Ramada by Wyndham Austin South

The rooms were nice and clean, and Maritza welcomed us warmly. The staff were extremely friendly. The main water line broke, though, and for two days we couldn’t shower or use the restroom. I bought gallons of water to wash my face, brush my teeth, and wash my hair, plus hygiene wipes so I could stay as fresh as possible. I even had to drive somewhere else to use a bathroom, spending money on gas. It was a huge inconvenience. My intimate weekend had no intimacy without showers, and I had to board a plane after going two days without showering. I found myself holding in bodily fluids, which was another discomfort. We were told we’d be taken care of, but only $40 came off the bill. I don’t think that was enough to cover the inconvenience and the water, wipes, and gas. I was upset I hadn’t checked out and moved to another hotel, since I’d trusted they would make it right. I still recommend this hotel for its location, friendly staff, and clean rooms, but I wouldn’t count on compensation if something goes wrong.

Breakfast had a variety of food, but it was gone before breakfast hours ended. After we’d already left the state, we were told there’d be a $53 charge for a “damaged towel.” They refuse to refund anything or even remove that charge despite how inconvenient the stay was. Long story short, don’t stay here, you’ll have nothing but issues. Problems began when we arrived. The car port was under construction and we hadn’t been told ahead of time. The elevator call button on the second floor was broken, and sometimes took five or six minutes to respond. That was especially hard while traveling with someone who has limited ability to stand and walk. Our first room had no power to the fridge, microwave, or AC, so thankfully we were moved. In the second room, we had to wait for the water to heat up on the first day. Even with the Do Not Disturb sign on the door, staff entered while we were out to take an iron that had been in the room when we arrived. We were visiting for a wedding and ended up having to share one iron between two rooms. It was a huge inconvenience and made us uncomfortable. Someone traveling with us was given a room that smelled like smoke. That might not have been an issue if someone hadn’t been entering their room while they were away to smoke on the balcony. They found that person’s lighter there, and there were roaches in the room too. Their key card also had to be reactivated repeatedly before they could get back in.

The hotel is beautiful, with interior design that feels really high-end, and the location was convenient, tucked between a convenience store and a restaurant. The staff were professional, accommodating, and went out of their way to make sure we had what we needed. The hot breakfast was a letdown. Waffles, cereal, and orange juice were fine, but the hot proteins looked old and made me nauseous. The eggs didn’t taste fresh either. It’s a stunning property with a fantastic team, but I’d skip the hot breakfast and eat elsewhere.

The room looked great inside, with paintings, a curved ceiling, and nice lighting, plus a beautiful urban restaurant next door with a huge patio and outdoor area. The outside doesn’t give much indication of what’s inside. It’s right by a gas station but fenced off, and just off the main highway in Austin. My husband and I booked a king room two days before Christmas and got amazing rates. The room was clean, with toiletries and towels neatly arranged and easy to reach. The AC worked so well we had to turn the fan down to low because it got cold quickly. Water pressure was good, and the water heated up fast. Breakfast was small but enough for a quick bite on Christmas morning: yogurt, cereal, eggs and bacon, toast, a waffle maker, bagels with cream cheese and butter, and coffee. The staff were very kind and patient. They gave us more than 20 extra minutes to leave at checkout without rushing us. For the price, it was one of the best hotels we could have chosen, especially just before Christmas. The stay was great, and we’ll stay here again when we visit Austin. Simple people like simple things. Thanks for a calm, welcoming, cozy stay.