Travaasa Destinations opens first hotel in Austin, Texas



Travaasa Destinations, a new collection of experiential hotels, chose Austin, Texas for the first location of their new brand.

The 70-room Travaasa Austin overlooks Lake Travis and is a half-hour drive from downtown.

Guests pay an all-inclusive rate which includes meals, daily spa treatments and as many activities as they wish. In keeping with the new brand’s five directives or “pillars,” the Austin hotel features adventure, culinary, culture, fitness and spa components with a regional and local twist.

The 70 rooms, spread across seven lodges, all feature Queen-sized beds with organic linens (a bummer, because this writer totally prefers a King). Guests can choose between Hacienda rooms, which include flat-screen TVs, or Spa Casita rooms, which are complete with yoga mats and stretching ropes, and are ideal for unplugging. All guest rooms offer a deck or patio.

“Travaasa Austin truly embraces the culture and beauty of the region from its musical history to its Western roots and allows guests to experience it in an authentic way,” said Tim Thuell, the hotel’s general manager.

%Gallery-121854%The 11 room spa, which features a hot tub, dry sauna and infinity pool, places an emphasis on both authentic local treatments and fitness. Services include body treatments, massages, facials and energy balancing services utilizing the all-natural skin care lines.

We’d book their signature massages, inspired by the music of Austin and Texas-influenced musicians, such as Willie Nelson and Janis Joplin – they come complete with a keepsake gift. Fitness offerings focus on balance, posture, core strength and flexibility, ranging from Barre Fitness to a core and thigh routine that incorporates a mechanical bull.

The dining options reflect a farm-to-table concept with Texas-fusion inspired cooking to produce dishes like a flourless chipotle chocolate cake. The wine list also features selections from organic, biodynamic and boutique winemakers in addition to some of Texas’s finest wineries.

Weekday prices start at $480 per person including accommodations, three chef-prepared meals, snacks, a daily spa service or off-property activity such as golf, and all on-property activities. A current 30% discount is being run for select dates.

Travaasa Destinations will introduce its second property, formerly the Hotel Hāna-Maui, Travaasa Hāna, in June 2011.