The Record Room at W Austin.
Courtesy of W Austin
New hotels are often rigged with the latest brag-worthy technology: touch-screen panels for temperature regulation and custom shower lighting, in-room voice-activated concierge information, and even robot butlers. But there’s one trendy hotel amenity that is decidedly old-school: in-room record players, along with hotel libraries stuffed with vintage and new vinyl records available for borrowing. In an era when there’s an endless digital music catalog at our fingertips, records have become a greatest hit with Texas travelers.
Naturally, you’re most likely to find vinyl records available in hotels in downtown Austin. Though the claim is often made that the “Live Music Capital” has strayed from its musician-friendly roots, music remains a marketable commodity—at least within the realm of the downtown high-rise hotels. In an effort to offer an authentic, local experience, situating guests with an in-room turntable is a hotelier’s version of Austin hospitality.