Highlights: Four Seasons Hotel Austin

•Four Seasons Hotel Austin is a luxury property in the heart of downtown Austin, near everything this bustling city has to offer

•Texas flair to décor and food while still being sophisticated and chic

•Hotel boasts the Mobil Four-Star restaurant, The Café

•Location on Town Lake allows for guests to book various water sports activities

•A board room is located on each of the seven floors that host the executive suites

•Children’s program and pet-friendly accommodations makes this a great destination for families

Amenities: Four Seasons Hotel Austin

• 291 rooms, 9 story. Pets accepted, some restrictions. Check-in 3 pm, check-out Noon. Restaurant, bar. Fitness room. Outdoor pool, whirlpool. Business center.

General Impressions: Four Seasons Hotel Austin

With all the hype about Austin’s Sixth Street entertainment area and the adjacent Warehouse District, you can see why people want to check out the scene. There’s no better way to do so than by staying in the midst of all the action in a hotel that’s built to be more glamorous than the Ponderosa, but with the same Wild West sprawl and greenery.

The Four Seasons Hotel Austin is a rather new hotel, but its design and ambience create the feel of old Texas, minus the livestock. The nearby Texas Hill Country influences the look inside the hotel, but with Town Lake outside the hotel’s windows, you feel a bit like Texan President Johnson down on the ranch. Rooms have either a city view (mostly high rises) or a lake view.

The hotel lobby is very Texas, with lots of flagstone, native art, and an Old West feel that you know never existed on a real ranch, but does belong on the pages of Architectural Digest. As soon as you set foot inside, you know this is a Four Seasons and a breathtaking place to be.

Because of its in-town location, the Four Seasons Hotel Austin is a good base for business travelers, and is also ideal for leisure travelers looking to be pampered with luxurious amenities and superior service. There’s a comprehensive family program that includes a children’s menu, kid-friendly activities, and personal amenities for kids, as well as complimentary cribs, playpens, and nursery supplies as need. The hotel is only two blocks from the Austin Children’s Museum.

Although downtown Austin might not strike you as the place for a romantic getaway, the hotel offers spa, fitness, athletic, and outdoor pursuits. It’s also near Austin’s restaurant and entertainment districts, so couples can dine at leisure or stroll hand in hand throughout this increasingly popular destination.

Singles will also appreciate the action right outside the hotel door, yet a feeling of quiet prevails inside. There’s a car rental agency on the property, so you can always pop in your rental car and drive through the Hill Country.

(+) Four Seasons style and service designed to accommodate a variety of guests, including families, friends, romantics and business travelers

Guest Services: Four Seasons Hotel Austin

When I made reservations for my stay at the Four Season Hotel Austin, the service was excellent and the agent was friendly, calm, clear, and very well-spoken. The reservationist used my name frequently and described the hotel and its facilities while instilling a feeling of energy and excitement that was contagious.

Once I arrived at the hotel, everything proceeded in Four Seasons style, which means service, service, service. Hotel operators were clear, polite, and well-informed about the hotel. The concierge staff was very guest-oriented and helpful, and they worked hard to meet my needs.

The hotel has an excellent housekeeping department. When I called to request an item, it was brought to my room in just four minutes. During turndown service, the room was straightened, waste baskets were emptied, my personal toiletries were neatly arranged, and bath amenities and towels were replaced.

My name was continually used by the staff, who was bright, perky, friendly, and well-dressed. When I left, they seemed genuinely concerned that I have a safe departure and a good trip home.

(+) Exemplary service and hospitality from all hotel staff

Guest Rooms: Four Seasons Hotel Austin

The Four Seasons Hotel Austin is a large hotel with almost 300 rooms, all stacked into a tower. Rooms vary in size depending on the grade you book, and obviously vary in price as well. Guest accommodations either overlook the high-rise office buildings of downtown Austin--which are quite mesmerizing--or Town Lake. Some rooms have balconies. Beds are plush and inviting; bath towels are giant sized. This is Texas, after all.

All the rooms are well-maintained and very clean. Guests can choose either two double beds or a king-size bed; beds are dressed in lush cotton sheets and comfy down pillows and duvets. The rooms are divided by view (city or lake) and whether or not they have a balcony -- but most rooms are the same size, 345 square feet.

However, there are seven floors of executive suites, which feature living rooms equipped with a sofa bed and more than 500 square feet of space. Of course, room rates are higher, but the executive suites are more lavishly decorated and are more accommodating if there are more than two people sharing a room. In fact, you can easily bring along a child or two.

(+) Well-maintained guest accommodations with mesmerizing views of downtown Austin or Town Lake

Facilities & Activities: Four Seasons Hotel Austin

The Four Seasons Hotel Austin’s pool is a perfectly formed circle overlooking the lake. Staff couldn’t be more friendly or attentive here, automatically providing towels to all guests. During my visit, drinks were promptly delivered. The hotel has a spa and also offers in-room massage and treatments. To carry through the down-home Texas feel, many of the treatments are made with local ingredients, such as the Yellow Rose of Texas Body Wrap and the Margarita Salt Scrub.

The fitness center has state-of-the-art equipment and large picture windows that overlook green pastures, trees, and the lake.

Whether you want to do the Texas Two-Step, eat a delicious Texas steak, or just visit one of the largest universities in the country, you’re in the right place. You may prefer to just shop and stroll the nearby Sixth Street corridor, which is filled with bars, restaurants, honkytonks, clubs, open mike nights, and opportunities to hear all sorts of tunes. There’s also a wide variety of architecture to admire.

For outdoorsy types, there are many activities centered around Town Lake, from rowing to waterskiing and more. There’s also the famous bat parade that occurs at sunset during bat season. While many tourists flock to the Capitol Bridge to see the exodus, Four Seasons’ guests can watch from inside the hotel or wander to the hike-and-bike trail for a close-up view and informational kiosks that explain all about the bats. Indoorsy types will also delight in the lending library that features literary works about Texas.

(+) Nearby Sixth Street corridor offers many entertainment options, while on-site pool, lake, spa, and more provides additional recreation and relaxation

Dining & Lounge: Four Seasons Hotel Austin

The hotel has three options for dining--The Café, the Lobby Lounge, or room service. There’s also a chef’s table in the kitchen that can be booked for private parties.

The Mobil Four-Star The Café overlooks the lake and offers al fresco dining on a Texas-style back porch with tables decked out with sunflowers and country touches. Food is contemporary American with some Texas touches, yet the chef specializes in vegetarian dishes.

The brunch, for which the hotel is famous, features a griddle station, a carving station, a salad station, a seafood station, a selection of potato and egg dishes, made-to-order eggs, and a number of savory dishes, as well as a dessert buffet and unlimited champagne.

Although I didn’t take advantage of room service during this visit, in-room dining features a wide selection of standard fare and dishes from the menu at The Café.

(+) Three dining options, including fine cuisine at the Mobil Four-Star, The Café.

Business Services: Four Seasons Hotel Austin

Around-the-clock services include translation services, and personal assistants to take care of business errands or follow through on details.

The hotel is wired for Wi-Fi so guests can work at computers anywhere on the grounds. Rooms can be fitted with fax machines and/or computers if requested ahead of time.

The business center is well-equipped with computers, secretarial services, and other amenities for any guests or business travelers who need to get work done on the road.

Meeting space is extensive with meeting rooms on the lobby and lake levels of the property. Six ballrooms are also available for large groups or can be divided into smaller spaces. Total function space available exceeds 18,000 square feet.

Additionally, each of the seven executive floors has its own 464-square-foot boardroom, equipped with a long wooden conference table, high leather chairs, elegant chandeliers, and a leather blotter at each place setting. The rooms also have wired or wireless, high-speed e-mail, and Internet access.

(+) Ideal locale and plenty of amenities for business travelers