Premier properties

Architectural Digest draws up list of Austin’s 7 best Airbnb rentals

This cozy South Austin getaway caught the eye of Architectural Digest.

If you're looking to make the season a bit brighter, perhaps a road trip is in order.

Architectural Digest recently assembled a list of the city’s seven best Airbnb rental properties. They range from 1950s bungalows to a vintage trailer with charm to spare. Architectural Digest notes that all seven properties are certified as “Airbnb Plus,” meaning they deliver exceptional quality, comfort, and style.

A note, however, Airbnb is cracking down on house parties at rental properties in Austin as COVID numbers continue to spike around the nation. But if you are able to make a reservation for New Year’s Eve — or at any other time, for that matter — here are the seven local properties that caught the eye of Architectural Digest.

Bungalow in Windsor Park
This two-bedroom, two-bathroom rehabbed 1950s bungalow is tucked into the Windsor Park neighborhood, just north of the Mueller development near I-35 and U.S. Highway 290 East. Its nightly rental rate is listed at $152.

Architectural Digest raves that this home “is a sanctuary for anyone hoping to unwind and reset.” Amenities include sliding glass walls, a firepit, a 12-foot outdoor dining table, and a wood-lined bathroom featuring a chromotherapy bath. In addition, the home is decorated with intriguing art, eye-catching wall prints, and “gravity-defying book sculptures.”

Studio in Cherrywood
This one-bedroom, one-bathroom walk-up studio sits in the Cherrywood neighborhood in Central East Austin. The nightly rental rate is listed at $91.

Highlights of this sun-filled studio, nestled among lush trees, include a breakfast nook, a reading nook with sheepskin rugs, and a bedroom with a Tuft & Needle mattress, Snowe pillows, luxury linens, and blackout curtains. The rental listing says the studio exudes a “treehouse vibe.”

Bungalow in Brentwood
This two bedroom, two-bathroom 1950s bungalow is located in the Brentwood neighborhood, near Woodrow Avenue and Allandale Road in North Austin. Its nightly rental rate is advertised as $179.

Architectural Digest praises this property as offering “a getaway for guests looking for some true R&R.”

“Parked right off a quiet creek surrounded by native plants, the home’s modern updates refresh the already inviting space,” Architectural Digest says. “The original features such as the large panel windows provide more than enough light to fill the open floor plan … .”

Studio in Bouldin Creek
This two-bedroom, one-bathroom guesthouse is situated in South Austin’s Bouldin Creek neighborhood. The nightly rental rate is listed at $99.

Its clean, modern design features height ceilings, an “art studio aesthetic,” and welcoming décor.

“This studio is stocked with all of the essentials: think kitchenware, a work desk, a decked-out TV, and enough indoor plants to go around. If you’re looking for more square footage, book the main house out front for an upgraded experience,” Architectural Digest notes.

Guesthouse in East Austin
This four-bedroom, one-bathroom guesthouse is in East Austin, near East 12th Street and North Pleasant Valley Road, straddles the Chestnut and Rosewood neighborhoods. The listing shows a nightly rental rate of $98.

Architectural Digest emphasizes the property’s “inviting subway-tiled kitchen” with gold hardware that complements rounded wooden edges and wicker furniture. It also points out the inviting pebble-lined entrance, which leads to the bars along nearby Chicon Street. For those content to stay indoors, the guesthouse offers a curated collection of vinyl records.

Studio in South Manchaca
This one-bedroom, one-bathroom studio sits in South Austin’s South Manchaca neighborhood, bordered by U.S. Highway 290 West, South First Street, West Stassney Lane, and Menchaca Road. Its nightly rental rate is listed at $69.

The “hidden gem” couples a “cabin in the woods” vibe with the modern feel of a renovated art studio, Architectural Digest says. “With its weathered wood textures and sky blue accents, the South Manchaca spot is an oasis for any traveler,” according to the publication.

Amenities include a kitchenette and a private patio.

Vintage trailer in Ford Oaks
This remodeled Spartan trailer is in South Austin’s Ford Oaks neighborhood, near West Slaughter Lane and Menchaca Road. The listing puts the nightly rental rate at $131. A second trailer on the property is also available on Airbnb.

Located on a wooded and secluded three-and-a-half-acre plot, this “turquoise wonder is everything you need and more if you’re someone looking for an at-home adventure,” Architectural Digest says.

“Spend your evenings out on the private deck watching the deer and cozying up by the Chimenea fireplace. The wooded area makes for a peaceful and easygoing stay while the location keeps you only a 10-mile drive from the downtown craze,” the publication notes.

vacation rent

Now hear this

New Texas museum shines spotlight on Tejano music history

Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum, San Antonio, tejano music

Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Roger Hernandez serves as board president of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum.

For a city that proudly calls itself the capital of Tejano music, San Antonio has long been missing a permanent place to honor the genre’s pioneers and preserve its history. That gap officially closed In December with the opening of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum at 1414 Fredericksburg Rd.

The music couldn’t have found a better steward than its founder and board president. Roger Hernandez has had his finger on the pulse of Tejano music for decades. His company, En Caliente Productions, has provided a platform for countless performing artists and songwriters in Tejano, conjunto, and regional Mexican music since 1982.

Hernandez says his wife, who ran a shop at Market Square years ago, would often get questions from visitors about the location of a physical Tejano music museum, a thing that simply did not exist. In 2022, he banded together with friends, family, and other local Tejano music supporters to make the nonprofit Hall of Fame a reality.

“I decided I've been in the music scene for over 40 years, it's time to do a museum,” Hernandez recalls.

Hernandez says a brick-and-mortar Tejano music museum has long been needed to remember musical acts and other individuals who grew the genre across Texas and northern Mexico, especially those who are aging. Recently, the community lost famed Tejano music producer Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla, the renowned Tejano singer/songwriter and father of the late superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Both deaths occurred roughly one week after the Totally Tejano museum opened to the public.

“They're all dying. They're all getting older, and we need to acknowledge all these people,” Hernandez says.

The Totally Tejano Museum — named after Hernandez’s Totally Tejano Television Roku streaming — has 5,000 square feet of space packed with plaques, photos, promotional posters, musical instruments, and other memorabilia honoring the pioneers and stars of the beloved genre. Mannequins wear stage outfits from icons like Laura Canales and Flaco Jimenez, and a wall of photos remembers late greats. Totally Tejano Television plays legendary performances on a loop, bringing the exhibits to life.

The newly opened Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum includes a growing collection of memorabilia. Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Hernandez says the museum will soon welcome permanent and rotating exhibits, including traveling shows, a Hall of Fame section, and an area paying homage to Chicano music crossovers, such as the late Johnny Rodriguez, the South Texas singer-songwriter who blended country with Tex-Mex music. Plans call for the organization to hold its inaugural Hall of Fame induction in February 2026.

Eventually, a 2,000 square feet back room will be converted into additional display space and host industry gatherings, community symposiums, and record and video release parties. The museum also plans to add a gift and record shop and a music learning room where visitors can listen to early Tejano music and browse archival photos. Hernandez is already talking with local school districts about educational field trips.

Much like Tejano itself, the museum is a grassroots production. Hernandez and fellow board members have used their own money to rent, renovate, develop, and maintain the museum space. The board also leads the selection of the Hall of Fame honorees and curates the exhibits.

Hernandez has been heartened by the museum’s reception, both from media outlets and music fans around Texas and beyond.

“We had a radio station come in this morning from Houston to interview us,” he says. “People have come in from Lubbock, Texas. We have had people from Midland, Texas. We have another person who emailed us who’s coming in from New York. People are learning all about us.”

That includes many of the musicians who helped shape the genre. Johnny Hernandez, Sunny Ozuna, Elida Reyna, and Danny Martinez from Danny and The Tejanos are among the luminaries who have already graced the halls.

The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum is now open 10 am-6 pm, Tuesday-Sunday, and closed Monday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Fans can call 210-314-1310 for more information.

san antonio tejano music museums hall of fame music openings