The patio at Thompson Austin's newly-opened Arriba Abajo rooftop cantina
With a prime downtown location, spacious residential suites with fully-stocked kitchens, a lively new cantina, and one of the best rooftop pools in the city, there’s a lot to love about the stylish Thompson Austin.
Thompson Austin
Location
On the corner of 5th and San Jacinto, in the heart of Downtown Austin’s lively music and entertainment district
Guest rooms are decorated in neutral tones with pops of forest green
Number of Rooms & Suites
239, including 14 suites and 17 residential Upper Stories suites
Thompson Austin
What to Know
Thompson Austin opened in 2022 along with the adjoined tommie Austin, its more affordable sister brand. While the rooms at Thompson are larger and more luxe, tommie is geared towards a slightly younger traveler looking for all of the style without all the square footage and amenities of the most established Thompson brand (meaning virtual check-in, and a coffee shop instead of a traditional lobby.)
The Austin location is one of just two Thompson properties in the country to offer both hotels in one conjoined space.
Also of note: while the hotel doesn’t offer an on-site spa, they can arrange for services like in-room massages.
Lobby
Architecture and Decór
The architecture of this LEED Silver Certified property is sleek and contemporary. Interiors in the lobby and guest rooms lean masculine, dark, moody, and slick — with a hip mix of ultramodern lighting fixtures, concrete walls, modern furnishings, and edgy art.
4th-floor rooftop pool
The hotel's 6,700-square-foot fitness center
Highlights
- Scene-y rooftop pool with panoramic city views
- Prime location in the heart of downtown Austin
- Residential Upper Stories suites with full kitchens, living rooms, laundry, and VIP amenities
- 6,700-square-foot fitness center
Residential Upper Stories suites boast full kitchens, living rooms, and laundry units
Rooms & Suites
212 guest rooms and suites are decorated in tasteful neutrals accented by headboards and leather couches in deep forest green, gold fixtures, and marble tables. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the city skyline, and bathrooms are generously sized.
One of 17 residential suites
The property also offers 17 apartment-style Upper Stories suites ranging from studios to two bedrooms, with the largest spanning 1,200 square feet. With full kitchens stocked with all the basics and in-unit washers and dryers, these residential suites are perfect for longer stays, or for families or groups looking to spread out. They also come with VIP perks like priority reservations, dog walking and daycare, floral services, and a dedicated concierge.
Guests in residential suites benefit from fully-stocked refrigerators and the option to order meal ... [+]
You can even order pre-cooked meal kits in advance, so that dinner like crowd-pleasing Tex-Mex fajitas with guac, queso, and all the sides and fixings are waiting for you in your fridge upon check-in, along with simple instructions for reheating.
Mexican-inspired fare at Arriba Abajo
Dining & Drinks
In addition to room service, and meal kits delivery for the residential suites, the Thompson has several other drink and dining options on-site.
On the ground floor, guests can get their morning or afternoon caffeine fix at a coffee shop led by Austin-based Greater Goods Coffee Co.
The main level also houses two options from James Beard Award-winning chef Mashama Bailey: The Grey Market offers casual grab-and-go fare and an old-school dining counter, while The Diner Bar serves up seafood options like oysters on the half shell, crab dip, shrimp toast — plus revamped Southern classics like corn pudding, turnip cakes with bacon jam, rabbit dirty rice, and chocolate benne bars topped with peanut ice cream and tawny Port.
Poolside cocktails
At the just-opened Arriba Abajo cantina on the fourth floor, diners can sip on margaritas and tuck into plates of casual Mexican-inspired fare while they take in the expansive rooftop deck, pool, and cityscape. Highlights from the lunch and dinner menus include Mexican street corn salad, ahi crudo with mango-habanero salsa, tacos stuffed with carne asada or locally foraged mushrooms, whole roasted branzino with nopal salad and salsa verde, and sizzling fajitas with carnitas or chicken pibil.
The drinks menu has all the cervezas, customizable ranch waters, and margs you’d want to quench your Texas-sized thirst — plus frozen drinks like the tequila-spiked Café Frio (inspired by the espresso martini), large-format cocktails made for sharing like the Fiesta Fresca (tequila, mezcal, papaya, and other tropical fruits), and an extensive list of zero-proof cocktails, including the Bebida Morada (NA tequila, prickly pear, lime, and coconut milk).
Guests can also sneak behind Arriba Abajo’s paned glass doors and curtains to visit Tambien mezcaleria, where guests can sample and learn about 30 distinct expressions of the trendy Mexican spirit.
The kitchen in an Upper Stories suite
Who It’s Best For
- Friend groups
- Solo travelers
- Couples
- Business travelers, including remote workers
- Those in town for SXSW, Austin Film Festival, Hot Luck Food & Music Festival, Austin City Limits, Austin Food & Wine Festival, or one of the city’s other big annual events
Rooftop pool
Other Notable Services & Amenities
- Valet parking
- D.S. & DURGA toiletries
- STAYCAST in-room movie streaming
- Complimentary in-room coffee and tea
- Same-day laundry services
Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge
What’s Nearby
- 15 minutes from the Austin-Bergstrom Airport
- Congress Avenue and Bridge
- Nightlife on 6th Street
- Texas Capitol
- Several museums and art spaces
- Republic Square
- Austin Convention Center
Rates at the Thompson Austin start at $329/night for standard rooms, and from $599/night for residential suites. For more information or to book a stay, visit Thompson Austin.
