The Proper Hotel in Austin, Texas, is slated to open in 2017 and will include a 243-bedroom hotel, 100 residences, and a spa.
The location is part of a new line of hotels unveiled this year by Proper Hotels CEO Brad Korzen, the creator and former CEO of the Viceroy Hotel Group. Proper Hotels aims to design, brand and operate “bespoke hospitality experiences that bring a modern approach to a centuries-old tradition,” the company said. Its first property is slated to open in San Francisco late this year, with another property in Los Angeles to follow.
“Back in the late 19th and early 20th century, every great city had a grand hotel,” said Korzen. “These hotels were as much a part of the city’s identity as its monuments and museums. They were destinations for travellers and gathering places for locals. They were where things happened. Although times have changed, we love what these old-world institutions stood for, and we think it’s a great time to expand on their legacy.”
Details of the Austin Proper Hotel's spa are still being finalised, but the 32-storey downtown site, part of the redevelopment of the former Thomas C. Green Water Treatment Plant, will also include two roof decks with swimming pools, a fitness centre, signature lobby restaurant and lounge, coffee shop, and elevated poolside restaurant.
Designed by Handel Architects with interiors by Kelly Wearstler Interior Designs, Austin Proper also includes one- to three-bedroom residences from 850 to 2,800sq ft (79sq m to 260sq m) and one- and two-storey penthouses from 3,300 to 6,000sq ft (307sq m to 557sq m). The residences will feature floor-to-ceiling windows as well as outdoor decks with views of Lady Bird Lake and the Texas Hill Country.
Residents at Austin Proper will receive exclusive privileges including priority dining and spa reservations.
Both the San Francisco and Los Angeles Proper Hotels will be in newly-renovated, historic buildings in the cities. Proper Hotels says it is also actively looking at locations in Brooklyn, New York; Santa Monica, California; Miami; and Napa Valley, California.
“Iconic design. Impeccable service. Thoughtful details. These are the things that once made hotels special,” said Brian De Lowe, president and co-founder of Proper Hospitality.
“We want to bring that specialness back through a new brand of ‘proper hospitality’ that specifically caters to our generation of well-heeled travellers. Sometimes, we will update long-lost traditions. Other times, we will take current ones and turn them completely on their heads. But our main focus is on delivering culturally relevant and enriching experiences, without sacrificing service or the occasional pampering.
