Heywood Hotel

This East Austin hotel has more character and design charm than you may except from its up-and-coming neighborhood. The owners have added personal touches -- such as locally made art and handmade furniture created from reclaimed wood -- to all seven rooms, and the intimate size means each guest receives personalized service. But there are no features or on-site restaurants to speak of. The front desk's limited hours -- though someone is available by phone 24 hours -- are surprisingly little problem. Acting as conceirges, the front desk staff displays an impressive knowledge of dining and nightlife options in the area. Downtown Austin is about a mile away, and the East 6th nightlife scene is even closer. Guests can rent a bike from the hotel, pick up the bus outside the hotel, or take a quick cab to access the restaurants and shops nearby.

East Austin is still an up-and-coming area, home to a young, hip crowd. Downtown Austin, which is home to the best nightlife and live music venues in the Southwest, is a short drive from the hotel, as are some of the best tourist spots in town. The hotel is also in front of the#17 busline, and the hotel offers free bike loans.

• 13-minute drive to Austin Bergstrom International Airport
• 8-minute drive to South Congress Avenue
• 3-minute drive to Lady Bird Lake
• 3-minute drive to Congress Avenue Bridge, home to the largest urban bat population in North America
• 3-minute drive to 2nd Street entertainment district
• 4-minute drive to Austin City Limits at The Moody Theater
• 3-minute drive to Sixth Street entertainment district
• 6-minute drive to Texas State Capitol
• 6-minute drive to Frank Erwin Center
• 7-minute drive to Blanton Museum of Art
• 6-minute drive to Mike A. Myers Stadium
• 6-minute drive to LBJ Presidential Library

All seven rooms in the hotel have unique style and colorful accents. Two of the rooms have patios, and only one has balcony, but all have modern amenities and thoughtful extras.

• Rooms start at 279 square feet and have seating areas.
• Rooms have one king- or queen-size bed and Stearns & Foster Estate Collection luxury mattress.
• Local artwork
• Stocked minibars with fair prices
• iPod docks with free Internet music stream
• Furniture is handmade by owners from reclaimed wood.
• Hardwood floors and high ceilings, some with skylights
• French press coffeemakers and filtered instahot hot water
• 32-inch (and up) flat-screen TVs
• Bright, attractive bathrooms; half have shower/ tub combos while the rest have walk-in showers.
• Kevin Murphy bath products and Archipelago Soy Milk lotions (big-bottle, eco-friendly amenities)
• Free Wi-Fi

The hotel doesn't have dining options on site, and many guests head to Austin's famous SoCo and Sixth Street Entertainment districts for restaurants, which are located within a mile or so of the hotel. There is, however, free coffee and tea in the lobby at all times.