Hotel Saint Cecilia

"Before I go further here, I would like to stress how beautifully ornamented this hotel is, and how fantastic the location is. It is a stunning property, with a beautiful, quirky aesthetic and it is just off of SoCo (but thankfully, absent of crowds). The lounge is cozy and pleasant to hang out in. There were a few small thoughtful touches that we all appreciated, like a personal note welcoming us. The daytime staff were mostly kind and welcoming, and all the staff tried to be responsive to our fairly basic requests, but we felt strongly that they simply didn't have the resources (materially or otherwise) to meet very basic necessities, nor basic comforts that we expect from a hotel of this class. At night, it felt like there was a shortage of trained, equipped hospitality staff around, even on the weekends! Further, the amenities felt limited, as the pool was not cleaned (it was heated, however) and there were no activities happening over the weekend we stayed. Mostly importantly (and as I was surprised to see mentioned in a few other reviews from nearly a year ago in 2023), even getting extra blankets and a comforter for the sofa and rollaway bed in the Poolside Bungalow felt like a challenge, and we were told that they simply didn't have enough to accommodate our group (although it was eventually resolved, to the staff's credit for going out of their way to find some for us late at night after a bit of frustration on both of our parts). The Poolside Bungalow was supposed to comfortably accommodate all four of us on our girl's trip, and while the bed was mostly lovely, the couch and the rollaway bed were simply inadequate for the other two guests in our group. Springs noticeably stuck out of it! For this price, we had much greater expectations for basic comforts, particularly for the comfort of the supplemental sleeping arrangements, and for the the adequacy of the bedding (it was particularly cold over the weekend we stayed). Simply providing a foam pad on the rollaway and extra blankets and/or duvets in the closet for guests to use at their will would be a marked improvement! Had we known that the additional sleeping spaces would not be adequately comfortable, we would have simply opted to book two separate rooms instead. Perhaps this space should not be marketing to groups of over two people (as we are not even nearly the first to mention this in reviews?). A few other space issues to note that are not critical, but that did not meet our expectations for comfort in a hotel of this class; 1) The shades are not blackout, and lights on the porch are left on all night, so sleeping in the living area was challenging for light sensitive sleepers (all four of us, unfortunately); 2) Simple, basic amenities like a hot water kettle and/or a coffee maker would be such a value-add for most of us, and with very little overall cost to the hotel; 3) Drinking water should be free and provided each day for each guest at no additional cost!; 4) Less importantly, a full length mirror would improve the functionality of the space; 5) And lastly, there were so many beautifully curated but high-priced mini bar items, but no free drinking water or tea. I would even pay for the tea bags in theory, but it just felt so petty to charge $10 for a fancy toothbrush or for bottled water when we had paid so much for the room. It feels like hospitality 101- minimally meet but ideally exceed your customer's most basic expectations! In short, a beautiful concept and great location that didn't deliver on comfort or service expectations on the whole."

"This is my favorite place to stay! Staff is always super friendly and accommodating. The place is gorgeous great food and great location."

"Left feeling refreshed and inspired. Exactly what a vacation should do. Cannot wait for another opportunity to visit Austin with the goal of staying at Suite #3 in Hotel Saint Cecilia."

"Awesome! Just missing a coffee maker in room in my opinion, but other than that staff is great, location is perfect with free on the street parking. Pool is quiet and neat. We’ll go back !"

"Great little boutique hotel in the SoCo neighborhood. Walking distance to amazing restaurants, shops and beautiful streets. The hotel grounds and pool are gorgeous, tons of old growth live oaks creating yummy shade in the heat of the day. The rooms are nicely appointed and the service incredibly hospitable. The only downside we had was a non-functioning fridge, but the staff were kind and allowed us to store our goods in the bar fridge. The price is on the higher side, although generally we had a four-star hotel experience. All in all a nice stay!"