Austin, TX
Central Texas hotels hold their ground on Michelin’s new best stays list
As the Michelin Guide — famous for its restaurant ratings expressed in “stars” — hands out its “keys” to Texas’ best hotels, Austin and San Antonio are doing almost exactly as well as they did last year. That’s nothing to scoff at in Austin; eight hotels have maintained their place on the prestigious list, which is not guaranteed. In San Antonio, one hotel holds onto the city’s claim to Michelin fame, and even gained a higher ranking than before.
In 2024, the world-renowned Michelin Guide published its first-ever North American “Michelin Key” selection. Then there were 288 total hotels across the United States, Mexico, and Canada; this year on Wednesday, October 8, Michelin added 37 hotels nationwide to the list, now totaling more than 300. The classifications are awarded based on anonymous stays or visits by the Michelin Guide’s inspection team, and previous praise is not taken into consideration.
One Austin business did get an extra boost among those 37. Bunkhouse Hotels, the group behind many of Austin’s best boutique stays, opened its first Houston hotel in late 2024. Called Hotel Saint Augustine, it earned one key, deeming it “a very special stay.” Like stars, keys denote more greatness the higher the number goes, capping out at a perfect three.
Since Central Texas’ hotels are not new on the list, they did not receive new write-ups on the list linked above. However, for travelers who want to experience the best regardless of newness, here they are.
Austin, two keys:
Austin, one key:
With the same number of keys as in 2024, the Commodore Perry Estate is as stately as ever. Austinites are likely the most familiar with Lutie’s, the beautiful on-site restaurant draped in plants and offering up impeccable seasonal dishes.
“California’s Auberge Collection, now a global family, are known for their tasteful luxury and for their variety — and the Commodore Perry Estate, set on ten acres of land in urban Austin, Texas, is unique by any standard,” the resort’s Michelin Guide profile says. “It’s a Twenties mansion and satellite buildings in Italianate and Spanish Revival styles, and it’s all been brought entirely up to date by the expert hospitality designer Ken Fulk. The result sacrifices none of the estate’s throwback atmosphere, but brings it up to a 21st-century standard; like everything Auberge touches, it’s the very picture of modern boutique luxury.”
San Antonio, two keys:
This historic landmark adds another feather to its cap — or key to its ring — becoming one of only three stays in Texas awarded a second key. The third two-key hotel is Fort Worth’s Bowie House, which is also part of the Auberge Resorts Collection. That does make Hotel Emma the only two-key hotel in Texas that is full Texas-owned (Silver Ventures, Inc.) and operated (Woodbine Development Corporation).
Hotel Emma’s write-up is much longer (and more colorful) than Commodore Perry’s.
“Let it never be said that South Texans don’t know the meaning of luxury; besides Frette linens, Malin + Goetz bath amenities, and 48-inch HDTVs, a slew of tough-to-replicate touches elevate the experience far beyond the norm,” says a portion of the profile. “Dark-wood and aged bronze accents. Freestanding, clawfoot tubs. Seersucker robes by Dos Carolinas. Spanish porcelain. Mesquite-furnished terraces with Redondo tile. If, upon opening the bespoke armoire, you’re not charmed by the wealth of upscale eats and signature margarita makings in the ‘icebox,’ we don’t quite know what to tell you.”
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) received a $10,000 donation and 30 pet beds on Thursday.
The donation was from Robert Thiele, an Amazon delivery driver and owner of Clark Courier Services, which was named in honor of his late bulldog, Clark, who passed away this spring after a battle with cancer.
“I named Clark Courier Services after Clark because just like our drivers, he delivered smiles every single day. In a world full of best friends, Clark was the bestest,” said Thiele.
According to Amazon, the donated pet beds were given a second life through Amazon Re:Turn, which repurposes textiles from customer returns that could not be resold or donated.
-
Amazon delivers $10,000 donation and pet beds to APA! (KXAN photo/Tim Holcomb)
As a surprise for Thiele, APA! unveiled memorial plaques dedicated to Clark on shelter kennels, which were inscribed with his name and the words “forever delivering.”
“Our Delivery Service Partners are local, small business owners embedded in the communities they serve. Robert’s been delivering in Austin for nearly seven years, and he’s not just moving packages. He’s showing up for the people, the pets, and the neighborhoods around him. That’s what this program is about,” said Emma Crowley, Amazon spokesperson. “Today, we got to give a little back to someone who has and will continue to give so much to others.”
Almost one year ago today, the Texas Longhorns found themselves in the losers’ bracket of their own regional, falling to the No. 3 seed UTSA Roadrunners in the 2025 Austin Regional.
For just a brief moment, it looked as if history was going to repeat itself once again, as the No. 3-seeded Tarleton State Texans got another chance at an upset, beating the Longhorns back in the regular season, 6-1, at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
But today, history was not going to repeat itself — the team that the Texans saw in the regular season was a different animal than the iteration in the winners’ bracket. Under another furious day at the plate for Texas, and an outstanding night on the mound for Dylan Volantis, Texas was not going to fall into the losers’ bracket for a second consecutive year.
“Obviously that guy on the mound, he’s one of the best pitchers, if not the best pitcher in college baseball for a reason,” said Tarleton State head coach Fuller Smith about Volantis. “We didn’t do a very good job, and I don’t know if we would beat anybody tonight, to be honest.”
Longhorns Look Unstoppable
If the past two days proved anything, Texas is playing its best baseball at the most crucial time of the season — in all three fronts of the game.
After a poor showing in the Southeastern Conference tournament by the Longhorns’ top three hitters. Aiden Robbins, Carson Tinney, and Anthony Pack Jr. have carried the brunt of the Texas offense in the postseason.
In the second inning alone, the trio rocketed three straight home runs to put the Texans down an early 6-0 hole, a deficit they would not come out of.
“I remember when I stepped on home plate [Anthony] Pack Jr. greeted me at home,” Tinney said. I looked at him, I was like, ‘It’s your turn now.’ And then two pitches later, he sent one out.”
Defensively, the Longhorns’ outfield, which struggled trying to find the right combination, has finally found the right grouping in Robbins, Pack Jr., and Dariyan Pendergrass.
Robbins and Pendergrass both were able to come up with deep fly ball grabs in the past two games. In the infield, missing core member Ethan Mendoza at second base, nonetheless, has yet to skip a beat.
“Pendergrass is a pretty veteran player, he’s been around the block a few times in college baseball,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “Aiden has been a great teammate — Pack [Jr.] has improved greatly over the course of time.”
However, the real star of the regional so far has been the dominance on the mound from starters Luke Harrison and Volantis.
In the regional defining game, Volantis had no issue tossing up the Tarleton State order, who found great success against UC-Santa Barbara in the opening game. The sophomore pitcher lasted 6.2 innings, tossing seven strikeouts and allowing just three hits on the night.
With the giant lead by the time Volantis was pulled in the sixth inning, the Longhorns still have not used any of their premier relief arms in this regional.
“Those two innings were definitely helpful [in the SEC Tournament],” Volnatis said. “I definitely could have done the same without those two innings today.”
Texas now awaits a third rematch with Tarleton State or UC Santa Barbara and will not have to face either of their premier arms — notably Guachos pitcher Jackson Flora, a surefire first-round selection in this year’s MLB Draft.
The Longhorns will roll with Ruger Riojas tomorrow night and likely unload its best arms who have not seen action since the final regular season series against Missouri to seal up their first regional victory in three seasons.
“It’s always good to stay in the winner’s bracket and avoid those moments, but we haven’t won anything yet. We won two games,” Schlossnagle said. “I’m certainly excited about how we played to this point and yes, I’m glad we don’t have to play two tomorrow, but the tournament’s not over.”
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
AUSTIN, Texas — One person is dead but has not been identified after the Austin Police Department responded to the scene of a deceased person call in South Austin Saturday afternoon.
According to officials, a deceased person was located in a parking lot just at around 12:25 p.m. at the 4400 Block of Pack Saddle Pass after officers responded to a check welfare urgent call.
The victim was pronounced deceased at 12:36 p.m. The incident is being investigated as a suspicious death, it is not being investigated as a homicide.
ALSO: I-35 frontage road at Williams Drive reopens after rollover crash with serious injuries
The identity of the victim is still unknown, and the age and sex of the victim has not been released.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
Anyone with information that could help the investigation is encouraged to call the APD homicide unit at 512-477-3588 or APD Crimestoppers at 512-472-8477.
-
New Mexico3 minutes agoValencia County first responders busy with UTV crashes
-
North Carolina8 minutes agoSuspect seen on North Carolina camera after shooting Virginia deputies
-
North Dakota15 minutes agoMotorcyclist seriously injured in crash south of Devils Lake
-
Ohio18 minutes agoLarge police presence breaks up fight at Boardman Park
-
Oklahoma23 minutes ago
PHOTOS: NCAA Regionals vs. Oklahoma (5/31)
-
Oregon30 minutes agoSuspect in custody, shelter-in-place lifted after shooting investigation in Sandy, police say
-
Pennsylvania33 minutes agoLuzerne County Sports Hall of Fame induction June 7 at Mohegan Pennsylvania
-
Rhode Island38 minutes agoLiz McGraw Cries Revealing Unaired Details From Her and Jo-Ellen’s RHORI Clash (EXCLUSIVE) | Bravo
