Austin Way Magazine - GreenGale Publishing - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/461140
photography by Jessica pages Gr and Centr al AT 34 STORIES, WITH 1,012 GUEST ROOMS, 700 EMPLOYEES, AND THREE RESTAURANTS, THE NEW JW MARRIOTT HAS CHECKED IN. BY KRISTEN O'BRIEN Talk about superlatives: The new JW Marriot is Austin's largest hotel, the largest JW Marriott in the US, and the brand's second-largest in the world. But the 34-story tower that opened downtown in February is far from a sterile behemoth. Starting with the lobby and continuing throughout the conference space, ballrooms, and 1,000-plus guest rooms, Texas-inspired touches abound: large columns built from Texas limestone, a ground-floor ceiling featuring a topographical map of Austin, artwork depicting local landmarks, and floor-to-ceiling windows boasting views of Lady Bird Lake. Dining options at the hotel should also appeal to locals. The hotel's three restaurants, overseen by Executive Chef Juan Martinez, include Corner, featuring Texas cuisine; Northern Italian restaurant Osteria Pronto with alfresco dining; and Burger Bar on Congress, a walk-up sand- wich shop that gives a nod to the food trucks that once occupied the space. For those staying at the JW Marriott (room rates range from $249 to $1,199 per night), amenities include a concierge, 3,500-square-foot fitness center, 24-hour room service, executive lounge, 24-hour business center, and outdoor pool deck and bar. Reservations are being taken through 2021, and 470,000 guest rooms have already been booked. Many are excited to see a hotel of this magnitude open in Austin, but none more than Jay Spurr, the hotel's director of sales and marketing, who has watched the property take shape from day one. "I was the first employee hired on this project in 2011," he says. "Seeing the hard work that goes into opening a new hotel—especially one this size—is humbling. It's also rewarding to see Austin have the chance to land large national conven- tions and meetings for which it couldn't have otherwise competed in the past." 110 E. Second St., 512-474-4777; jwmarriottaustin.com AW From the reception area and lobby to the conference spaces and guest rooms, the design of the new JW Marriott is full of Texas-inspired touches. AUSTINWAY.com 111 THE GUIDE Festival Survival