| Marilyn Anderson & Dennis Lanning’s ROMANCE ON THE ROAD THE DRISKILL HOTEL
Located in the heart of downtown Austin, the Driskill Hotel is within walking distance of the Texas Capitol Building, the Convention Center, and the city’s most popular music venues. Built over 100 years ago, it is an architectural gem with intricate interior design and décor that you must spend time exploring. Entering the lobby, you feast your eyes on the dark woods and elegant marble floors that add a welcoming feeling to this large columned, glass-domed showplace. Arriving the day after Christmas, we found the hotel overflowing with holiday cheer. Prominent was a beautiful Christmas tree, festooned with hundreds of lights, Do not pass up an opportunity to spend some time in the Driskill Bar on the mezzanine, a very popular and extremely comfortable area at all times of day or night. Hard-pressed to tell whether it’s the always-kept-busy piano-bar players who rotate daily or just the natural ambiance, we frequently commented that the seats was always filling the air. We were frequent visitors ourselves, as it is hard to ignore the hoards of happy holidayers as we passed by on the way to the elevator. Or perhaps it was the giant Texas longhorn steer staring down from the wall imploring us to sit awhile? Warning: Don’t look directly into his eyes; you won’t ever want to leave! Destination Hotels & Resorts has done a top flight job in making their rooms as comfortable as possible. Climbing into bed on some of the softest linens and soothing mattress, sleep came easy. Hard, was getting up the next day as we loved This thinking extends beyond their skill as innkeepers with two especially interesting amenities they feature for children and animals. First, the “Driskill Deputy” where children checking into The Driskill are deputized with a sheriff’s badge and given an official sheriff’s certificate from Colonel Jesse Driskill, the hotel’s founder. Later, the kids are treated to cookies and milk from 1886 Café & Bakery. We liked this and tried to score some cookies for ourselves, but they weren’t fooled by our “kid,” Boomer. However, their “Pampered Pet Program” supplied him with a specially designed pet bed, complete with The Driskill Hotel logo, doggie treats, chew toy and food and water bowls. The Driskill Hotel is truly pet-friendly, pampering our pooch with their presents. He wouldn’t share his cookies with us, either! We know Austin and we love the Driskill. Having to move on, we left it, as the cowboys say, “Grinnin’ like a weasel in a hen house.” You will, too. * * * |
