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Omni Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
700 San Jacinto BlvdAustin, TX 78701
Neighborhood: Downtown
(512) 476-3700
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
117 reviews for Omni Hotel
Review Highlights
"Rooftop pool is a "must check-out" (bring your shades."
(in 11 reviews)
"Cool perks for the free Select Guest program (i."
(in 10 reviews)
"A really nice touch to the hotel."
(in 9 reviews)
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117 reviews in English
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Review from Mike F.
Houston, TX
1/27/2012
I was surprised how CLOSE this hotel was from 6th street. It's literally a block away! First I was a little skeptical because the Omni on the south side of town was very let's say "under-par" for a luxury brand hotel. To my amazement I thought this place gets an A++ for service, location, and price. I would stay here again no doubt!
I also heard there was a great view of the city on the top floor but was closed by the time we heard about it. I'll have to go up next time. -
Review from Jenny L.
Tampa, FL
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
From a design standpoint, it has instant wow factor...Glass window atrium with coffee shop, bar, and restaurant in the lobby. Elevators have glass windows overlooking the lobby.
Fitness center is probably the most well stocked as far as fresh towels, weight machines, and treadmills as I have ever seen from a hotel.
Roof top pool -small but good views of the city
Location-one block from 6th street. Walking distance to everything party wise.
Mini-bar well stocked.
Self parking- 18 bucks daily.
Fully renovated rooms...Flat screen TV. Plush pillows and bedding. Plenty of towels in the bathroom. Vanity mirror as well.
But...
I could hear people walking in and out of the elevators. Of note, we were the first room in our floor off the elevators but still...
Otherwise, no complaints... Signed up for the select guest program for free and used the wifi. The hotel billed us but when we told them we were select guests they took it off the bill. Friendly check in staff. Definitely check it out if you're planning on being in the 6th street area. -
Review from Elias S.
Brooklyn, NY
1/12/2012
I booked through Hotwire which they accept, but apparently hate. I checked in and the room smelled lightly of vomit, which I ignored due to exhaustion.
Woke up the next day and told the front desk that they needed to change my room, they called me on my cell and said pls come back to the hotel at 3 to change rooms, which of course I could not do.
When I got back to the hotel at 10 (left work at 8:30 then grabbed a bite) the front desk said my room change was no longer available and that they were unsure if someone had cleaned the room or removed the shower curtain in the bathroom, which is the likely offender. They suggested that I check back tomorrow on another change...
So I went back upstairs took the curtain out and dropped it in the hall. When I called the front desk, no one answered so here we are.
My advice is to seek lodging elsewhere, but definitely come to Austin! I just think that this place is too close to 6th Street and that someone must have had a bit to good of a time the weekend before my arrival and the hotel was not running as tight a ship as it should to keep travelers happy at a level commensurate with its supposed status. -
Review from Daniel A.
Campbell, CA
1/26/2012
Great hotel with a fantastic location! Walking distance to downtown 6th street fun! The beds are very comfortable and the service is outstanding.
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Review from Whitney B.
Birmingham, AL
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
We stayed here for two nights and were quite pleased.
Pros:
The location is great. Within walking distance of the capitol building, plenty of local coffee shops and cafes, bars, restaurants. Probably plenty of things to keep someone occupied. You can even get a cup of Starbucks in the lobby.
Glass elevators that overlook the atrium. Very cool.
The room was very clean. The bed had lots of pillows and lots of covers.
The bathroom was really nice. The towels were great and actually get you dry instead of just moving around the water. And they were super large. I love big towels. And there is a vanity mirror.
Roof top pool that stays open till 11. Awesome. The view, although it's nothing of a wow factor, is still pretty cool. And at night the pointy building with the lights is really neat.
Cons:
The toiletries. For such an expensive room, I think the toiletries could be a little better. The soap was horrible. The kind where you have to rinse and rinse and rinse.
$10 bucks for wifi. Come on people. When the average rate is 200 something bucks, charging for wifi is just ridunkulus.
The bottle of water in the room...$4. That water better be infused with instant beauty and weight loss effects.
The walls for insanely thin. I could hear people talking in the hall, walking in the hall, doors opening and closing, phones ringing, you name it, you can hear it.
Parking, $18/day for self and $35/day for valet. Outrageous. AND THEY CHARGE TAX ON PARKING!!!!! WTF! The guy with the long dark hair at the parking garage exit was super nice though.
Overall I would probably say the place is 3 stars, but given the location and the roof top pool..eh I will go with 4.Listed in: Texas
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Review from Maureen C.
San Diego, CA
11/7/2011
I'm not quite sure why this place doesn't have a better rating? The rooms were large, clean, quiet. The view wasn't too shabby, and the fitness room was top-notch. Location is perfect, service was impeccable, and downtown hotel parking was a steal comparatively ($25 valet). Hotel bar/restaurant is perfect for a late lunch/snack when every other restaurant is closed in that between lunch/dinner hour.
Anyhow - one of my top choices - enjoy if you're in the area! -
Review from Nathan I.
Austin, TX
Not to sound like a floozy, but I'm pretty used to checking into hotels on the fly. So, it was a refreshing experience for Jen to provide (legitimate) accommodations for us in the city, as to avoid any later inconvenience of having to drive home after a decadent night on the town. Zero complaints from this corner.
She mentioned a couple options, but I insisted the Omni would be the most suitable choice, as it is, quite literally, across the street from St. David's Episcopal, and if we were able to wake ourselves out of a food and booze coma the next morning, my plan was to attend church for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost. I didn't want to *stumble* across the street, I just wanted to be able to leave three minutes before service began, and if we could time it correctly avoid that awkward "say hello to the person sitting next to you" part before commencement. "Hello, hi, I'm Nathan, I love Jesus, too, but I'll never remember your name..."
The front desk clerk Christine was highly professional, and friendly to boot. She said she had to regrettably inform us that only a smoking king was available. Regret?! That rocks! I was unaware hotels still did that! We discussed parking (her coworker quite helpfully informed me Kar would be towed if left overnight in the church garage; apparently my Episcopal Church sticker isn't enough to ward off those awful roving tow trucks), so we arranged for our parking pass. Jen signed up for the Omni rewards program, and we took our keys to our 17th floor room.
Before we left to swap parking garages and schlep our luggage upstairs, the extremely friendly concierge accommodated Jen's request to charge her dead iPhone behind the desk; another one was charging, but I said their case was tacky so he should replace it with Jen's. He did. Perfect.
Dear God...an ashtray by the elevator...indoors! I felt like I'd died and gone to Vegas. Our room happened to be a corner room, and provided us a decent, half-panoramic view of Austin, and St. David's across the way. Our closet was a spacious walk-in, and we were equipped with a decent bathroom and jacuzzi tub. We popped open the mini bar and mixed some strong cocktails before our evening out.
Throughout our stay, every staff member we encountered was courteous and accommodating. After the utterly atrocious service at the Adolphus, I nearly fell off the corner of the bed when someone actually brought us a bucket of ice after one call. Amazing...
The valet guys were all johnny-on-the-spot and arranged for our cabs with no hassle. I have this not-so-hidden fetish for cute valet guys, but I was too buzzed to notice if any of them were or not.
That night, we required a roll away bed for a guest, and it was brought immediately; it was also surprisingly comfortable.
Like I wrote in my status update: I woke up feeling like death, the minibar was raided, and there were two other people in my room. Success!
Breakfast in bed on Sunday morning was nice; decent pancakes, and more fresh fruit than I expected. I lobbied hard for 1% milk, and they found it for me, even though 2% is the norm. Jen was able to fit in a workout at the gym, and I was able to take a long, luxurious jacuzzi before we were off to church. As usual, we sufficiently demolished the minibar, and I enjoyed a dark chocolate Dean & Deluca bar for the long, arduous walk across the street. (I'm coming back to you Lifetime Fitness, I promise).
And then there was our bellboy, "M", who carried our bags to the parking garage during our checkout. He's one of those good looking guys you just wanna have a nasty fling with before you part ways. I was not alone in this assessment. Oh yeah. I bet he has a good, wild, dirty time when he isn't working at the Omni. I bet he does, I bet he....I'm sorry, what was I talking about again?
Um, check out had one snag, but it wasn't anyone's fault, really. They had kept Jen's passport at check-in, but she was promptly contacted and a manager kept the document secure in a safe until Jen picked it up the next day without incident.
Well color me impressed. The Omni really came through for us. Although clearly, any place offering smoking rooms, well-stocked bars, and attractive staff will always undoubtedly hold the keys to my heart.
4 Stars.Listed in: Shackin' Up
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Review from DeAnn C.
Roanoke, TX
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great hotel. Comfy bed and amazing comforter. Service was awesome and would stay there again.
I did find the previous tenants socks under the chair when I moved it which kinda grossed me out... what else was missed?
There was also white chocolate chips in the fridge still.
Maybe not the cleanest but the location (we walked everywhere the whole week) and the comfortable amenities were very nice.
Got it for pretty much half price on priceline too. -
Review from Jimmy H.
Goleta, CA
12/28/2011
My review is colored by the great deal we got on a room here for 3 nights the week before Christmas (under $100/night) so take it for what it's worth...
The hotel was awesomely located! Just one block walking to the fun 6th street bars and music, only a couple of blocks to the warehouse district of higher end bars and music. Only 2 blocks up and over to the State Capitol and just 1 mile to UT (like 4-5 blocks). There are a couple of great museums along the way too!
Room was great, nice King bed, clean and well laid out. It was apparently recently renovated and you could tell. We looked out over the atrium and 8th street which was a fun view, though I would have probably preferred a view of the river if possible. Plenty of sitting room, bathroom was spacious and nicely appointed.
Gym was one of the better gym's I've seen at a hotel with multiple treadmills, elliptical machines, weights (both free and machine), tv's, water, and towels! Only downside was you had to walk across the atrium which contains a couple of restaurant/bars and is the shared walks space for the offices which the building also contains.
Only real weird/downside was the inner windows also looked out on office space as half of the building was hotel and half was apparently business and offices. So if they had their blinds open and we did as well it was this weird feeling of people looking at us.
I would definitely stay here again if we were going to Austin (and I got a good deal on the room)!
Also - If you're going to stay there... become a "Select Guest" member (free to join) before you make the reservation and/or before you arrive, you'll get free in room WIFI that way, otherwise it's $10/night -
Review from aaron h.
12/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Exactly what you expect from a nice downtown hotel. A clean room with a comfortable bed and a nice view. It is walking distance from the capitol building and there is a lot of local flavor near by. Valet parking and a great desk staff round out one of the best hotel experiences I have ever had.
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Review from Hank H.
Wheaton, MD
9/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
My partner and I were moving cross country very unexpectedly and stopped in Austin with our moving truck (and car in tow) for a wedding. We called before we left Los Angeles to make sure that there was available parking at the hotel for something this large, we were assured that there was and not to worry.
As we arrived in Austin after driving for 2 days, we found out that there was not parking for the truck and that we should check with valet about it, they told us to check with security. My partner tried to find street or public parking for it, but could not.
I went to the concierge and was met with a sneer and then as if an angel had shown up, Rob King came into the picture. Rob took the facts that I gave him and dealt with the situation. Within 3 minutes, he had cleared the loading dock for the weekend and allowed us to park the truck there. He handled the situation with such a cool head and such grace! He made us feel very welcome and through out the weekend made us feel like VIP guests. Whenever he saw my partner or myself, he greeted us by name, got down to pet our dog and even offered to walk our dog while we were at the wedding. THIS GUY IS FANTASTIC!
Also, there is a bellman named Bryce that was very nice and polite every time we saw him, after helping us up to our room.
The room itself was very nice, what you would expect from a four star hotel and we had no problems. Could not reccomend this place more. -
Review from Josh S.
Irving, TX
12/17/2011
This is always my go-to hotel in Austin. Free parking and WiFi with their perks program. Walking distance to the capital and 6th street.
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Review from Leigh P.
7/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We stayed here for 4 nights in June while the mister was attending a conference. The first room we were given was great... on a high floor, view of the city (as opposed to the lobby), everything was fine.
Until the family from hell moved in next door. I know they couldn't have had more than 2 kids, but it sounded like they were running some sort of kinder care up in that joint. Doors slamming, kids screaming, running, knocking on doors. I mean, this shit was going on until 11:45 p.m., when I called down and cussed the front desk person.
The next morning, we switched rooms. They were sold out and couldn't upgrade us, but did give us a much bigger room on the 4th floor. Only beef about that room was that even though we were 2 blocks away, we could totally hear 6th Street bands at night. Maybe because we were lower in the hotel? Who knows, but the room was twice as big and didn't have a daycare next door.
The rooftop pool is gorgeous. Be sure to check it out.
The bar needs some work. either it was slow as hell or we went 10 minutes before we were even acknowledged (it was 1/2 empty), or the bartender refused to serve me because I didn't have my purse and didn't have my ID. I'm 33, and so clearly not 20 years old anymore. So I had to go upstairs and get my ID before he would pour me a $12 glass of wine. Yeah.
Overall, I'm giving it 4 stars because it feels nice and clean, it's in a great location, and overall, they were very accommodating when we needed to move rooms. -
Review from Bethany W.
Denton, TX
I was playing around on http://Priceline.com & put in a price for a downtown location, 4-star hotel. I wasn't expecting to get anything but walla! I bid $80 (not including tax) & landed the Austin Downtown Omni for a night! Woo Hoo! At last a downtown hotel where I can park my car & walk everywhere I wanted to go! Love Austin!
What really put the meringue on my pie was when I checked in & the guy said 'So I see you have an executive suite for the night....' Finally, champagne taste on a beer budget for this poor college student!
First off - Location, location, location! 6th street is 2 blocks away. Yet, if you're like me & find 6th street too young (I'm really a late college student), the other bars off 4th street & West 6th aren't too far off. A bit of a walk, but an incredibly short drive. Same goes for restaurants & other Austin highlights.
Because we had an executive suite our room was located away from the other rooms & was accessed by a "private" elevator for those on that floor. So at the very least we could assure that our floor would be less noisy. We were told they didn't allow guests after 10:30pm & check people entering the building. To me this is a plus! Keeps the rowdy crowds down. However, we came in around midnight & no one checked us so, I'm not too sure how well they follow their own policy.
The floor & suite itself was fine except for maybe a needed cosmetic upgrade. Other then that it was nice to have such a spacious room! Living room & bedrooms both with TVs, full kitchen, washer/dryer, long walk-in closet, wall of shelves in the bedroom, spacious bathroom with jacuzzi & shower, & an eating area able to seat 4.
Also, the rooms look into the hotel so you have no real outside windows. While some might gawk at this, considering it was 105 degrees out, not having windows that looked directly outside helped keep our room cool & therefore the central AC didn't need to continuously run. This also didn't hinder the fact that we had a view of the capital from the hotel's glass exterior.
Now for the downsides: Pay for Internet?!! Even though I got this room for a great deal, you should NOT have to pay $10 a day for Internet. Same goes for parking! We parked along side the building because I was NOT going to pay for parking. I usually never book a hotel where I have to do so. Lastly, the roof top "pool" (I use that term loosely), isn't that great & it looked dirty. We did not get in the pool. It was nice to see however, a whole closet full of towels for those who do choose to go up there. We did see a sign that said no glass containers to which people ignored. Again, not so sure about the enforcement of their policies.
The hotel staff was friendly & while I didn't visit, they do advertise spa services & a large gift shop.
Overall, we liked the Omni & am now a fan of http://Priceline.com! -
Review from John N.
Oakland, CA
9/4/2011
I've stayed in a few upscale hotels over the past few years so, considering the nice chunk of change I'd put in for this particular spot, I had some major expectations for this place, riding on its prestige, reputation, and the fact that this would be the place that I would be spending my engagement day and night with my fiancee Deep in the Heart of Texas.
What can I say? From the moment we exited the elevator and into the massive atrium and lobby area, my fiancee and I were both wildly impressed and awed at the unique set-up of office building to one side, and hotel to the other.
We were taken care of pretty quickly at the Front Desk, and within just a few minutes, we were at our hotel room. The room itself, complete with a King-sized bed, had really nice decor, very unique in that it definitely had a flavor to it that one would only expect in Central Texas. From the old-fashioned leather chair to the cow-hide ottoman, I knew that the spot was perfect for our engagement day (which was, in a word, "Texan" in nature, despite being hatched from within the confines of my apartment here in Oaktown, CA)!
The room and its amenities notwithstanding, I was very impressed by the way Omni treats their "Select Guests," being greeted with a nice bottle of water and some ice shortly after we arrived, to receiving some breakfast beverages and a copy of the Statesman and USA Today in the morning.
We both certainly felt the 4-DIAMOND treatment, but couple that with the "little things" that the Omni took care of for us, and I give the Omni of Downtown Austin a perfect 5-stars!
We do expect to come back on our next visit to the ATX, and certainly for more than just one night! -
Review from Jimmy L.
San Jose, CA
9/30/2011
So, I low-balled it on Priceline for a 4-star hotel downtown, and got the Omni. I had seen/heard the other reviews on here, yet I figured that at the price I got it for (less than $100), I shouldn't set any expectations. Esp with a location downtown.
First of all, they built it adjacent to an office tower - assumably built by the same developer. I walked in and was fairly awestruck by the indoor glass atrium with steel framework, which spanned the height of both towers. Pretty incredible with glass elevators also - considering the fact that it looks somewhat discreet from the exterior.
I would guess that by looking at the design, this was probably built in the 80s. I can honestly say that chances are slim that anything like this would be built nowadays.
They originally offered me a room with two beds, though I mentioned that I didn't need TWO beds; the front desk clerk instead offered me a one-bedroom suite on one of their executive VIP floors that was "not refurbished - but has only one bed. And a couch" I took my chance at grabbing it.
(Note that a couple of the previous reviews also mentioned that they had of these suites)
Contrary to what was said here about the suites, and also the undertone of the clerk when he mentioned that the room was "not renovated", I actually thought that my room was super nice. You need a special elevator to get there. It was huge, and by far the largest suite that I have ever stayed in - ever.
The bedroom was actually a full bedroom that was well-separated by a hallway and not just an adjoining room (that one might normally get with suites at lower-grade hotels). The kitchen, dining, and living areas, and storage, were larger than standard. The decor suited my style, and consisted of dark wood, clean lines, and with a slight hint of contemporary 80s - but not obnoxisouly so.
NOTE that if you're a VOYEURIST, you'd LOVE this room, cuz it basically overlooks the lobby and the windows of the adjoining office building. REALLY COOL if you don't mind the ambience!
As with typical business-class hotels, they charge for room internet, they charge you a premium for a parking, there is no free continental breakfast, there's no microwave, and the only fridge they have is for those premiums that they charge for snack food. That's not only with this hotel, but with all other 4-stars anywhere you go.
I usually look for street parking, cuz most metered parking is free late-at-night to early morning, and I'm usually out-and-about anyways. Sometimes, you can hop on another wi-fi, or use your smart phone.
The irony is that the clerk gave me a room that I could only appreciate for one night! ...definitely worth the low-ball price that I paid though. -
Review from Abigail S.
Miami, FL
6/27/2011
Okay, here's the thing: Omni sells itself as a chain of luxury hotels. And many things about most Omni hotels are indeed luxurious--the service tends to be good, the furnishings are acceptable, the beds are ultra comfortable, and there are plenty of amenities to keep you from feeling like you're overpaying. With that said, they really need to step up their game and nowhere is this clearer than at the Omni in downtown Austin.
First of all, they need to spring for name brand toiletries. This might sound shallow or insignificant, but it isn't. When I'm paying $300 for a room, I expect Aveda, Molton Brown, L'Occitane, or something comparable. I don't expect Holiday Inn-quality no-name lotion that has a weird graininess to it, rendering it unusable. It's just annoying that a self-proclaimed luxury hotel won't spend the extra $ per room per night to make their guests feel pampered in the shower. Come on, guys.
Also, you shouldn't have to pay extra for a mini fridge. WiFi should be free in every room, not just the lobby. (Yes, you can get it free if you sign up for their online rewards program, but you shouldn't have to.). The Omni seems to nickle-and-dime its guests to death--maybe not a big deal if you're staying on a corporate expense account, but not very welcoming if you actually care about the little things on your tab.
But the biggest problem for the downtown Austin Omni is their after-hours policy. The location is right off of Austin's main party/bar drag and as a result, anyone coming in after 10:30PM has to check in with security to make sure they're on The List. Guests are not allowed to bring alcohol back to their rooms after that hour. And forget about picking someone up in a bar and bringing them home to your expensive hotel room--if they're not on The List, they can't come up.
Are you serious? If we wanted the dorm room experience, we'd spend substantially less and find a room at nearby UT. Now that we're parents and all old and square, we're not so much late night partiers. But if we were, I would be absolutely livid to learn that I couldn't actually enjoy my downtown hotel room, that I was paying for, with "unauthorized" guests of my choosing.
Plain and simple, either hire more security to respond to noise complaints as they occur, or charge more for your rooms to keep the riffraff out. But don't punish your paying guests with humiliating lists and security checkpoints just because trashy people sometimes stay in your hotel. Gross.
The last point that really bothered me was their pet policy. They didn't mention on their website or until we'd checked in that our dog couldn't be left alone in the room unless he was in a kennel. Their excuse for this was in case they had to come into our room, the maids/maintenance guy didn't want to be in danger of a dog attack. Offering to leave the Do Not Disturb sign on our door the entire time we stayed there didn't appease them--we had to crate him or take him.
Our ten-pound dog can't be kenneled without howling and crying the entire time, so as a result we couldn't leave him alone in the room. It sure was fun trying to find restaurants that would seat us outdoors with a baby, a toddler, and our puppy in the heat of the broiling Texas summer. And we had to scrap our plans to visit anything but dog-friendly outdoor venues during our entire visit to Austin. Thanks, Omni.
I don't mean to make it sound like our whole experience was awful. The room service food was okay and a lot of the service people went above and beyond. In particular, Sarah at the front desk put in a lot of effort to find a tracklist for their proprietary music channel ("Turndown"). The bellmen were very kind and helpful, as were the valets. The room was comfortable enough and acceptably clean. The atrium views were surprisingly okay and our preschooler enjoyed the glass elevator. But overall, it just wasn't what I've come to expect from Omni hotels. I doubt we'll stay here again. -
Review from Kristina B.
Somerville, MA
8/31/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Location: Decent. I don't care for 6th St (and probably would like the wine bars on West 6th). We spent most of our time at bars on East 7th, which was a short drive away. Proximity to the highway was also good for trips to Salt Lick, tubing on the Comal, and Rudy's BBQ. It was also easy to get to and from the airport via rental car.
Room: We got a room on one of the "select guest" floors, and I found it to be very spacious, clean and quiet. The bed was comfy. There was ample space to put away clothes and belongings. The view was great.
Bathroom: Very spacious and clean. Agreed that the provided shower gel, shampoo, and soap could have been nicer. The shower water pressure was good.
Select Guest: We got a free breakfast and happy hour. The breakfast was good--in addition to the typical cereal and bagel fare, there was fresh fruit, smoked salmon, bacon, sausage, and an egg casserole. We did not partake in the happy hour but passed by as it was getting set up--there was antipasti, hors d'oeuvres and what looked to be wine and beer.
10:30 p.m. curfew & no guests allowed: We came in after 10:30 p.m. and were not "carded" at all. Guess we don't look rowdy enough!
Staff Helpfulness: I had to receive a document by fax and then fax it back out--the staff was very helpful with this process.
Internet/Business Center: $10 for Internet is not cool. I didn't use it, but if I had been there for a business trip, I would have really liked not having to tether my Droid to my laptop for wifi. There was an odd looking table styled to look like a banquet / business meeting.
Parking: $35/day for valet, $18 for self-park. The valet was very convenient, but so pricey.
Pool: Looked way nicer on the website. It's tiny in real life, and the hot tub was barricaded with caution tape (not that we wanted to use it in 100+ degree weather). We noticed some folks disobeying the no glass policy. -
Review from Brooke S.
Lower East Side, Manhattan, NY
11/8/2011
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Omni. I booked on Priceline for a VERY reasonable name your own price and ended up with an Executive Suite, it was very clean and the suite was as big as my apartment. I am a big fan and highly recommend, plus it's downtown and close to everything. Parking in the garage is easy and convenient and the staff was helpful and friendly. AND my room had a washer and dryer! No complaints whatsoever.
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Review from Nadia G.
8/3/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I stayed at the Omni with a group of friends for a bachelorette party.
Its a $20 ish ride in a cab to the airport, or $13 on super shuttle. Once you are there, Omni is walking distance to Austin's bustling 6th street, which is really important if your main objective is to party.
Omni is definitely one of the nicest hotels in the area too. Its clean, and stylish, with a rooftop pool which has a nice view of the city.
It shares a building with a big office building which was kind of interesting. Half of the rooms overlook the city while the other half look back into the building and at people working in their offices. I bet the people who work in that building have some stories!
The only thing I thought was weird was that they made me sign a form that I understood the rules about quiet hours on the weekends and authorized guests. They made me list everyone who was staying in my room. They never took our names though when we came home from the bars, so I guess its not a big deal.
My biggest issue with Omni which is preventing me from giving them another star is the fact that they charge for internet. -
Review from Ashley F.
7/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Service and cleanliness may justify a 4th star, but the paper thin walls are too much of a downfall. Upon check-in, it was clear that sound could be an issue since the nice gentleman made it explicitly clear to call them in case of any disturbances.
It wasn't just loud guests that we heard, it was every person who walked through the hall and muttered a single word as well as the TV in the room next to us. Thank goodness we're both heavy (and intent) sleepers, so as soon as there was a break in the noise, we took full advantage. So just make sure you get a room in which you don't have anyone beside, below, or above you, and ask for a room at the end of the corridor, and you're all set! -
Review from Jimi L.
Chicago, IL
11/15/2011
The only decent thing about this hotel, was the location in relationship to the bars and restaurants on 6th street.
This place was dirty, the rooms stunk like cigarettes, the couches and upholstered chairs in the room were all stained and beat up like they'd never been replaced.
The carpeting in our room was fraying at every seam.
The bed was not comfortable, the shower and bathroom had not been updated in what seemed like 15-20 years.
The lobby is beautiful, but don't be fooled.
Spend a little extra and stay at the Driskill Hotel...we changed hotels halfway through our vacation and it made all the difference.
The Omni is a complete joke and I have NO CLUE why anyone on Yelp would give them a positive review.Comment from Mike M. of Omni Hotel 11/20/2011
Thank you very much for your review. We will begin a… More » -
Review from Ryan R.
Pleasanton, TX
1/23/2012
My family and I booked a 2 bedroom suite for New Years Eve Weekend. We have 2 young children so we called ahead to make sure our room was ready. We'd rather wait at home rather than sit in their lobby waiting on our room.(sounds like we've had that experience here before?) We were told no problem the room is being cleaned and should be ready shortly. We arrived at the hotel aroud 3pm after our short 1.5 hour drive to be informed that our room is not quite ready. The front desk representative said "the guest that was staying in your room failed to check out on time and therefore put them behind schedule" After waiting approximately 45 minutes I checked on the status of the room and was told they were still cleaning it. I asked how long it takes to clean a room since I called at approximately 1pm and was told it was already being cleaned...it's now 3 hours later. A guest services manager comes out and says it not being cleaned that actually they are having a maintenance issue with the room. We were told from this representative he can't believe that we were able to book that room because it's supposed to be remodeled. The issue is they can't turn the hot water on in the room. To make a long story short we were given a room on the 10th floor to take a shower in and checked in to our room on the 15th floor. To access the 15th floor from the 10th you have to go down to the lobby and get on another elevator to take you up to the 15th.(slightly incovenient) Our room on the 15th floor had 4 sliding glass doors that go out on to balconies. Only 2 of those doors would latch properly(not good on the 15th floor with a 2 and 5 yr old running around) The room looked like it had been decorated 10 years ago and never changed. So if your looking for a hotel where employees lie to you and the beds are uncomfortable and the room is unsafe for your children then this is the hotel for you. If not, I'd suggest you stay somewhere else.
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Review from Pam S.
1/23/2011 4 Check-ins Here
The pluses:
*Location, location, location...but as my darling JZ said, the hill in F me heels is kind of a bitch.
*The 100 calorie superfruit mojito
*Supposedly the pool (although I didn't get to see it)
*Bathrobes
The minuses:
*Nothing that makes it "wow"
*The location of the fitness center (who wants to walk past the bar in sweaty clothes?)
*Rooms that look over the bar/restaurant area...with windows that people reasonably can look into
*Concierge was consistently an asshole
*Bar staff was inconsistent....some good, some bad
It's a hotel that's not that exciting for the money, despite what my friend Mike thinks (although he's accustomed to the Hampton Hotel).
Would I stay here again? Sure, if someone else was paying for it. And they improved their customer service skills. -
Review from Marisa P.
5/23/2011
Pro's:
1. Location, Location, Location
2. Suites have huge living rooms, full size kitchens
3. Suites have elevator separate from other rooms.
4. Parking garage directly underneath, easy to access vehicle.
5. Only people that are guests can get past the lobby after 10:30, safety first.
Con's:
1. TRAGICALLY outdated, unless you prefer furniture from 1985.
2. No full length mirrors (6 girls getting ready to go out need this)
3. Bathrooms very sparse, and again, rocking that 80's style.
4. Not enough glassware in kitchen, bring your own if hosting large group
5. Couches in living room DO NOT fold out into beds, and they smelled funny, eww.
6. No patio furniture on a balcony overlooking the city? We had to take the dining chairs outside, ghetto.Comment from Mike M. of Omni Hotel 5/27/2011
Our suites are being renovated this year, so we are excited… More » -
Review from Rhonda G.
8/19/2011
I love Omni hotels, this one is no exception in terms of staff and level of service as well as location to sixth street and tons of other fun stuff. Atrium hotels are always a bit weird and impersonal feeling and that's the vibe I got from this hotel. I didn't expect a small boutique hotel, I just didn't expect to feel as though I were staying in a mall. That being said I would probably stay there again if in town because the Omni Select guest program is pretty awesome and i'm never let down by the service I receive.
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Review from Lauren L.
Suwanee, GA
6/16/2011
Great experience! Amazingly friendly and helpful staff, beautiful,
Luxurious and impeccably clean rooms, great location downtown. Would highly recommend to others and will stay here again. -
Review from Sasha S.
Seattle, WA
4/30/2011
Not a terrible hotel, but not great either.
We booked a room with 2 beds. When we get there, they tell us that they are "out" of such rooms, and that we'd get a room with 1 bed and that they could bring up a cot. They blamed this on 4 weddings happening that weekend.
Also, when you get back at night, they card you. I've never had a hotel do that before, and it's pretty annoying. They say it's to prevent unauthorized guests.
The wifi isn't free in the rooms, but it is in the lobby. We were on the 6th floor, so we could use the lobby wifi for free from the room.
On the plus side, it's in a good location, and it looks pretty nice. But considering the downsides, it is not worth the price in my opinion.Comment from Mike M. of Omni Hotel 5/6/2011
We apologize for not having the room type reserved available… More » -
Review from Mark L.
1/16/2011
I didn't spend a night here, but I will review the hotel for the conference that I attended here. This review will be based on the service that I did make use of as an attendant and why we didn't book a room here, however if I had more cash I probably would have...maybe.
This place is really nice and snazzy, but a little to snazzy for a grad student with no student funding to pay for. Instead we opted to stay at the La Quinta two blocks down the street. However, if we did stay here we would have had to pay a separate fee for using the internet, which we didn't have to do staying at the La Quinta.
Overall this place has awesome service for the conference rooms that we were using. The bar down at the lobby is good times when you need to kill time in between times. The hotel keeps all rooms filled with refreshments and everything set up at all times. The pool up top on the roof is pretty dope too. The best part is the location of Omni, which is pretty close to all the tourist food spots and most importantly the club party scene...so go ahead and get drunk and stumble your way back to the Omni.Listed in: Hotel/Motels
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Review from Lauren C.
Round Rock, TX
9/24/2011
My husband and I we were placed in an unrenovated room at the Omni Austin- stained floors, dirty tile, dated furnishings, etc... We used Priceline, and when we checked in, it seemed as though the hotel was doing us a favor by giving us any room at all. We were relegated to one of their unrenovated floors, and it felt very motel-ish. I discussed this with the manager upon check-out, but he was unable to make any compensations since we'd paid through Priceline. Recommendation: if this happens to you, contact the manager as soon as you see your room and perhaps he or she will be able to help you (at least that's what the manager told me I should have done). The manager was very kind, but it was still sickening to spend money on a romantic night away, and stay in a room that made me long for my own bed and bathroom.
The location is in downtown Austin, which is nice.
I'd be cautious about using the bidding feature on Priceline for hotels in downtown Austin. The Omni did not provide "4-star luxury" accommodations as promised on Priceline. -
Review from Mike C.
Cupertino, CA
8/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice hotel, it's a shame that they hosted what seemed like ten different wedding guests. I heard groups of people singing the most random songs in the hallway throughout the middle of the night, ranging from the Biebs to Montell Jordan... really?
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Review from Frank L.
Burlingame, CA
8/14/2010
THE OMNI HOTEL WILL COCKBLOCK YOU.
I have traveled all over the world and have never experienced a hotel as bad as this one. Granted, I try to go to "semi-nice" places or better, but this place was unbelievable.
The most important thing is that the Omni in downtown Austin has a bizarre policy regarding "after-hours" visitors (that is, after 10PM). There is a completely over-the-top security checkpoint near the elevators where every single person (even a guest, ALONE, like me) is carded and checked against the registered guest list. You may even have to stand in line for a while. If this isn't already a huge annoyance to you, the customer, consider trying to bring a girl back to your room. THE OMNI HOTEL WILL COCKBLOCK YOU. Thanks guys!
But besides their ridiculous policy about visitors, which believe me, is ridiculous, here are the other total screw-ups they achieved while I was here:
1) When I checked in, the girl at the desk very rudely and rather angrily explained this guest policy to me. Gee, I wonder if I were 60 years old if you would have given the same diatribe? I really should have recognized this and checked out immediately, but I was willing to give them a chance.
2) The room was filled with crickets when I arrived. Not just one, but several. It sounded like I was camping in the wilderness the entire time I was here. I'm on the fourteenth floor. This should not happen. And it doesn't happen in any other 3-star or higher hotel in Austin. The Omni just doesn't have their crap together.
3) I got in late on my first night (around 11PM) and was dead tired and starving. I ordered a "Kobe Beef Burger" from room service, which took a lot longer than they said it would take (20 minutes vs. 45 minutes) and was also burnt as all get out (I ordered medium rare). Terrible.
4) I took some stuff from the mini-bar -- in particular, booze -- the first night I was here. It has never been replenished, after 4 nights.
5) This place has shockingly paper-thin walls. Seriously unbelievable for a hotel that was built from the ground up as a hotel. And if you're unlucky enough to be on 2 of the 4 sides, you're going to enjoy the sound of bass thumping against your windows all night from 6th street. It's really crazy, the worst I've ever heard at _any_ hotel. And this place is supposed to be nice?
The bottom line: don't waste your money here, especially if you are younger than 60 and have a better-than-zero amount of cash. You should absolutely stay at the San Jose or the St. Cecilia, both FAR superior hotels with none of these crazy policies.
I will never set foot in an Omni Hotel again.Comment from Gene M. of Omni Hotel 8/16/2010
Thank you for your feedback. Our staff uses discretion when… More » -
Review from James B.
Austin, TX
9/2/2011
This is the place to stay in downtown. Very comfortable rooms, accommodating staff and a bar that serves some pretty decent late night food. I once got upgraded to a suite that was ridiculously over the top and we lived it up for 24 hours.
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Review from Farrah A.
10/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
This review is strictly for the concrete pond.
Not many hotels dead smack in the middle of the city have a swimming pool, but Omni's has it all. With the sun setting late in the evening, it still manages to have plenty of sunshine; perhaps it's the angle - and it has a great view.
The upside is that if you stay in this hotel, you have free access to the pool and giant jacuzzi; downside is that if you aren't staying here ... you have "decent" access - you just need to make friends with someone that will let you borrow their key card. There's no bar on the top floor, but you can order below and bring 'em up. I'm not too happy with the fact that I ordered 4 beers and 2 shots of tequila, let me card at the bar, picked it up the next day and was charged 100 bucks. But I didn't call to complain, because we did, after all, swim in their pool for free ninety nine.Listed in: Austin - Hotels
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Review from Alexis T.
Hoboken, NJ
10/31/2011
My husband and I used the Omni as our wedding headquarters this past August 2011. From the moment I began negotiations in December 2010 with Sales Manager, Colleen Gerry, I was impressed. Not only did they offer an extremely competitive room block rate, their customer service was topnotch from day 1. I was an out-of-state bride and had many questions throughout the year of planning. Colleen and her team never hesitated in their responses and were always very prompt with their communications. Two months before the wedding, Emily Lafaure, the Group Rooms Coordinator, would send me a rooming update at the end of every week. This was a tremendous help in itself and Emily was such a joy to work with! Also, every time a guest or myself walked through the doors of the Omni, the staff always greeted us, every time. The managers & concierge were always very courteous and made it a point to introduce themselves to me, my groom and our families. We also heard many rave reviews from our guests, noting how amazing the Omni staff was from the front desk staff to the valet. Whenever we needed anything, whether it was a last-minute haircut, a trash bag or needed to replace a lost tie, the Omni delivered. It's worth noting the shops located within the hotel are so conveniently located and certainly came in use to both our guests and myself! More specifically, 95% of my guests traveled to Austin from the Northeast for our wedding weekend. The weekend of our wedding was the same weekend the hurricane hit the East Coast. The Omni staff and concierge, without hesitation, were on the phone and online with airlines getting my guests flights rescheduled and coordinating available flights on their behalf. Not only did they assist in this manner, the Omni also extended the group rate to those who were "stranded" for additional days because of the hurricane. Some of our guests had to stay an extra 4 days! The Omni was truly a lifesaver, on all fronts, for both me and my guests. I honestly cannot say enough good things about my experience with the Omni in downtown Austin and I guarantee you 200 of my wedding guests can't either! I would HIGHLY recommend using the Omni for both personal and group/corporate functions! THANK YOU, OMNI!!
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Review from Nate M.
As someone who has stayed in this very hotel 15+ times in the past 2 years, I feel pretty qualified to give you a descriptive, yet possibly biased, review. First off, I/we love this hotel for a number of reasons, but in recent months we've noticed a bit of degradation in the service and quality of things. That said, almost every time we go to Austin (something like monthly during the hot months), we tend to stay here. That is, unless its booked up and the rooms are $300 a night.
PROS:
-Location. Seriously, it doesn't get much better. The Driskill is closer to 6th but super loud and crazy expensive (but I still enjoy it).
-Typically pretty clean, and pleasant atmosphere.
-Usually very friendly and professional staff (though I've recently changed that from "always" to "usually". It's flirting with "mostly")
-Cool perks for the free Select Guest program (i.e. free wifi, free breakfast on club level, free drinks/newspapers (when they remember to do so).
-Once you're a Select Guest, you start getting emails about discounted nights and perks not always listed on the main webpage (seriously, join the program, its free).
-Awesome bar. Easily the nicest and coolest employees in the place. Fun drinks, great food, all around great experience.
CONS:
-The clientele here has been declining in awesomeness every time we've stayed. It's almost entirely college aged kids and young professionals who span from "annoying drunk frat/sorority types" to "unbelievably self-important yuppie types", both of which are almost always inconsiderate floor-mates when you're trying to have a nice vacation.
-Service level is no where near as friendly, polite, professional, and responsive as they were a year ago, let alone two years ago.
-GORGEOUS roof pool that is unfortunately almost always packed with drunk people that aren't even staying at the hotel, and like our last visit, filled with naked college aged guys drinking beer in the pool after throwing most of the deck furniture in. (Literally naked, not just figuratively).
-Crazy super-duper expensive parking "options". Either you can pay $25/night + tip for valet, or $18/night for self-parking. I know its downtown, but I feel like with the rooms priced at the $250+ range, you might be able to at least discount that to something like $10.
-The shower and/or toilet in every room we've stayed in have had problems. I think this is a symptom of a larger issue concerning water pressure or lack thereof.
I know the cons section looks in depth, but I promise that this place is still really great. Join Select Guest for the free stuff and start taking weekenders to build up your points until you're at platinum and they'll occasionally give you room upgrades and other neat perks.Comment from Mike M. of Omni Hotel 4/29/2011
First, we would like to thank you for being a loyal guest… More » -
Review from Caroline G.
Cave Creek, AZ
5/16/2010
It is 3:30 in the morning and I'm not only awake but writing a review on Yelp. Is it because I was living it up on 6th until the wee hours? NO. It is because the walls of this hotel are like rice paper and I can hear every single word of the conversation the people next door are having with crystal clarity. They are not yelling. They are not being rowdy in the least. They are using their nice inside voices. And I can hear every. Single. Word. I don't even want to call down to complain about it because they aren't doing anything wrong. It isn't the guests' fault that the place was constructed with crappy materials.
I stay at Omnis a lot and am a Black Level member of the Select Guest program. This is supposed to come with certain perks, which I have had to remind the hotel about in order to receive. I had to call down for my yoga package and welcome noms. I wound up with the yoga stuff and bottled water, no noms. My coffee was not delivered as scheduled the next morning, or if it was housekeeping snatched it up before I could get to it. My wireless didn't work and I had to get someone from the corporate help center on the case. I waited close to 20 minutes for them to find a package that had been delivered for me only an hour earlier. All of these issues were taken care of in a prompt manner once I brought them to the attention of management, but they shouldn't have happened in the first place and don't at other Omni properties (of which Chicago is the best, by the way.
The hell with it - I'm calling security.
PS - Make sure you ask for a renovated room on the opposite side of the hotel from 6th, otherwise you'll be up all night from noise regardless of the nighttime activities of your neighbors. -
Review from Joshua W.
5/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nothing amazing, but it'll do. I usually stay down the street at the Driskill when I'm visiting my old home of Austin, but I had a free Omni night certificate from Amex to burn so I thought I'd give them a try. Quick check in, decent garage, clean room, and that's about it. It was quiet for me, but my room faced the interior lobby and not the exterior of the building. I wouldn't mind staying here again, but I won't be in a hurry to either.
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Review from Nicole Rynee B.
San Francisco, CA
6/9/2010
The rooms are nice - not fantastic, but good. The staff is super sweet and accommodating - a super A+++.
Not my favorite hotel - sadly I'm a super tough judge - I travel for a living ... So, you can't necessarily judge this location on my review. Hotel living is about 50+% of my life. I like to look out my hotel window and see a skyscape, a mountain side, a city skyline ... Not the lobby. Just my own personal gripe.
Aside from me being super picky, the hotel has a cool rooftop pool - told to serve cocktails and food during the Summer months. Pretty cool. And I have to admit, the lobby bar was ALWAYS hopping ... With pretty damn good looking individuals. So, hey - I guess that "ups" my review ... ;0) -
Review from Mr. Bean L.
Jamaica Plain, MA
10/23/2010
Booked same - day at around 2pm on a Tuesday in mid - June '10. I called the Omni after booking through hotwire, and they were extremely accommodating. I requested a high floor with a city view and they made it happen. The room was a semi spacious two queen room. I called the front desk and asked if there was a microwave in the hotel... and they physically sent one to my room. amazing. The pool on the roof is a perfect size, with adjacent hot tub. One block from historical ent. strip in Downtown Austin. Wonderful experience throughout.
_Beantowns Finest_
