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    Inner City Sanctums

    Only in Austin: Rock and roll exile inspires Zen-like Hotel Saint Cecelia

    Ramona Flume
    Ramona Flume
    Aug 13, 2011 | 5:45 pm
    Austin Photo Set: Ramona Flume_St Cecilia_july 2011_porch
    Most of the furniture is either antiques that Lambert discovered during her extensive world travels or pieces that have been custom-made or designed specifically for the hotel
    Photo by Ramona Flume

    In 1971, the Rolling Stones needed to shake off some serious tax-related turmoil, so they fled the UK (and a handful of pricey lawsuits) and took up residence in Keith Richard’s villa in the south of France. They spent six months at Villefranche-sur-Mer, the extravagant 16-bedroom mansion, hiding out from Britain’s taxmen like a gang of rock god refugees and recording their iconic album, Exile on Main Street.

    Saint Cecilia's perfect balance of soulful bohemia and enlightened elegance suggests that maybe everyone needs a lavish, self-indulgent escape every once in a while.

    This now-famous example of artistic escapism inspired Liz Lambert, owner and designer of the Hotel Saint Cecilia, to create her own inner-city escape. So much so that she renovated a historic 1800s Victorian home right in the middle of Austin's bustling South Congress neighborhood and transformed it into a Zen-like boutique hotel, named after the patron saint of music and poetry.

    Saint Cecilia's perfect balance of soulful bohemia and enlightened elegance suggests that maybe everyone needs a lavish, self-indulgent escape every once in a while. That’s not to say you’ll record a seminal album like Exile after a stay at the Cecilia, but there is a definite element of inspiration in the hotel’s atmosphere that seems to encourage a heightened state of self-reflection.

    Every detail is approved personally by Lambert to fit seamlessly into Saint Cecilia’s philosophy: “A hotel shouldn’t just indulge. It should enrich,” ensuring that no luxury is too small to be overlooked and nothing superfluous is around to distract.

    The exquisitely diverse decor includes everything from antiques Lambert has discovered on her extensive world travels to pop modern designs and custom-made installations designed specifically for the hotel. Examples include the Adam Bork video installations and a 1969 Verner Panton light fixture with a glowing red hive of clustered polypropylen balls, each engraved with the designer's signature. Or the Hastens Beds, handmade in Sweden with all-natural horsehair, cotton, wool and Swedish pine. (The Excelsior and 2000T models run between $17,500 and $27,500.) Saint Cecilia is the only hotel in North America to feature them exclusively. The bathrooms have their own swoon-worthy features, like the antique bathtub in Suite 3 with a direct eye line to the HD flat screen in the bedroom and Cote de Bastide bath products.

    Music is the patron saint at Cecilia, and there’s more than enough soul to go around. Every room is equipped with a Geneva sound system and Whetstone Audio turntables (Riga P1s), waiting with pins up for guests to arrive, unload and get down. The poolside “SOUL” neon, acquired from Evan Voyles of Neon Jungles and reclaimed from an antique sign originally reading "Louisiana," is now a characteristic piece of the estate.

    Original prints from the Morrison Hotel Gallery of artistic iconoclasts and soulful sophisticates of the sixties and seventies, like The Rolling Stones and Hunter S. Thompson, hang throughout the hotel's 14 unique units, but Lambert’s design seems to aim above and beyond the mere homage of a fan.

    The mystic ambience of this modern day refuge seems more apt to inspire an entirely new generation of poets and musicians. Maybe all they need is an exile from the city and a little time to see the right light on the wall.

    Most of the furniture is either antiques that Lambert discovered during her extensive world travels or pieces that have been custom-made or designed specifically for the hotel

    Austin Photo Set: Ramona Flume_St Cecilia_july 2011_porch
      
    Photo by Ramona Flume
    Most of the furniture is either antiques that Lambert discovered during her extensive world travels or pieces that have been custom-made or designed specifically for the hotel
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    Disappear Into Nature

    Secluded Hill Country park opens 2 luxurious glamping houses

    Natalie Grigson
    Jun 19, 2025 | 10:15 am
    Bloom House exterior
    Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks
    Glamping can still include s'mores with a private outdoor fire pit.

    Just in time for unbearable temperatures across Texas, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) has introduced a cooler glamping solution. Opened mid-May, the Ööd Mirror Houses are LCRA Parks' newest accommodations at Lake Bastrop South Shore Park, about 40 minutes outside of Austin.

    Hideaway House exteriorBoth glamping options have floor-to-ceiling windows that look like mirrors from the outside.Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks

    Operated by Cameron Ranch Glamping, these two luxury houses are tucked away in the park's Lost Pines region, surrounded by trees and miles of tranquility.

    Both these pet-friendly homes include floor-to-ceiling mirrored glass walls, so guests can look out into nature with complete privacy, from both passersby and mosquitos.

    Both The Hideaway and The Bloom are 221 square feet and are equipped with a queen memory foam bed, full bathroom with walk-in shower, dining area, Wi-Fi, kitchenette, record player, and perhaps most importantly for this time of year, air conditioning. In the winter, the structures will be heated.

    Hideaway House InteriorBoth mirror houses include memory foam queen-sized beds, WiFi, A/C, and more. Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks

    No matter how glam it gets, guests can still enjoy classic camping fun like roasting marshmallows in their personal outdoor fire pit, or firing up the grill for some burgers. Plus, Lake Bastrop offers paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, areas for fishing, trails for hiking and biking, mini-golf, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, and a charming camp store.

    Interior kitchen areaKitchenettes come equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, and cooking equipment. Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks

    Guests can also leave the park and make the 10-minute drive to downtown Bastrop to grab a bite, a drink, some groceries, or catch some music or a movie. (Who can really say what the rules of glamping entail?)

    Bloom House The two mirror houses are within walking distance to the swimming areas along the lake. Photo courtesy of LCRA Parks

    The Ööd Mirror Houses are now available to book online. Rates vary by day, starting just above $200 per night before fees, and increasing to more than $300 before fees during certain times. Find the campground at 375 S. Shore Rd., Bastrop.

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