New hotels in South Congress

South Congress — SoCo to locals — is the strip of South Congress Avenue running south from Lady Bird Lake, lined with boutiques, food trucks and live-music venues that make it one of Austin's most walkable retail corridors. Two hotels we track have opened here, Hotel Magdalena and The Inn at Green Pastures, and a third, The Standard, Austin, is confirmed for spring 2027 on the strip itself.

What to do in South Congress

For a weekend

Walk South Congress Avenue's boutiques and food trucks from the Continental Club north toward the lake, stopping at Music Lane, the small hospitality-and-retail enclave built around Hotel Magdalena. In the evening, the strip's restaurants and live-music bars stay busy well past dinner.

For a longer stay

With more time, Barton Springs Pool and Zilker park are a short walk or bike ride west, and South Congress connects on foot or by a short rideshare to Downtown Austin across the lake.

Where to stay in South Congress

Music Lane

Hotel Magdalena opened in October 2020 at 1101 Music Lane, inside a small hospitality-and-retail enclave built specifically around the hotel, on a site with its own musical history.

South Congress Avenue

The Standard, Austin, confirmed for spring 2027, is planned at 1603 South Congress Avenue, replacing the long-running South Congress Hotel in one of the neighborhood's most walkable retail-and-restaurant stretches.

Bouldin Creek

The Inn at Green Pastures opened in December 2025 at 811 West Live Oak Street, a few blocks from South First Street and South Congress Avenue, on a five-to-seven-acre wooded estate in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood that has stayed largely intact even as the surrounding blocks have densified.

Which hotel in South Congress for your trip

Travelers who want to be on the strip itself

Hotel Magdalena's Music Lane address puts SoCo's boutiques and restaurants within a two-minute walk.

Travelers wanting a quieter, greener stay nearby

The Inn at Green Pastures' wooded Bouldin Creek estate is a short walk from South Congress Avenue, without sitting directly on the strip.

Travelers waiting on SoCo's next opening

The Standard, Austin, confirmed for spring 2027 on South Congress Avenue itself, will replace a hotel that had operated on the same site for years.

Frequently asked questions

What is the newest hotel to open in South Congress?

The Inn at Green Pastures, which opened in December 2025 at 811 West Live Oak Street in the neighboring Bouldin Creek neighborhood.

What hotel is replacing the South Congress Hotel?

The Standard, Austin, confirmed for spring 2027 at 1603 South Congress Avenue, on the same site as the long-running South Congress Hotel.

Is South Congress walkable from Downtown Austin?

It's across Lady Bird Lake — walkable for some via the pedestrian bridges, but most visitors use a short rideshare into Downtown Austin.

Is Bouldin Creek part of South Congress?

It's the neighborhood immediately west of the South Congress Avenue strip — The Inn at Green Pastures sits a few blocks from South Congress Avenue itself.

How far is South Congress from Zilker Park?

A short walk or bike ride into Zilker, home to Barton Springs Pool.