Austin: Hilton Austin Airport (July 2013)

My spouse and I stayed at the Hilton Austin Airport for 1 night in early July 2013. Our flight from the East Coast was due to arrive just before midnight, and we were not sure that we would have been able to rent a car at that time, nor were we prepared to drive 80 miles to our final destination. (As it turned out, our flight arrived nearly 2 hours late, and all but one of the car rental counters had closed.) We used the 24-hour shuttle bus to travel between the airport and the Hilton. You catch the shuttle on the second level (departures) across from the United counter on the center island. The shuttle driver was unbelievably pleasant, particularly at that hour of night. Although the hotel is located on the airport property, it is not possible to walk; you must use the shuttle.

This hotel was formerly an air force base, and the building is round, with a glass-enclosed atrium space in the middle that houses the bar, coffee bar, and full-service restaurant. (Room service is available 24 hours a day.) The outdoor pool area is nice, and it would be a great place to relax before or after a flight. The pool area is large, with a good number of chairs. It also features a Jacuzzi/spa, and both that and the swimming pool have lifts for the physically challenged. The fenced-in pool area has a flag that says "pool service" or something similar, so you can order food and drinks to your chair by making a phone call. The hotel seems to offer "park-and-fly" rates, or perhaps just airport parking, because the shuttle driver inquired as to whether we were staying overnight at the hotel or just picking up our car. There is a smoker's oasis (their words, not mine) with table and chairs near the pool. There is a small fitness center on-site, with about 6 machines and some free weights. The hotel has plenty of parking, although according to their website, it is not free ($12 per day). There are monitors in the lobby near the reception desk that list flight information.

Our room faced inwards to the atrium, which was a bit dark because we visited primarily during non-daylight hours. The room was spacious, with high ceilings and enough room for a sofabed as well as a king-size bed, with lots of room around both. The bathroom was up-to-date looking, and standard Hilton Peter Thomas Roth toiletries were provided.

As HHonors Diamond members, we received complimentary breakfast vouchers, which were good for the hot and cold buffet as well as for any made-to-order menu items. Creeks Restaurant features a very nice and extensive breakfast buffet, which we highly recommend is you need a hearty start to your day. Our waitress, much like the gentleman driving the shuttle the evening before, could not have been more helpful or pleasant. It was a great welcome to Texas, as we wondered if everyone we would encounter would be so unbelievably nice!

We would gladly stay here again if we were flying to or from the Austin Airport.