World's Best Hotels & Resorts

Houston hotel and Austin spa rank in list of Top 100 best hotels and resorts in the world

If you're looking to treat yourself to some luxurious R&R, you won't have to travel far. According to the latest Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards, Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin ranks No. 4 among the 12 best destination spa resorts in the world and No. 21 among the 100 best hotels and resorts in the world.

The lifestyle and travel magazine conducts a readers poll annually to determine the best luxury destinations and services around the globe. Having been selected for the past five years, Lake Austin Spa Resort now has a spot in the Platinum Circle.

In the survey's list of Best Hotels in Texas and the Southwest, Hotel Sorella ranks No. 1, Hotel Granduca is No. 3, Hotel Icon ranks No. 6, and the Houstonian Hotel is No. 9.

In its description of Lake Austin Spa, Conde Nast Traveler throws around phrases like "little piece of heaven," "peaceful grounds" and "first-rate," quoting the reader responses in the poll. "This is the place for changing your mind, body, and attitude," said another.

Lake Austin Spa is one of two Texas properties to make the list of 100 best. Houston's Hotel Sorella CityCentre ranks No. 74 and is described this way:

In the mixed-use CityCentre development, this 'very modern and minimalistic' property provides 'easy access to all the major highways.' 'Spacious and comfortable' rooms espouse European decor, with dark hardwood floors, black-glass table lamps, and upholstered headboards; a stay in them is 'extra awesome. The rooftop pool is flanked by draped cabanas and custom lanterns. 'The continental breakfast is world-class, the best I’ve experienced anywhere. "

The Hotel Sorella also ranks No. 9 among the Top 25 Hotels in the United States in the Conde Nast Traveler reader survey; the Hotel Granduca is No. 23.

In the survey's list of Best Hotels in Texas & the Southwest, Hotel Sorella ranks No. 1, Hotel Granduca is No. 3, Hotel Icon ranks No. 6, and the Houstonian Hotel is No. 9.

CultureMap editor-in-chief Clifford Pugh contributed to this article.

Lake Austin Spa Resort ranks No. 4 in the world among destination spas, according to the latest Readers Choice Awards from Conde Nast Traveler.

Lake Austin Spa Resort Facebook

Lake Austin Spa Resort ranks No. 4 in the world among destination spas, according to the latest Readers Choice Awards from Conde Nast Traveler.

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Shining New Cocktails

Shiner Bock brewer breaks ground on new restaurant and cocktail bar

Spoetzl Brewery cocktail lounge restaurant

Rendering courtesy of Spoetzl Brewery

The new cocktail lounge and restaurant will add lots of space for trying the new distillery's products.

Although Spoetzl Brewery is best known for its regionally iconic beer Shiner Bock, its new distillery has opened up a whole new world of drinking possibilities. One of those is a new cocktail lounge and restaurant on the Spoetzl Brewery property, which will soon be drawing folks from both sides of the beer and spirits aisle. Construction started September 6 with a groundbreaking ceremony.

Shiner Bock is named for the town of Shiner, located roughly between San Antonio and Houston, and with a population of only 2,173 as of 2022. The brew is locally known for its accessibility and nostalgia factor, although plenty of people simply enjoy it for its earthy, lightly hoppy flavor.

Currently, the independent Spoetzl distillery produces a vodka, a gin, and a grain mash blend. As of September 2024, visitors can tour the distillery and speakeasy for 45 minutes which includes a flight of Shiner craft spirits — but the new building stands out proudly from the current offerings and expands the property's capacity for cocktail lovers.

Spoetzl Brewery cocktail lounge restaurant Renderings also calls this building a tasting room.Rendering courtesy of Spoetzl Brewery

This new space will be on the brewery's premises, and despite a different approach (call it a different spirit), it still looks like what most Texans would expect from a brewery or distillery. The 8,500-square-foot project includes a large, black barn in a very contemporary style, which flips the script from the brewery's white, Mission Revival style and industrial architecture.

Spanning the cocktail lounge, a restaurant with a full kitchen, a private event space, and a covered patio, it'll provide seating for more than 200 visitors or standing room for more than 300. Like the rest of the property, it'll be available to tours and tastings, but it also has some cozy elements to inspire longer stays, like an indoor fireplace and outdoor fire pits.

A retail shop sets guests up with bottles to bring home, and an exclusive VIP area shows off barrel picks. (Those are bottles that come from a specific barrel, which may have flavor variations compared to other barrels or the regular product).

Spoetzl Brewery cocktail lounge restaurant Hey, look! Parking!Rendering courtesy of Spoetzl Brewery

Although somewhat more tangential to this announcement than news of the distillery's opening, that project in 2023 also included the addition of a new barbecue spot that's only open around lunchtime. Details about the forthcoming full-scale restaurant don't include what kind of food the restaurant would serve; but the existing dining already has brisket, pulled pork, sausage, chicken, pork ribs, and sides covered.

Rendering courtesy of Spoetzl Brewery

The new cocktail lounge and restaurant will add lots of space for trying the new distillery's products.

The team has not shared information yet on when the project is expected to be completed, but the groundbreaking did happen as scheduled — so things seem to be on track so far.

More information about Spoetzl Brewery and Distillery is available at shiner.com.

shiner beer openings cocktails