Texas - Austin, Tx - lodging query

Wife's birthday is 2/22 and she wants to go to Austin. (I don't know why we don't live there yet?)

Any good leads on a place to stay near downtown? Looking to find the trails to cycle on too. Where to stay, where to pedal?


:D

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/downloads/bicycle%20map_07.pdf

Here's a map for cycling in Austin. Not only does it show bike trails, but the
best city streets for riding, color coded to represent how busy the traffic is.

Most of the bike trails are near the center of downtown, where the most expensive hotels are.

There are a range of hotels to choose from that will give you easy access to downtown. A lot of it depends on how much you want to spend and what you want out of a hotel. There are the high-end places like the Four Seasons, the Stephen F. Austin and the Driskill, then a host of other mid-range places like the Omni, Hilton, Radisson, Sheraton and finally the economy hotels like the Hampton Inn and La Quinta. Most of these will provide an easy walk into the downtown area.

I also came across this link (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/downloads/downtown_hotels.pdf) that shows the placement of many of the hotels. "Downtown" is roughly defined as Cesar Chavez up to 15th street and I-35 over to Lamar.

If you want to cycle from one of these downtown locations, it can be a challenge. While the city says there are a lot of bike routes in downtown, they mostly consist of signs SAYING you're on a bike route but you'd be hardpressed to believe it. If you have the option of driving to a starting spot there are a ton of options....it depends on the type of riding you want. You can head east and get out into the country roads with rolling hills or you can head west a bit and ride the more challenging hills of the "Hill Country".

Once you decide on a hotel and indicate what type of riding you're looking for, I'm sure me and others can help narrow down your choices.

There are the high-end places like the Four Seasons, the Stephen F. Austin and the Driskill, then a host of other mid-range places like the Omni, Hilton, Radisson, Sheraton and finally the economy hotels like the Hampton Inn and La Quinta. Most of these will provide an easy walk into the downtown area.

If you want to cycle from one of these downtown locations, it can be a challenge. While the city says there are a lot of bike routes in downtown, they mostly consist of signs SAYING you're on a bike route but you'd be hardpressed to believe it. If you have the option of driving to a starting spot there are a ton of options....it depends on the type of riding you want. You can head east and get out into the country roads with rolling hills or you can head west a bit and ride the more challenging hills of the "Hill Country".

Once you decide on a hotel and indicate what type of riding you're looking for, I'm sure me and others can help narrow down your choices.

Hotel:
probably mid-range, maybe economy (if I can talk her into it.) We stayed in the one right on Town Lake that is shaped like a triangle and the center is opened up with the elevators on the inside going up and down...that one was neat. Can anyone tell me which one that was? I remember it was exxxxxpensive.

Riding:
I think we're mainly looking for easy, trail-type stuff. I gave up the races at Pace Bend and Walburg this weekend so I could toodle around with the wifey at her pace. We're most likely bringing our cross bikes - so dirt trails are ok too.

And we're bringing...no I'm not gonna tell you guys...you'll make fun, you'll scar me for life.

Rod Roddy says come on down 'cause the price is right...our brand new CARS!! errr..BIKES!!

hers:
http://blbikeshop.com/images/library/large/electra_184144_08_m.jpg

his:
http://blbikeshop.com/images/library/large/electra_185003_08_m.jpg

Are those what you call your cross bikes? I thought they were something different. Anyway...

The hotel you may be thinking of is the Hyatt Regency...just across Town Lake...oops...Lady Bird Lake... from downtown. Regarding hotels, I live here so I don't have too much experience with hotels. I know there are a few boutique hotels and B&Bs if you're into that sort of thing. Google will be your best bet to find those.

From any downtown location, the Hike and Bike trail is PERFECT for what you're planning to do. The entire loop...all the way down to Longhorn Dam, is a little over 10 miles and you get a complete tour of the lake. You can stop anywhere along it and enjoy the scenery. Be sure to stop and pay homage to Stevie Ray Vaughan. Here's a link (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/downloads/tlake_kiosk.pdf) to a map of the trails.