PRETTY & PROPER
Described as uncommon luxury, the Proper Hotel in Austin’s buzzy Second Street District is an immersive art-forward experience. The 238 rooms and suites were designed by interior power brand Kelly Wearstler and feature décor and furniture by local artists. Upgrade to one of five suite types for residential-style amenities like living and dining rooms, built-in wet bars, furnished terraces, and massive marble bathrooms with walk-in showers and deep soaking tubs. The calendar of events is stacked, from yoga sessions and wine tastings to sunset DJ sets on the pool deck, plus arguably Austin’s best afternoon tea service. Be sure to nab a reservation on The Peacock’s outdoor patio to feast on plates of wood-fired octopus and beef tartare amid views of Shoal Creek. properhotel.com
CAVIAR TASTE
The Fairmont Hotel’s premier not-so-best kept secret is a swanky champagne, caviar, and cigar lounge tucked away on the 7th floor. Dubbed Room 725, the semi-private lounge is only open on Friday and Saturday nights and offers one of the fanciest dates in town. The champagne flights aren’t cheap (the “High-End” trio rings in at $240 per person), but feature rare vintages that pair perfectly with plates of Golden Osetra or Golden Kaluga. The “clear Havanas” cigar selection is particularly impressive, culled from a single private collection from before the Cuban Trade Embargo was imposed in 1962. Guests are serenaded by a lounge singer and pianist as they nibble black truffle croquettes in their designer best. fairmont-austin.com/dine/room-725
MAGIC AT MIRAVAL
Tucked into the folds of Texas Hill Country and a short drive from city center, Miraval Austin is a sprawling wellness retreat designed to detoxify the body and soul. The grounds are stunning, spread over 220 acres, with 170 undeveloped, providing the perfect backdrop for wandering aimlessly among juniper trees. All-inclusive meals are fresh and healthy think garden beet salad with mole verde, hempseed meatballs made from black beans, pumpkin, and jackfruit, and a fresh catch of the day topped with turnip puree. Each of the 117 rooms on the property features private outdoor space with sweeping vistas of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (a few even boast outdoor showers), along with healing amenities like meditation channels, Tibetan singing bowls and meditation cushions, and Miraval’s signature cloud-like bedding. Fill your days with a range of wellness activities, from forest bathing to meditation floating, plus a full suite of spa treatments. miravalresorts.com
WINE AND SWINE
A love letter to regional farms and purveyors, the seasonal tasting menu at the Michelin-awarded Barley Swine is a carnival of flavor. For spring, the eight-course voyage begins with cured hiramasa with aromatic shiitake oil, then winds through generous renditions of turnips, white fish mousse, and blackened cod before landing on carnitas with sweet potato mole and 30-day dry-aged ribeye. It’s a heartier prix fixe, but Texas wouldn’t have it any other way. Diners can add supplemental dishes like Black River caviar, smoked beef rib, and shiitake dumplings, and all journeys end with the house’s decadent sunchoke olive oil cake. You can even take half a dozen brown butter chocolate cookies home as a sweet souvenir. barleyswine.com
FIRE UP THE GRILL
Texans take barbecue seriously, so much so that when the Michelin guide expanded to the Lone Star state last year, four BBQ joints earned a coveted star. LeRoy and Lewis was one of the exalted recipients, a cult favorite among locals since it debuted as a humble food truck in 2017. In 2024, the owners – led by pit master Evan LeRoy moved into their permanent digs in Garrison Park. Housed in a 5,000-square-foot glazed brick warehouse with plenty of outdoor seating, LeRoy and Lewis is famed for the chef’s “new school” approach to BBQ. All meat is sourced from Texas ranchers and includes brisket, beef cheeks, tri-tip, pulled whole hog, pork hop sausage, and more, plus vegetarian-friendly options like cauliflower burnt ends and miso-glazed carrots. leroyandlewisbbq.com