Eco-Conscious 1 Hotel Opens in Austin's New Skyscraper

Built where Waller Creek meets Lady Bird Lake, the 252-room 1 Hotel Austin, an environmentally friendly property, is now open in the tallest skyscraper in Texas. It's the first property in the state from the sustainability-driven luxury lifestyle brand that was founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, chair of Starwood Capital.

The hotel is especially welcome in the city, considering that a new Austin Convention Center currently is under construction, and hotels are critical for the city's events infrastructure until the new facility opens in 2029.

Part of the 74-story Waterline, the hotel anchors a mixed-use development that aims to turn the Rainey Street District into a thriving gateway between downtown and Austin's parklands.

"Opening in Austin is a milestone for 1 Hotels," said Sternlicht. “Few cities have been able to grow with the confidence Austin has while holding onto the qualities that make it special: its creativity, independent spirit, welcoming character and extraordinary natural beauty. 1 Hotels' DNA is about celebrating nature and healthy and sustainable living; this location is perfect for us — set in the heart of the city, alongside Waller Creek, overlooking the Waterloo Greenway, and steps from the [10-mile] trail around Lady Bird Lake. The connection between nature and urban life is our perfect site.”

Design from nature

Materials such as locally quarried limestone, oak and reclaimed wood have been used throughout. More than 4,000 plants representing over 30 species, along with a living plant wall, bring the Central Texas landscape indoors. The lobby is intentionally residential rather than formal, an airy space with soaring wood ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows.

The accommodations — including 60 suites — feature woven textiles, oat-colored fabrics, handcrafted textures and lush greenery. Bathrooms have a spa-like appearance, with stone vanities and natural finishes. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of Lady Bird Lake, Waller Creek or the downtown skyline.

The in-room amenities focus on wellness and sustainability with filtered-water taps, reusable glassware made from recycled wine bottles, cotton robes and slippers, yoga mats, and Bamford organic bath amenities.

Destination dining

Three food-and-beverage venues are available at 1 Hotel Austin, all using ingredients sourced from Texas farms and producers, and chefs are encouraged to find creative uses for ingredients that might otherwise go to waste.

Alteño comes from James Beard Award–nominee chef Johnny Curiel, whose Denver restaurants, Alma Fonda Fina and Mezcaleria Alma, both hold Michelin stars. The menu weaves in flavors of Mexico's Jalisco Highlands, where Curiel grew up, serving fire-cooked meats, seafood-forward plates and heritage flavors. The bar has a large selection of distilled Mexican spirits, including more than 40 mezcals, as well as additive-free tequilas, raicilla, sotol and ancient corn whiskey.

"The meals I remember most from growing up were spent around the fire with family and friends, sharing food and staying at the table long after we had finished eating," said Curiel. "At Alteño, I want guests to feel like they have been welcomed into our home, where plates are passed, drinks are poured, and everyone has a place at the table."

At street level, Neighbors Café and Wine Bar opens onto the lobby as well as out into the neighborhood. Offering everything from breakfast to cocktails and small plates, the cafe is ready for shifts from day into evening. Music also is central to the experience, with a vinyl soundtrack setting the mood.

Following its debut at 1 Hotel South Beach, Watr in Austin is the second location of the rooftop bar-and-restaurant concept. Sixteen stories above the city with views of the skyline and Lady Bird Lake, Watr presents inventive cocktails, Japanese-inspired cuisine, and a social calendar that stretches from laid-back afternoons by the rooftop pool to DJ sets and monthly Full Moon parties. The menu is sharable, with tasting flights of signature hand rolls, a raw bar, and an interactive Binchotan charcoal experience to prepare chutoro tuna tableside.

Spaces made for gathering

For groups, 1 Hotel Austin offers more than 10,000 square feet of event space. The 14th floor includes a 4,500-square-foot ballroom; 6,000 square feet of prefunction space with both indoor and outdoor terraces overlooking downtown and Lady Bird Lake; and three boardrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Events are supported by the brand's Certified Sustainable Gatherings program, which helps groups reduce unnecessary waste through responsible sourcing, lower-impact menus, reusable serviceware, donation practices and operational planning tailored to each event.

Wellness matters

The hotel features a dedicated wellness floor with a spacious fitness center that opens onto a terrace overlooking the Austin skyline and Lady Bird Lake. Guests can join classes hosted at the yoga studio.

Bamford Wellness Spa is an organic, sustainable facility designed by Carole Bamford. The spa offers six private treatment rooms, a dedicated couples suite with a steam shower, locker rooms and relaxation areas. The design draws inspiration from the bathhouses and cabins of the Texas Hill Country.

Further design and sustainability initiatives

The art collection celebrates Austin's natural environment and architectural history, spotlighting works by artists and makers from Texas and beyond. For instance, artist Nate Page used the imprint of a historic Rainey Street bungalow to create an installation that unfolds across the corridors on the 10 guest-room floors; at Neighbors Café and Wine Bar, Christian Kasperkovitz created a mural using pigments made with clay collected from Waller Creek.

The property is pursuing LEED Gold certification and incorporates responsibly sourced wood, natural stone, reusable glassware and other durable materials as part of the brand's commitment to reducing waste while creating beautiful, enduring spaces. Thousands of native and climate-appropriate species fill the indoor and outdoor spaces, supporting biodiversity and local pollinators. An on-site apiary, built and cared for in partnership with Keeper's Harvest, supplies the honey featured at Neighbors.

Sustainability in the rooms is seen in the key cards made from FSC-certified wood, the stone "Not Now" door signs, recycled-paper hangers, seed-paper amenity cards and in-room chalkboards that replace disposable notepads. Through the 1 Less Thing program, guests can leave behind gently used clothing for donation to Thrift-ish, which provides clothes to the unhoused.

Behind the scenes, the hotel works with the Foodprint Group on waste-reduction across its food-and-beverage operations, and with Texas Disposal Systems to manage recycling, composting and waste diversion across the property.