New hotels in Rainey Street

Rainey Street was once a strip of small bungalow homes converted into backyard bars a few blocks east of downtown Austin; over the past decade those bungalows have given way to a cluster of residential and hotel high-rises, while the street itself keeps its entertainment-district identity. Two hotels we track have opened here in 2026: ROOST Rainey, inside the 48-story Paseo tower, and 1 Hotel Austin, inside the Waterline — at 74 stories and 1,022 feet, the tallest building in the Southern United States.

What to do in Rainey Street

For a weekend

Walk Rainey Street itself in the evening for its remaining bungalow-bar patios, wedged between the newer towers, then head to the Lady Bird Lake hike-and-bike trail that runs along the district's southern edge, a few minutes from both ROOST Rainey and 1 Hotel Austin.

For a longer stay

With more time, Downtown Austin and its Congress Avenue corridor are an easy walk northwest, and South Congress is a short walk or rideshare across the lake.

Where to stay in Rainey Street

The Paseo tower

ROOST Rainey opened in February 2026 at 80 Rainey Street, occupying floors 14 through 17 of the 48-story Paseo tower, in the heart of the historic entertainment strip.

The Waterline

1 Hotel Austin opened in August 2026 inside the Waterline, a 74-story, 1,022-foot tower at the district's edge that is the tallest building in the Southern United States, putting the brand's first Austin property directly on the Lady Bird Lake shoreline.

Which hotel in Rainey Street for your trip

Travelers who want the entertainment strip itself

ROOST Rainey's address at 80 Rainey Street sits directly among the district's remaining bungalow bars and restaurants.

Travelers who want the neighborhood's most striking address

1 Hotel Austin, inside the tallest building in the Southern United States, is Rainey Street's most architecturally significant opening among those we track.

Frequently asked questions

What is the newest hotel to open on Rainey Street?

1 Hotel Austin, which opened in August 2026 inside the Waterline tower.

Is Rainey Street still known for its bungalow bars?

Some remain wedged between the newer high-rises, though the district has largely been rebuilt into residential and hotel towers over the past decade.

What is the Waterline?

A 74-story, 1,022-foot tower on Rainey Street that is the tallest building in the Southern United States, home to 1 Hotel Austin.

Is Rainey Street walkable to Downtown Austin?

Yes — it's an easy walk, or a few minutes by rideshare, into Downtown Austin.

How far is Rainey Street from Lady Bird Lake?

The district sits directly along the lake's northern shore, within a few minutes' walk of the hike-and-bike trail from both hotels we track.