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Austin · Hotel shortlist

The best hotels near South Congress

Rosa Iglesias

Rosa Iglesias The American south

Updated 1 September 2026 · 23 Austin hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Austin, out of the 23 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.2 down to 4.

All five are within 2.0 km of South Congress.

Staybridge Suites Austin South Interstate Hwy 35 by IHG

Highest rated of the five

Staybridge Suites Austin South Interstate Hwy 35 by IHG

★★★★★4.2 from 574 reviews

Staybridge Suites Austin South Interstate Hwy 35 by IHG comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.2 from 574 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 3 star property, found under poi and around $123 a night on the dates we checked.

23 hotels in Austin qualified for this list and five made it. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Austin South by IHG is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Spatreatment rooms on site, no booking a taxi for it
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Restaurantdinner downstairs on the night you land
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze

Check rates Read more

All five, ranked

  1. Staybridge Suites Austin South Interstate Hwy 35 by IHG1

    Staybridge Suites Austin South Interstate Hwy 35 by IHG

    ★★★★★4.2 from 574 reviews

    1.1 km from South Congress, about a 14 minute walk

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Kitchen

    Check rates Read more

  2. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Austin South by IHG2

    Holiday Inn Express & Suites Austin South by IHG

    ★★★★★4.1 from 654 reviews

    900 m from South Congress, about a 11 minute walk

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly

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  3. TownePlace Suites by Marriott Austin South3

    TownePlace Suites by Marriott Austin South

    ★★★★★4.1 from 319 reviews

    1.0 km from South Congress, about a 12 minute walk

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly

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  4. Comfort Suites - South Austin4

    Comfort Suites - South Austin

    ★★★★★4 from 586 reviews

    1.6 km from South Congress, about a 20 minute walk

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly

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  5. Residence Inn by Marriott Austin South5

    Residence Inn by Marriott Austin South

    ★★★★★4.2 from 660 reviews

    2.0 km from South Congress, about a 25 minute walk

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly

    Check rates Read more

How this list was put together

23 Austin hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating first and on how close they are to South Congress second, then took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Rosa Iglesias

Rosa Iglesias The American south

Teaches in term time and plays weddings in summer, which pays for the travel. Goes where the music is, usually festivals in small unrecommended towns. Owns three unnecessary accordions.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.