fitness center was large and had lifefitness weight machines and a few free weights. The cable machine appeared to be missing some attachments that are at most Marriott gyms, but overall there was sufficient equipment for weight training and cardio.
The CL was large and comfortable and wasn't crowded during my stay, but I had breakfast early. The scrambled eggs were runny and terrible, but the rest of the food was very good. The pictures show salsa next to the eggs, but it wasn't available when I was there. That is a good addition which may make the eggs more tolerable. It is interesting that the coffee was very weak and clearly not Starbucks, but the coffee for the conference was Starbucks and tasted much better.
The evening snacks (I only had them one night) consisted of a few fresh vegetables, crackers and cheese, and several Asian appetizers which were tasty. The attendant poured wine the night I was there and I found the wine to be expensive for what you got. Note: I was able to apply my Platinum $10 Food & Beverage credit to the wine in the lounge.
The banquet meals (2 lunches and 1 dinner) were excellent and service attentive. I typically find the banquet service at Marriotts to be more consistently good than other chains, and this JW delivered against my expectations. Overall, this was a very good stay. I just wish I would have had more time to sample the restaurants in the area. Traffic can be horrendous in Austin, so allow a lot of time when traveling in the area.
The CL was large and comfortable and wasn't crowded during my stay, but I had breakfast early. The scrambled eggs were runny and terrible, but the rest of the food was very good. The pictures show salsa next to the eggs, but it wasn't available when I was there. That is a good addition which may make the eggs more tolerable. It is interesting that the coffee was very weak and clearly not Starbucks, but the coffee for the conference was Starbucks and tasted much better.
The evening snacks (I only had them one night) consisted of a few fresh vegetables, crackers and cheese, and several Asian appetizers which were tasty. The attendant poured wine the night I was there and I found the wine to be expensive for what you got. Note: I was able to apply my Platinum $10 Food & Beverage credit to the wine in the lounge.
The banquet meals (2 lunches and 1 dinner) were excellent and service attentive. I typically find the banquet service at Marriotts to be more consistently good than other chains, and this JW delivered against my expectations. Overall, this was a very good stay. I just wish I would have had more time to sample the restaurants in the area. Traffic can be horrendous in Austin, so allow a lot of time when traveling in the area.
Last edited by Armani; Jun 7, 2015 at 3:23 pm
Jun 7, 2015, 7:16 pm
#14
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Agree with Armani's experience in regard to the banquet / meeting services.
The fitness center was very nice. Bottled water available in addition to the filtered water dispenser. Cold towels also. No spa at this hotel.
For the immediate area, 6th street was a short 4-block walk and seemed to be the night-life zone for bars and some restaurants. Directly across the street from the JW was Cedar Door, which was a decent bar / restaurant. Large outdoor eating area with large screen TV setup for sports watching.
A gem for me was Royal Blue grocery, with a location just one block from the JW. Great little neighborhood store with some prepared foods (Sandwiches, Pizza, salads), some basic groceries, beer/ wine, and some other local products. Nice place for when you don't want a full-on JW meal and just want to get out of the hotel for a quick, quality bite. Some limited seating areas for eating there, or easy to take your selections back to the room.
The fitness center was very nice. Bottled water available in addition to the filtered water dispenser. Cold towels also. No spa at this hotel.
For the immediate area, 6th street was a short 4-block walk and seemed to be the night-life zone for bars and some restaurants. Directly across the street from the JW was Cedar Door, which was a decent bar / restaurant. Large outdoor eating area with large screen TV setup for sports watching.
A gem for me was Royal Blue grocery, with a location just one block from the JW. Great little neighborhood store with some prepared foods (Sandwiches, Pizza, salads), some basic groceries, beer/ wine, and some other local products. Nice place for when you don't want a full-on JW meal and just want to get out of the hotel for a quick, quality bite. Some limited seating areas for eating there, or easy to take your selections back to the room.