Happily for design aficionados, Austin remains something of a treasure trove of mid-century classics. Equally gratifying is the willingness of hospitality outfits like Bunkhouse to gently spruce up existing properties, like the 41-room Austin Motel in the city’s South Congress strip of boutiques, restaurants and clubs, rather than take extreme architectural measures.
For Liz Lambert, Bunkhouse’s founder and chief creative maven, the bones of the 1938 landmark were in perfect shape. ‘I was influenced by three decades in the motel’s history – the 1930s when the property was built, the 1950s when it was in its heyday and significant additions were made, and the 1980s which was a sort of last hurrah for old Austin and South Congress, when Austin was sort of at the end of its cosmic cowboy era, before the neighburhood started changing.’
The result is a setting that blends sly retro touches with a millennial bent. Burgundy laminated desks and tufted beds sheathed in Sfera sheets are paired with push-button phones and vintage silkscreened music posters, while a bar has been added to the kidney-shaped pool flanked by red and white umbrellas.
And just to up the nostalgia quotient, in-house activities include punk rock water ballet and synchronised swimming lessons.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
1220 South Congress Avenue
-
Wild sauna, anyone? The ultimate guide to exploring deep heat in the UK outdoors‘Wild Sauna’, a new book exploring the finest outdoor establishments for the ultimate deep-heat experience in the UK, has hit the shelves; we find out more about the growing trend
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 showsThe Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Ghanaian cuisine has a story to tell at Washington, DC restaurant ElminaThe new restaurant is chef Eric Adjepong’s colourful ode to the recipes he grew up loving
-
Fancy a matcha-beer cocktail? Visit this dashing new LA restaurantCafé 2001 channels the spirit of an American diner with the flow of a European bistro and the artistry of Japanese cuisine
-
Visit this Michelin-star New York restaurant that doubles as an art galleryArtist Mr.StarCity is exhibiting his emotionally charged yet optimistic ‘Bloomers’ portrait series at Frevo, a Greenwich Village hidden haunt
-
With glowing honeycomb-shaped booths, this futuristic Japanese restaurant is ramen heavenAfter a successful U.S. expansion, Kyuramen touches down in Los Angeles.
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the worldCelebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Seven things not to miss on your sunny escape to Palm SpringsIt’s a prime time for Angelenos, and others, to head out to Palm Springs; here’s where to have fun on your getaway
-
At Linden Los Angeles, classic New York comfort food gets its dueThe restaurant, inspired by a stretch of boulevard bridging Brooklyn and Queens, honors legacy, community and pleasure
-
This atmospheric New York restaurant was designed to be a ‘beautiful ruin’At Leon’s, classic Italian fare comes with a North African accent and with a side of family history
