places to stay

The new Heywood Hotel is a groovy little oasis of mid-century style in EastAustin

Photo by Casey Dunn
Photo by Casey Dunn
Photo by Casey Dunn
Photo by Casey Dunn
Photo by Casey Dunn
Photo by Shelley Seale

People come to Austin to live out their dreams, says Kathy Setzer. She is one of them — originally from St. Louis, she came to Austin in 1999. The realization of her dream in the form of the city's newest hotel, the Heywood on the East Side, has happily put her in the middle of the creative and entrepreneurial energy that drives Austin.

The Heywood Hotel celebrated its grand opening over Christmas weekend 2011, and Setzer and her husband George Reynolds could not be happier. The Heywood is a groovy little oasis of mid-century style and East Austin's first boutique hotel. The design is a knock-out as soon as you walk up. From the street it looks like a house, blending in with neighboring 1920s-era houses. The back is a modern courtyard hotel, inspired by Palm Springs hotels and the interior courtyards of homes and hotels in Spain.

Designed by Chris Krager and the architect firm KRDB, this masterpiece of design took the original early 20th century home and remodeled and expanded it, creating the seven-room hotel. The entire process was a three year labor of love for Setzer and Reynolds, who bought the property in 2008 with the intention of opening a bed-and-breakfast and living on-site. Zoning complications resulted in a change of plans to the seven room hotel; the couple live nearby on the East Side.

It would be so awesome if the City processes could give local citizens a break when they are trying to do things that are small in nature, and supportive of neighborhoods and Austin values.

"Even though I knew this project was going to take a long time and we would encounter difficulties, I never expected that it would take almost three and a half years to open after we purchased the property," Setzer says. "We were pioneers with some aspects of the City development process. Being classified as a hotel made the construction process more difficult, expensive and time-consuming."

A self-described worrier and pessimist by nature, some of Setzer's most worrisome fears were realized during the lengthy building and zoning process. While City Council members Mike Martinez and Chris Riley were extremely supportive and helpful during the process, she wishes that it was easier for local people to open such a small business.

"It would be so awesome if the city processes could give local citizens a break when they are trying to do things that are small in nature, and supportive of neighborhoods and Austin values. I know that there are individuals in city government that want the same thing," Setzer adds. "It is so desperately needed."

Fortunately, in addition to Martinez and Riley the couple were supported by many others that believed in the Heywood project, such as their interior designer Kasey McCarty, contractors iON Constructors and Waterstreet Engineering. Finally the construction was complete, legalities in place, the last coats of paint and designer touches in place.

It was important to us as owners that we maintain the warmth of the Craftsman aesthetic — wood floors, handcrafted elements, soft textiles — while bringing in the aspects of modern architecture that we love.

"It was important to us as owners that we maintain the warmth of the Craftsman aesthetic — wood floors, handcrafted elements, soft textiles — while bringing in the aspects of modern architecture that we love: high lofted ceilings, tall skylights, exposed brick walls," Setzer says.

The dual nature of the building influenced the choices that she and Reynolds made with the interiors. Taking a mixed-period approach, upcycled classic wingbacks and Danish arm chairs were paired with minimalist, handmade furnishings and modern artwork. The result is cozy, colorful and a little funky, which Setzer thinks fits in perfectly with the neighborhood.

"It's a fresh combination of vintage and modern," says interior designer Kasey McCarty. "The goal was to be homey and welcoming, and not at all intimidating."

The first visitors arrived just before Christmas, an entire family visiting other family members for the holiday. "We could not have found a better hotel if we had built it ourselves," guest Alison Friel said of the Heywood after her stay. "The beds are phenomenal, the linens are plush and elegant, the decor is upbeat and interesting. Each of the seven rooms is slightly different, but all are great."

Setzer says that it was gratifying to hear such feedback from the first guests, after all the hard work and bumps along the way. "It was just such a relief," she says. "It felt like a validation of everything we have been doing, and what we wanted to accomplish."

For her part, Setzer's favorite thing about being the proprietor of Heywood Hotel is introducing first-time visitors to Austin.

"Everyone who comes here is in such a great mood and so excited to experience our city. My favorite thing is having the opportunity to show off Austin, to showcase the local artists and artisans who are on display in the hotel and to introduce folks to our local businesses, especially the mom and pops in our East Austin neighborhood. It’s also cool that the people staying here get it — they appreciate the opportunity to stay in a small hotel that offers a unique, crafted Austin experience."

Setzer loves the optimism and bootstrap nature of Austinites, and many local products and artworks are featured throughout the Heywood. From wall art by Alyson Fox, Darvin Jones, Stevan Alcala, Carolyn Porter and Carly Weaver to pillows by Leah Duncan, wood vases by Brian David Johnson and handmade cards by Letterpress Delicacies and a logo designed by Cody Haltom, staying local is a big part of Setzer's and Reynolds' philosophy.

"The support for local businesses is one of the most important things that sets Austin apart" Setzer says. "It’s unbelievably rewarding to drive business to other locals who are working so hard to live out their dreams. That is, far and away, the most rewarding thing about this business — it makes the rocky journey to opening day and all of the long hours worth it. Running the hotel is a lot of hard work, but it’s energizing to be surrounded by happy, relaxed people."

Setzer plans to host local events and other community socials. Setzer's enthusiasm for the journey is contagious. "Next to my husband, Austin is the love of my life," she concludes.

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Heywood Hotel is located at 1609 E. Cesar Chavez in east Austin. Rates start at $179 weekdays; $209 weekends, single or double occupancy.

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Preservation efforts

South Texas mission makes list of America’s most endangered historic places

Facebook/Friends of the Ruidosa Church

El Corazon Sagrado de la Iglesia de Jesus in Ruidosa, Texas is considered an endangered place.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A historic South Texas mission joins the Stonewall National Monument, the President's House Site, and the Women's Rights National Historic Park among 11 sites on this year's annual list of the most endangered historic places in the United States compiled by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The 2026 list, announced Wednesday, May 20, marks America's 250th anniversary with the foundational principle that everyone is created equal as the theme, said Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the nonprofit organization. The 11 sites offer examples of how, over time, Americans have fought against injustice and for equality, she said.

“We wanted to think about those ideas, especially this notion that all human beings are created equal and find places, sometimes unsung places ... that not all Americans routinely think about," Quillen told The Associated Press.

The sites are spread across the United States — from New York and California on the East and West Coasts, to Alabama and Texas in the South, to Michigan in the Midwest and the Four Corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah in the Rocky Mountain West.

At least three of the sites — Stonewall, the El Corazon church in Texas, and President's House in Philadelphia — have been endangered by Trump administration actions.

“We want to save these places," Quillen said, “not just because the bricks and mortar is important but because the stories these places hold are important."

For the first time since the list debuted in 1988, each site on the 2026 list will receive a one-time $25,000 grant to help highlight their connections to the principle that all people are created equal and address the threats they face.

The 11 sites are:

Ruidosa, Texas: El Corazon Sagrado de la Iglesia de Jesus
The more than century-old adobe church served as a refuge and place of worship for Mexican and Mexican American farming communities on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border along the Rio Grande River. Vacant since the 1950s, the structure has benefited from continued restoration provided by the nonprofit Friends of the Ruidosa Church but remains threatened by proposed construction of a U.S. border wall that could come within a few hundred yards of the property. (The nonprofit has posted an official statement and more information about the border wall here.) Ruidosa is in far west Texas, roughly 35 miles northwest of Presidio and 46 miles southwest of Marfa, near the rugged Chinati Mountains.

A historic photograph of El Corazon Sagrado de la Iglesia de Jesus.Facebook/Friends of the Ruidosa Church

Montgomery, Alabama: Ben Moore Hotel
The hotel was a refuge for Black people living under laws that enforced racial separation in the South. Prolonged vacancy has caused structural deterioration and the historic Centennial Hill neighborhood surrounding it faces pressure from development. The hotel housed key players from the Civil Rights Movement, including the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Ralph Abernathy. The Conservation Fund announced in November that it would help preserve the hotel.

Modoc County, California: Tule Lake Segregation Center
Initially known as the Tule Lake War Relocation Center, it was set up as a camp but later became a segregation center where Japanese Americans who were thought to be disloyal to the United States were imprisoned. The site is now a national monument managed by the National Park Service. Only 37 acres of the 1,100-acre site is protected. Most of it is at risk of permanent alteration from a proposed nearby construction project.

California: Angel Island Immigration Station
It was the largest immigration port on the West Coast between 1910 and 1940, particularly for immigrants from Asia and the Pacific. Hundreds of thousands were processed, detained and/or interrogated there because of their race. The station currently is threatened by physical, environmental, political and economic factors. Additional funding is needed for structural repairs and programming to increase awareness.

Somerset, Massachusetts: Swansea Friends Meeting House
Recognized as the oldest surviving Quaker meeting house in the state, it was built in 1701 to serve as a refuge by a congregation fleeing religious persecution and looking for a safe place to worship. The building has been closed for years and needs significant rehabilitation.

Michigan: Detroit Association of Women's Clubs
Founded in 1921, the association was one of the first Black organizations in Detroit to own their headquarters building, which was purchased in 1941. But the building has been closed since 2024, when water pipes burst and damaged the interior. Money is needed to help the association reopen the building.

New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah: Greater Chaco Cultural Landscape
The landscape is an ancestral homeland sustained for over a millennium by the Pueblo and Hopi people, but is threatened by changes to federal land policy that could open up significant portions to oil and gas development. Permanent protections and tribal consultation are needed to protect its cultural integrity.

Seneca Falls, New York: Women's Rights National Historical Park
The park tells the story of the first Women's Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, in July 1848. It faces a deferred maintenance backlog of over $10 million. Additional funding and support are needed to help preserve the park as a place to teach visitors about the history of women's rights.

New York: Stonewall National Monument
The first and only U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ history was the subject of administration actions that saw the rainbow Pride flag removed from its flagpole earlier this year before it was restored. The National Park Service had removed the flag in February, citing federal guidance that limited the agency to displaying only the American, Interior Department and POW/MIA flags. But the administration reversed course in April as it agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by advocacy and historic preservation groups that sought to block the flag's removal at the Manhattan site.

After Trump returned to office, he ended diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and many references to transgender people were excised from the Stonewall monument’s website and materials. The Republican administration similarly has put national parks, museums and landmarks under a messaging microscope, aiming to remove or alter materials that it says are “divisive or partisan” or “inappropriately disparage Americans.”

Philadelphia: The President's House Site
The administration abruptly removed exhibits on the lives of nine people enslaved at the site in the 1790s under George Washington, the first U.S. president, who lived there when Philadelphia served as the nation's capital. The exhibits were taken down as part of a broad effort by the administration to remove from federal properties information it deems “disparaging” to Americans. The issue is currently the subject of litigation between the city and federal government.

Heath Springs, South Carolina: Hanging Rock Revolutionary War Battlefield
The Battle of Hanging Rock was a key battle in the Southern Campaigns of the Revolutionary War and is considered a Patriot victory that helped boost morale and ultimately weaken British control in South Carolina. Only portions of the core battlefield are protected and open to the public, with the area anticipating population growth and increasing development pressures.