Omni Austin Hotel Downtown

Very friendly staff and lovely clean room. You can tell the place is a bit old but they’ve kept it up nicely. Surprisingly good gym for a hotel.

My go-​to place whenever staying for long stretches in Austin. I completely love what this Omni has to offer. The location (about a block from 6^th street) is hard to match, while the hotel itself is located within a large 17 story commercial building called The Austin Centre. While you have the option to park on the street (good luck, FYI), it is recommended that you park within the parking garage that is housed deep within the bowels of the building. The parking spaces are tight, yet I felt that my vehicle was secure at all times.
The front desk check-​in & check-​out process was smooth and efficient. It certainly pays to be an Omni awards member, in that you get such perks as free internet, breakfast item with coffee/​juice, etc. The Omni does provide complimentary Starbucks in the lobby during specific morning hours (6AM-​8AM, I think), yet if you want something stronger, walk about 100 feet to the bar and restaurant area is to get a Peet’s Coffee. Peet’s will have the standard 20−25% markup, yet it is good, good, good coffee!
The room itself was what I expected: pretty standard Omni rich mahogany furnishings, comfortable bed (felt like the goose feather version), with balcony that gives you a pretty decent view of downtown Austin (and not Hill Country). As aforementioned earlier, you can take a 2 – 3 minute walk to 6^th street to listen to some of the best music in America, as well as walk another couple of minutes over to South Congress Avenue towards the iconic capitol building. This Omni location also provides quick access to I-​35 South for the hour-​long drive to San Antonio (depending on traffic) in the event that you want to catch a Spurs game. And of course, the University of Texas is within jogging distance as well.
This is probably the only venue in Austin that isn’t weird. Will certainly return.

Pretty expensive for what they offered in rooms. We stayed in room 1302. Paper thin walls. Great location to downtown and though construction was bad. Would be better off at Embassy suites

The good:
— Location. We were close enough to walk to Auditorium Shores for the July 4^th fireworks.
— There was a really tragic situation that occurred in the lobby the morning of July 5^th which caused everyone to be stuck for several hours until they came up with a safe exit for people checking out. The staff handled everything professionally, even if it required them to use paper and pen to check each room out.
— Rooms are clean and spacious.
The bad:
— We had a really annoying situation back in Dallas that resulted in our dog coming with us on this trip to Austin. Luckily the hotel allows dogs for a deposit fee, but we were concerned about his Unilocaling (not the kind I’m doing right now) and asked the front desk staff what would happen if he became a nuisance. We were told that they would call the number we left on file and even go to our room to get him if it got worse. Well lo and behold, I think the fireworks startled him and someone must have complained (totally understand). The bad part is that we weren’t given the phone call that were told we would and were even approached with a nasty attitude from the staff at the door about to get him.
— Parking spaces are extremely tight.
— Elevators for the higher floors require you to insert your room key to access. We weren’t told about this and were extremely confused since everyone else did not have to use this feature. Took the stairs but there aren’t doors out of the staircase for certain floors too. We did this all while carrying our suitcases and the dog and his crate. Only workout I did for the day.
— Elevators are SLOW. I despise places where people fight to get into elevators.

I first stayed at the Omni something like 10 or 12 years ago. I was pretty stoked when I bid on a hotel in Austin and got the Omni. I remember it being pretty awesome and it didn’t disappoint this trip. We didn’t get to use the rooftop pool, but my Omni status got us free coffee everyday at their little coffee shop. Very friendly night staff, shout out to Beeson and Brittany for making us feel so at home. Can’t wait to come back!

First of all the architecture of this fucking building is hideous. It looks like it’s constantly under construction. I understand that it’s supposed to be a business hotel but despite its pretentious décor it’s a low class establishment. The only appealing thing about this hotel is its proximity to Austin nightlife. However the walls are apparently so thin that they require a full time hall monitor. If I wanted to be told to show my school pass I would have stayed in high school. Less than five minutes back in our hotel room we received a rude knock on our door asking us to consider the other guests who apparently had an 8 o’clock bed time and super sonic hearing as it was only 11o clock at night and we were no louder than speaking volume. Our neighbors could be heard through the rice paper partitions this hotel calls walls and yet we were the ones to receive the knock on our door. If you’re looking to pay four stars prices for a one star hotel you’re better off saving money and staying at super 8 and paying for a cab to drop you off at 6^th street. With free breakfast and free parking super 8 is miles ahead of Omni. However I’m having to spell this out for you using my phone since they deem it necessary to charge 10 dollars a day for internet. I’ll stop my rant here.
Also their drinks are terrible. You’re better of drinking toilet water and risking e coli than trying their drinks.

over $ 200 one night, and I don’t have hot water, it seems the guy living next to my room or whoever share the same hot water used up all hot water. Not supposed to happen when I’m paying over $ 200 for one night.

Well, upon arrival its all quite beautiful and welcoming. We got to our room and it looked pretty comfy and clean. then we try to go to sleep and can’t because the walls are so thin. Then the next day there were food trays left out in the hallway ALL day. Its really not as nice as they portray themselves to be. We are interested in staying somewhere else on our next trip to Austin. We might not come back but if you are looking for a convenient location with decent service this place is alright. Though I need to mention that the breakfast tacos from their Anchos lobby restaurant are awesome.
Edit** now its two stars. I woke up to the sound of a neighbor vomiting and now I’m having to listen to them sing to each other in the shower. ask me how I know they’re in the shower. Seriously the walls are SO thin
Lol. I hope I don’t embarrass any Unilocal users but really. be aware of your surroundings guys.
All in all its a business hotel. its practical but not cheap and not a ‘getaway’.

2 means I will not stay here again. I stayed at the Hilton a couple of blocks away before and will opt for that over the Omni in the future. Here’s why:
No complimentary breakfast
No discount for parking (you pay $ 26 per day just like anyone not staying at the hotel)
Our room smelled like an old lady. Literally. (no offense to any old ladies perusing Unilocal)
We were checked in to a «city view room» which apparently means the view of a parking garage
This place was stuffy, old, eh… just needs to be updated badly
Other than that, it’s a good location. I would go with W or Hilton instead.

It’s not bad. It’s just not good at all. The Unilocal photos don’t do justice to how much 1980’s brass there is in this place. It is not a cool Austin hotel. It is, however, right off of sixth street, pretty cheap and pretty comfortable.
I would not have stayed here but for the discounted internet rates. The rooms are big and comfortable and that’s good enough. Just think of it as a charming step back in time to the downtown Austin scene before we got all that F-​1 money and the sophisticated tourists that come with it.

Water.
It’s a valuable resource. Especially in a place like Texas. Unfortunately a lot of it is wasted on the Omni in Downtown Austin.
Let’s talk about their actual water system, where room faucets have two settings. Luke warm and scorching hot lava.
You’d think such an expensive hotel would figure that out, but what you’re paying for is the pool. The pool is pretty chill, but be prepared to pay a boat load for drinks up there. You can’t bring your own. Well you can, you’ll just get some fingers wagged in your direction.
I don’t think the hotel is worth the price, at all. Now that’s not to say it’s a bad hotel, just not what I was expecting. The rooms weren’t special at all. Pretty standard. I stayed at hotels a little nicer for half the price.
Hopefully with the amount of money people pay for a room there, they fix their water problem.

The Downtown Omni is a the place you wind up when booking through Hotwire/Priceline’s best «hidden» deal offers. The hotel is a solid 3 — 4 star experience. Everything is in order. The staff are courteous and attentive. The facilities are nice.
The rooms are nicely appointed and comfortable. It is not a luxury hotel, but it will not disappoint in fundamentals, so on $ 100/​night deal the value is terrific.
A couple of highlights and low lights:
— The location is good, close to I35. If you take Congress north, the second right is 11^th and if you cross over the highway, Franklin’s barbecue is right there on the left.
— The location is not great. It can be a bit tricky to get into the hotel from the West side of town.
— The parking garage is a cramped maze.
— The roof top pool and Jacuzzi are one of Austin’s little known treasures. It is usually empty up there at night, so you can have a soak and get an amazing view of the city.
I have waxed eloquent about the Omni South, a sister property to this one. It is always a toss up for me. The Omni South is. .. just a bit better and better value. BUT the value at the Downtown location is very good.
Roll a $ 100 bid for a 4-​star in downtown Austin on Priceline and you’ll have a nice stay at the Omni.

If i came here to party on 6^th street, this place might be a good choice due to proximity. But i was here for a 5 day business conference at the omni so i thought i’d make it easy and stay on site. My bad.
There were sirens outside (police &/​or paramedics) REGULARLY thru the night, each night. My 18^th floor «executive suite» was ridiculously loud both outside & inside; but, wait for it, they give you foam ear plugs instead of a more sound proof room.
The room air conditioner while effective & functional vibrated & was LOUD anytime it was on.
The salvation army & a homeless shelter are visible from the side of the hotel i was on; so it reminded me that i was glad to have a room & a bed. Relative to those two place this place is great. Otherwise, i’ll stay somewhere else when i come back.
In short for the price point this place sucks. I was a moron for staying here.

Decent hotel option. I just had a couple of complaints that dragged it down to 3 stars over my Labor Day weekend:
*No soda machines on your floor for late night beverages.
*Pool was pretty small and always full of people
*I HATE when hotels, especially $ 200+ a night hotels, make you pay extra for WiFi
*Staff was ok, but not extremely welcoming. May have been overwhelmed with it being Labor Day
*Staff immediately came over to use when we came up with our half drank glasses of champagne and told us we had to ditch them by the pool. Note that our glasses were the plastic room cups, NOT glass, and I saw others there drinking out of tumblers. They cited a regulatory law, but I really think they just wanted us to buy their drinks at the bar.
Things I liked:
*Room service was quick and delicious
*Free water bottles
*Location was close to 6^th, but far enough away that it was quiet
*Self Service parking for a cheaper $ 22/​night was available. I hate Valet only places… I bought a room for myself, now I have to buy a place for my car too?
*Requested toothbrush was brought up quickly
*View from pool was pretty awesome
*Pretty cool looking lobby and elevators
All in all… decent option. Didn’t walk away feeling great or like I got a good value, but didn’t feel gypped either.

After a horrible experience with a previous hotel earlier that morning, we were very satisfied when the staff at the Omni was able to help us last minute and give us a room.
Staff matched the price listed on Expedia which was great! (Don’t book through Expedia, you will be trapped)
The ladies at the front desk were very accommodating and the whole experience was great. However, I am giving the hotel 4 stars because they charged me for 2 nights when I only stayed one. I called and they were understanding and adjusted it over the phone but I still have yet to be refunded and am a little confused about the breakdown of the overall bill. Will call later today to clarify.

This is a pretty nice hotel with plenty of things in walking distance. There were some things that were outdated in the room like light fixtures but nothing too bad. They charge $ 22/​night for garage overnight parking so be aware of that. Also! The parking garage under the hotel is horrible with the spaces almost impossible to navigate in and many people double park. It took us like 30 mins just to do that. The hotel was about $ 170/​night so the parking adds up to the normal cost a night almost which was $ 250/​night on their website. If we stay here next time, I want to check out the rooftop area! Didn’t have time last stay :)

Austin in August is hot. BALLS hot!
For this reason you really ought to consider booking a room at the Omni if you’re in town during the summer season. They not only have a pretty sweet pool, but a special where if you buy their souvenir cup then every drink you order thereafter is half off. Cold beverages and chlorine water are pretty key ingredients to keeping cool down in this part of the country during this time.
Besides the pool it’s a pretty standard business hotel. Traditional rooms, stale staff uniforms, and an overpriced lobby bar and restaurant. It’s what you’d expect from an Omni except for one really cool feature. The elevators are glass so you can see your self descending from high up down to the lobby.
By no means is it the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in, but it’s got some good features and it’s really close to the 6^th street strip so if you’re in town I’d definitely recommend a visit.

First off, I expect more from an Omni. I stay primarily at Omnis when traveling. I will say that the location is prime (for downtown & 6^th street).
Upon checkin the front desk staff was extremely unaccommodating After learning we had booked online through a third party). We have previously stayed at multiple other omni locations in the last few months, including the previous night. We have always received the perks (Free coffee & wifi) of the omni select members even though we booked via third party. The only exception is that you do not earn free night stays. (Must book through omni to earn those). Makes sense.
When checking in at this location the front desk staff said that they do not honor any of the program perks. After telling them every omni thus far has had no issue with this. His response was «well… we are corporate». No attempt to rectify, accommodate or even seem to act the slightest bit sympathetic regarding the situation. I expect better customer service from an Omni.
One star for the hotel.
The rooms are small, outdated & extensively basic. Smallest TV’s ever and no mini fridges. The phone didn’t work, when trying to call down to the front desk — it lost connection 3 times (mid conversations).
The only redeeming factor was Elisa & her wonderful customer service. After speaking with her & discussing our concerns… She was extremely accommodating (5 stars for her).
Overall, I do not recommend staying here. There are many better options in Austin /​Downtown.

Big, but not too big. Comfortable, easy to get around. Breakfast buffet was quite good (though it was an optional inclusion). Wifi worked well (though you had to sign up to their membership program to get it free in your room). Lobby bar was well-​stocked, with great bartenders, and some great service that was probably later than they should have done.
Great location for downtown: you can be on east 6^th in less than 5 minutes.
However I would never have paid this much ($ 310/​night) if I wasn’t here on business.

Checked out of Omni this morning – stayed two nights.
When we arrived, we were told they were «overbooked» and they were all out of rooms with two double beds, which is what we needed, and what we had reserved.
I really have an issue with hotels that routinely do this and consider it fair play. So I posed this question to the manager of the hotel.
«How would you like it, if you made a reservation for you and your wife at your favorite restaurant. You arrive and the manager of the restaurant tells you that due to overbooking, he can only accommodate one person for dinner. Would that be okay with you? Would that seem fair to you, given the fact that you have a confirmed dinner reservation for two?»
The manager got my point. Agreed, at least for the moment, that it wasn’t fair and gave us a discount. I asked him to give me a 50 percent discount since he took away 50 percent of our beds. He agreed to cut the room rate in half for the first night.
They sent up a roll-​away that could barely fit and we had to crawl over the roll-​away every time we wanted to go to the other side of the room. Not fun.
The next night we were upgraded to a club room that gave us complimentary breakfast. Kudos to the manager for compensating us in this way. I should note that the first guy that checked me in did not give the discount or the upgrade. It wasn’t until I asked to speak to the manager that things started happening. When the manager went back to the notes made on our account from the first guy, he told me it showed a discount was offered but that it was declined. That bothered me. No offer was given, and if it was, I would certainly not have declined it if it was. How idiotic is that!
My other issue with this hotel: their phone service is horrible.
If they do pick up, it takes forever. I called the front desk, valet, and concierge several times and they were consistently slow and sometimes they didn’t pick up AT ALL.
The coffee we found to be pretty bad. We ordered room service and took a sip and ended up not drinking it. We thought it was a bad pot of coffee. We went down to breakfast and had coffee there, and we found the same coffee. Somehow had a sour taste.
Two things I liked: the beds were very comfortable and I also liked the layout of the lobby. When you come into the lobby, they share with another office building so the ceiling is extended to the top of the building for a really open feel. The elevators are glass which overlook the open layout of the building which I thought was really cool.
Other than those two things, it wasn’t a great experience for us. I don’t think we’ll ever stay at an Omni again. I don’t want to risk having my room given away to someone else just because they’re overbooked.