The 8 best hotel bars in Austin

Take an elevator ride up to the seventh floor of the Fairmont Austin and you'll find yourself at Rules & Regs, a sleek cocktail bar that spills out onto a patio offering stunning views of the Austin skyline. Well-balanced cocktails from the beverage team populate the menu (similarly in the Fairmont's lobby bar as well), which you can sip on while lounging in groups on the deck or at the sultry indoor bar. The adjacent pool will have you longing for a dip—and good news: day passes are available Monday-Thursday.

One of the best-kept secrets on South Congress, the word on Simona’s is already getting out. Tucked behind the romantic Colton House Hotel, this coffee and cocktail lounge is a two-story jewel. Ground level, you have the bar and backyard that leads to the chandelier-lined pool, and upstairs is a quiet overlook, decked with plush leather seating. Try the Irish Americano, served hot or cold, for a caffeinated pick-me-up. Gourmet grab-and-go snacks are also available.

The bar team at Geraldine’s—found on the fourth floor of the sleek Hotel Van Zandt—is known for crafting seasonal cocktails that embody Austin culture. The ‘Water You Drinking’ is made with watermelon-infused Tito's vodka, Aperol, strawberry syrup and lime, making it the best quench to Austin’s hazy hot summers. The hotel's rooftop pool with an outdoor fireplace is accessible through Geraldine’s, and the restaurant and bar also double as a music venue. Look out for seasonal events out there too, including their famous annual winter igloos and themed festival drinks.

Built in 1886, The Driskill is an ornate landmark steeped in history: President Lyndon Johnson and his wife “Lady Bird” Johnson had their first date here. There are also multiple urban legends that claim The Driskill is haunted. But we’re here to talk about The Driskill Bar, a grand space clad in leather, cowhide, Western paintings and Tiffany lamps found just up the grand staircase. Wine, beer, cocktails and bar snacks are best enjoyed from buttery leather armchairs during one of the bar’s many live music sessions. While the cocktail menu and execution could use fine-tuning, the charm of The Driskill Bar is utterly undeniable.

Live it up at the W Austin’s The Living Room Lounge, which boasts four separate rooms with their own personality. Sip on tequila at the aptly named Tequila Bar, choose from over 8,000 vinyl records in the Records Room, get cozy with a date in the red-hued Secret Room or lounge and people-watch with a few cocktails in the Screen Porch room. Seasonal events include an Après Ski-themed holiday bar.

Hotel Ella's intimate Parlor Bar is a comfortable, modern contrast to the restored mansion’s columned exterior. The entire space is inky black and gray, from the ceiling and walls to the velvet banquette and brass barstools. Keep it simple with the classic Goodall’s old-fashioned (Knob Creek rye whiskey, Angostura, Fee Brothers bitters, demerara sugar, Luxardo maraschino cherry) or the refreshing Goodall’s Blunderbuss (Fords gin, rosemary syrup, lemon, prosecco). Hit up Parlor Bar during happy hour for deals on cocktails, beers and wine by the glass from Sunday to Thursday, on the wrap-around veranda overlooking Hotel Ella’s beautiful front lawn.

The South Congress Hotel is a stunning example of desert modern design, so it’s no surprise that drinking inside their unambiguously-named Lobby Bar—with it’s three yellow smiley faces above the bar—feels like you’re on a Palm Springs vacation. The full bar serves house favorites like the perfectly sweet and tart hibiscus margarita and offers half-off all cocktails, beers and wines by the glass, and specials on bar snacks during the week.

Crush your summer at Azul, the pool and bar located on the roof of The Westin Austin Downtown that boasts one of the best views in the city. Sip on raspberry frosé or the tasty “The Conquistador,” made with rum and Mexican Coke and chilled with red wine ice cubes. If you’re not lounging in your private cabana, the shallow pool is designed for sunny hangs. Weekdays are quieter if you want to take in the views and street sounds instead of pumping tunes.