W Austin

When I first checked in, I had dinner plans and left immediately after dropping my bags. Upon returning later that evening, I noticed visible shoe prints on both the bathroom floor and the wood floors in the room — not what you expect from a freshly cleaned room.

As I went to bed, I detected a funky smell in the bedding. To their credit, housekeeping did change out all the linens the next day as requested, but they didn’t properly clean the room afterward — only swapped out towels and did a light surface clean.

We also tried the newly remodeled Serenade restaurant for breakfast. The experience was poor:
• We waited 25 minutes for food in a nearly empty dining room.
• My wife’s cheeseburger was overcooked and missing the bacon she ordered.
• My breakfast was similarly subpar: overcooked eggs, soggy bacon, and cold potatoes.
• The only saving grace was the fruit plate.

Service was equally lacking — despite the restaurant being nearly empty, we received no coffee or water refills, and the server disappeared entirely. We had to physically get up and find someone just to pay the bill.

I gave the W Austin a try after its recent remodel but won’t be returning. I’ll stick with the JW Marriott up the street where the service and cleanliness consistently meet expectations. It’s a shame, as I typically prioritize staying at W properties when available, but this visit missed the mark on too many fronts.