5 Kai Forbath Authentic Jersey hippest boutique hotels in Austin

It's no secret that Austin, the city formerly known as a town, is big business these days. Besides hosting South by Southwest, Formula 1 and the Austin City Limits music festival, the city has a thriving economy, along with a fast growing population and tourism industry that boasts some 20 million visitors annually.

To keep up, the city's hotel scene is booming, too, and it's poised to reach fever pitch next year with several large scale projects in the works. Marriott will build a 1,012 room, 34 story convention hotel on East 2nd Street; and the 326 room Westin Austin Downtown will be completed. A 50 story FairmontHotel is expected to bow at Red River and East Cesar Chavez streets in 2016.

In Austin's pre skyscraper days, however, smaller stay over spots evocative of the city's quirkier, homespun past such as the 76 year old Austin Motel, located along the hip strip South Congress Avenue were forebears of this boutique hotel bonanza.

Here are five of the trendiest boutique hotels in the "Live Music Capital of the World."In burgeoning East http://www.redskinsonlineprostore.com/WOMENS-BRANDON-MERIWEATHER-JERSEY.html Austin, where restaurants and bars sprout like wildflowers, lives this seven room hotel built out from a two bedroom, one bath '20s Craftsman bungalow.

Open just two years, Kathy Setzer and George Reynolds' Heywood is a study in small batch hospitality, with a fine eye for design. From the street it still looks like a house, right down to the homey porch with hanging basket chairs. Inside, the space opens to a soaring 30 foot lobby with original wood floors and Mid century modern furniture. Upstairs the rooms in the added on portion of the hotel spread out across a communal deck, and Aldrick Robinson Limited Jersey king patio rooms come with their own mini porch. You also will encounter a mixture of textures with punches of color, perhaps in the form of a two tone velvet chair or graphic wallpaper. It all feels cleanly chic, as does the spacious, sky lit bathroom with a deep tub.

Free parking, free bicycles and free WiFi add to the smart, locavore ethos of the place, as does artwork by local artists and bespoke furniture. In fact, the same craft philosophy that people are putting into cocktails and food, said co owner Setzer, is what she hopes resonates in the hotel. "A real neighborhood place that feels warm and genuine," she said. "An extension of your experience in the city."

Added bonus: Some of the hottest restaurants in the city are within walking distance, including Qui by "Top Chef" winner and Uchi alum Paul Qui, and Italian newbie Bufalina. The owners and Heywood staff are happy to make their own informed recommendations on where to go to maximize an authentic Austin Aldrick Robinson Jersey experience.

Vitals: Rates from $179 per night. 1609 E.

Hotel Kai Forbath Jersey Ella

In September, the former Mansion at Judges Hill downtown reopened as Hotel Ella. It also debuted an updated look.

Working with architect Michael Hsu (who designed Uchi in Houston, among other high profile hospitality projects), Hotel Ella utilizes its rich history built in 1898, the Greek Revival style mansion was once owned by Ella and Goodall Wooten to glamorous aplomb. The column rich veranda out front beckons even on a cool night, as does the lobby with its crown moulding and perky seating areas.

The original three story historic mansion portion of the hotel has nine rooms, all uniquely sized with Carrara marble clad bathrooms, large wardrobes and stately furnishings, such as a mustard yellow, tufted velvet settee. It also holds the hotel's buzzed about Goodall's restaurant on the ground floor, as well as a Deco feeling, navy hued bar with craft cocktails. (Try the dangerously easy to drink West Campus Mule made with ginger beer and Deep Eddy vodka.)

Behind the main building is an annex with 38 rooms, all wrapped around the pool and pebbled sculpture garden starring artwork from Austin's Umlauf family. (Can't miss the life sized sculpture of a naked Farrah Fawcett.) The hotel is a popular event space, especially for weddings, capable of hosting parties of more than 200 people.

Hotel Ella's owners a group of more than a dozen investors, some from Houston also broke ground on a second property on South Congress Avenue. Hotel SoCo, according to manager Nik Fioretti, will have a hipper vibe, per its location, and have about 90 rooms with several restaurants and bars. It is expected to debut around fall 2015.

Vitals: Rates from $199 redskinsonlineprostore.com/WOMENS-LOGAN-PAULSEN-JERSEY.html per night.

Lone Star Court

The newest of this bunch, Lone Star Court is an upscale, modern spin on the old school motor court concept. Owned by Valencia Group, whose portfolio includes Houston's Hotel Sorella and Hotel Valencia in San Antonio, and designed by Houston based Lauren Rottet of Rottet Studio, it opened December 24 in the Domain shopping district in northwest Austin.

There are 123 rooms total, mostly crisply decorated standard kings. Retro touches include fully stocked Smeg refrigerators, vintage inspired furniture and a sliding barnyard door separating the bathroom and bedroom. Outside, the rooms span several floors and wood rich, lodge like buildings, with orange rocking chairs in front of each. Most look out to the large, central courtyard, outfitted with firepits and a lagoon style pool, as well as a covered area where you might catch a live band performing.

The hotel's full service bar and restaurant, the Watering Trough, helmed by chef Paul Nelson, is a soaring, wood wrapped space with a cozy fireplace, craft beer and cocktails and Texas inspired dishes (think bean free chili and spicy shoestring fries) plus communal bench seating that opens via garage doors to the pool area. It's open late. The Feed Store, an on site food truck, dishes out quick plates such as breakfast tacos and Frito pie all day.

Vitals: Rates from $149 per night. Their slick, five room hotel tucked away on a hilly Travis Heights street behind the Continental Club continues to be a smash hit.

There's a lot to love: The three white bright rooms, two spacious suites and common room jut around a leafy courtyard, creating a quiet, home away from home respite from the hub bub on South Congress a block away. The keyless entry system (guests are given a pin code); furniture that's frills free but high end, including Arne Jacobsen and Eames chairs; and pristine, sky blue tiled bathrooms with Malin Goetz bath products add allure.

The duo is expanding with a larger hotel in the Rainey Street District, set to break ground soon. Rainey will have 30 rooms, including eight suites, across three floors. It will still be a self serve concept (pin entry, common areas on each floor) and keep with the original's design style (sleek, minimal and a warm Mid century feel), but that they'll add features such as an outdoor pool and a cocktail lounge with a high end bar menu. Working again with architect Burton Baldridge, Cavendish is particularly excited about the structure. "Something Austin hasn't seen before," said Cavendish, noting that the facade "undulates." Expect an opening date at the end of 2015.

Hotel Saint Cecilia

Few hoteliers have an effortless design touch quite like Austin's reigning Queen of Cool, Liz Lambert, whose other properties include the nearby Hotel San Jose, as well as Hotel Havana in San Antonio and El Cosmico, the Airstream trailer and yurt filled compound in Marfa. But the Saint Cecilia, set back among enormous oak trees on a quiet street in Travis Heights, is indubitably her most luxurious project.