Hotel
Saint Cecilia
The neon-adorned Victorian mansion may have a strict don’t ask,
don’t tell policy, but we’ve heard that bands like Radiohead and
Green Day stay here when passing through town. Tucked away in
Austin’s historic Travis Heights neighborhood, the hip, colorful
palace is an obvious choice of lodging for musicians and fans alike.
NEED MORE CONVINCING? HOTEL ST. CECILIA SPILLS THE BEANS.
Clockwise from top left: Allison V. Smith; Casey Dunn; Casey Dunn; Tenaya Hills; Allison V. Smith
THE “IT” HOTEL
We think the seclusion of the
property is a big draw. It really
feels like you are in this kind of
hideaway, surrounded by lush
grounds, which feels a million
miles away but it’s right in the
heart of the city. And the intimate size of the hotel makes it
feel a bit like guests have the run
of the place — it’s easy to pretend
that it’s your private estate for
a while. Service is a huge part
of what makes the experience
special. With only 14 rooms, we
have the luxury of tailoring the
experience to each guest.
A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
How many hotel pools have a
SOUL neon sign overlooking
them? We spend a lot of time on
little details; one example is our
custom robes – both the fabric
and the robe design are custom
made for us, which is rare. Our
in-room spa minibars featuring
bathing and body care products
from Santa Maria Novella seems
to be another well-loved detail of
the hotel as well.
NO NEED TO NAME NAMES,
BUT...
We’ve had a few pretty amazing
private events – the time Emmylou
Harris played on the front porch, the
time Sam Beam (of Iron and Wine)
and Devandra Banhart played for a
small audience on picnic blankets
under the big oak tree. In terms of
crazy guest stays, we did have a
group host a mini Burning Man party
in Suite 4 and they built an effigy and
burnt it in the firepit.
THE BEST ROOM
We get a lot of requests for Suites
1 and 4. Both offer a lot of sleeping
and social space. Suite 1 has a
private outdoor shower and Suite 4
has a big backyard and fire pit. But
of course, every guest is different
and we have a lot of return guests
who have developed an attachment
to a particular room – in fact some of
them refer to them as “my room.” We
consider that a huge success, when
a guest feels a sense of propriety
about the hotel.
IN THE GIFT SHOP...
Our limited edition Roux.
St. James perfumes contain
essences of flowers culled from
the hotel’s gardens. They offer
a way to actually take some of
the Saint Cecilia home with you.
We love the collaborations we do
with Cambria Handmade (leather
goods) and other great designers.
CULTURE COLLIDE . 83