News Releases

Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin Celebrates Opening in the Heart of Downtown Austin
The 246-room lifestyle hotel along with dining concepts Luminaire and Las Bis, led by San Antonio Chef Steve McHugh, open steps from Austin’s Paramount and State Theatres

CHICAGO (February 3, 2023) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced the grand opening of Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin, the highly anticipated 31-story hotel in the heart of downtown Austin, marking the second Hyatt Centric property in Texas. The property is located along Congress Avenue, walking distance from the Texas Capital, Lady Bird Lake, University of Texas campus and in the middle of the action within the vibrant arts and culture district at 721 Congress Avenue. Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin is home to restaurant Luminaire and bar Las Bis helmed by Chef Steve McHugh.

For a local experience, guests can discover museums, shops, restaurants, and music venues right outside the doorsteps of the property. Guests will find two of the city’s most historic buildings and destinations for entertainment and culture next door at the Paramount (est. 1915) and State (est. 1935) theaters. The hotel’s designers, Nelsen Partners (architecture) and UCO Studio (interiors), worked to capture the energy and spirit of Austin and these iconic venues into many areas throughout the property.

The hotel’s interior spaces evoke a modern, bohemian-chic gallery inspired by Austin’s unique style, with nods to the city’s creative and energetic music and art scenes, and will showcase an extensive art collection created by local and Texas-based artists. Each of the hotel’s eclectic 246 guestrooms, including 5 suites, offer Drybar hair dryers, Nespresso coffee makers, BeeKind bath amenities and JBL Bluetooth speakers. Honoring Austin’s famed artistic spirit, guitar-amp nightstands and vintage Paramount and State theatres show posters can be found in guestrooms, as well as portraits in concrete incorporated into columns in the 8th floor lobby. Throughout the hotel, the variation of color, playful texture and materials like stone, tile and wood provide an abundance of eye-catching moments.

Led by San Antonio chef and six-time James Beard Foundation finalist Steve McHugh, Luminaire is the chef’s first Austin restaurant offering full-service, all-day dining and occupies the ground floor of the hotel. Those familiar with his dishes at Thompson San Antonio’s Landrace restaurant and Cured at Pearl will recognize familiar flavors along with plenty of new dishes to explore focused on seasonal local Texas fare and charcuterie, along with a full-service bar offering a selection of classic, well-crafted cocktails, craft beers, and new world wines.  Set to be a destination for both locals and travelers, Chef McHugh’s Las Bis terrace bar and lounge is located on the hotel’s 8th floor. Great for a drink and a bite after checking in or following a show at one of the nearby venues, the bar’s outside terrace offers remarkable views of the Austin skyline along with playfully plated conservas, craft cocktails and biodynamic wines. Chef McHugh enlisted the help of Chef Greg Driver to take on the position of executive chef of Luminaire and Las Bis to help bring his vision to the table. In addition to Luminaire and Las Bis, their team will provide in-room dining for guests and catering for the hotel’s four meeting and event spaces.

The hotel has several modern meeting and event space options to host a variety of business and social gatherings. The hotel’s third floor is dedicated to 2,560 square feet of flexible event spaces featuring hardwood floors, state of the art technology, and floor to ceiling windows. An additional 1,400 square feet of event space can be found on the hotel’s 31st floor penthouse, named the “Artist Residence,” which doubles as a space for private functions and boasts spacious living and dining areas with stunning panoramic views of the city and beyond.

Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin is pet friendly and offers a 24/7 fitness center with Peloton bikes and state of the art equipment, a punching bag paying tribute to professional boxer Matt Martinez of Matt’s El Rancho and stunning views of Austin.

For more information or to book a reservation, please visit hyattcentriccongressavenueaustin.com. For any sales-related inquiries, please email AUSCT-RFP@hyatt.com.

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About Hyatt Centric 

Hyatt Centric is a brand of full-service lifestyle hotels located in prime destinations. Created to connect guests to the heart of the action, Hyatt Centric hotels are thoughtfully designed to enable exploration and discovery so they never miss a moment of adventure. Each hotel offers social spaces to connect with others in the lobby, meanwhile the bar and restaurant are local hot spots where great conversations, locally inspired food and signature cocktails can be enjoyed. Streamlined modern rooms focus on delivering everything guests want and nothing they don’t. A passionately engaged team is there to provide local expertise on the best food, nightlife and activities the destination has to offer. For more information, please visit hyattcentric.com. Follow @HyattCentric on Facebook and Instagram, and tag photos with #HyattCentric. 

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of September 30, 2022, the Company’s portfolio included more than 1,200 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 72 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Timeless Collection, including Park Hyatt®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Hyatt Residence Club®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, and UrCove; the Boundless Collection, including Miraval®, Alila®, Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, Hyatt Centric®, and Caption by Hyatt; the Independent Collection, including The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Destination by Hyatt™, and JdV by Hyatt™; and the Inclusive Collection, including Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Vivid Hotels & Resorts®, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

About McWHINNEY

Colorado-based real estate investment firm McWHINNEY is passionate about creating great places and providing awe-inspiring experiences. Since 1991, McWHINNEY has developed more than 6,000 acres of vibrant master-planned communities and more than 10 million square feet of vertical commercial and mixed-use properties in the Rocky Mountain region and on the West Coast. With a growing Texas portfolio, in addition to developing Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin, McWhinney acquired the luxurious Austin Proper hotel in September 2021. With offices in Loveland and Denver, McWHINNEY has been named Colorado's "Developer of the Year" by the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and won the Urban Land Institute's (ULI) Global Award for Excellence and the Denver Business Journal Real Estate Champions – Catalyst Award for Denver Union Station. For additional information, visit www.mcwhinney.com.

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Hyatt
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