Hotel Magdalena

The property

Austin’s Relaxing New Retreat for Nature-Loving Travelers. Natural light beams in through large windows in each room, and naturally, the nine-hundred-square-foot pool is surrounded by a bar. It all feels like a retreat, even though South Congress Avenue is just a few steps away.

The Magdalena is also home to a restaurant, poolside bar, and several other spaces for hosting events and hanging out. The hotel is on Music Lane in the South Congress neighborhood amidst Austin’s most vibrant culture and history, overlooking downtown and the Capitol.

The neighborhood

Hotel Magdalena is located on Music Lane in the popular South Congress neighborhood of Austin, Texas. Austin is the music capital of Texas, home to The University of Texas, and the state Capitol.

The property sits at varying elevations, an homage to the slopes of Barton Springs, and the lush grounds are planted with native Texas species including Bigtooth Maples, Redbuds, Meyer Lemon Trees, Yaupon Holly, and Little Gem Magnolia.

Good to know

The hotel’s 89-rooms feature windows at both ends of the guest rooms allowing for a cross breeze and natural light at sunrise and sunset, poured concrete with exposed aggregate inspired by the river rocks of Texas, custom walnut wood built-in bed and desk, and Sferra bed linens. The hotel rooms feature desk inlays, Santa & Cole lamps, and Spanish tile in four colorways – red, blue, yellow, or green. Bath amenities are from Sangre de Fruta in a custom Hotel Magdalena scent with notes of neroli, tobacco, magnolia, and cedar. A fragrance of the same scent can be found in the lobby shop.

Hotel Magdalena's full-service restaurant, Summer House on Music Lane, offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between – enjoy our culinary garden views with our weekday happy hour, or lively brunch available on the weekend.

The story

In the mid-1950s and 1960s, the Terrace Motor Hotel sat on the same location as the Hotel Magdalena and the Hotel Saint Cecilia. As one of Austin’s premier mid-century motor lodges, it boasted over 300 rooms and the ritzy Summer House, a pool-side restaurant with lounge musical acts, which was the inspiration for the name Summer House on Music Lane and a design cue for the restaurant’s douglas fir open grid ceiling structure and outdoor feel. The design of the 89-room hotel pays homage to the local lake house ethos of the early 1970’s, situated amongst rolling grounds and natural beauty inspired by Texas.

This 14-acre stretch off South Congress spanning five city blocks and including the Terrace Motor Hotel, eventually came to be owned by legendary musician Willie Nelson. In the 70s, he started Austin Opry House, a famous 1,700 seat music venue, and also built apartments for musicians and traveling road crew. A regular Austin Opry House photographer, Scott Newton, provided his iconic images to Hotel Magdalena – for the hotel rooms and for the common spaces as well. Additionally, the Austin History Center was mined for archival content from this moment in time.

The people behind the property

Hotel Magdalena is a hotel project from Austin’s acclaimed Bunkhouse in collaboration with renowned architecture firm Lake | Flato, located on Music Lane in the popular South Congress neighborhood of Austin. Bunkhouse has a reputation for building memorable experiences that offer more than just a good night's sleep and a great cup of coffee. Passion for design, tireless attention to detail and a commitment to creating authentic culture have earned our properties a unique place in the hearts and minds of those who visit us. Our work is rooted in the communities in which we exist, and we believe above all else in creating an awareness of and connection to a sense of place in all that we do.

Our success is best measured by the loyalty of our guests, employees, stakeholders, vendors and partners, and we are proud to see those meaningful connections translate into a thriving business. We at Bunkhouse are proud to build businesses with soul. It's not only the right thing to do, and the most fun – it's sustainable, profitable and scalable.

Dogs are always welcome.