On Business In: We follow

from The Business Travel Mag May- June 2022

The Knowledge: How to

On business in... Austin Texas

Despite its long and illustrious history, the Texan capital shows no signs of being stuck in the past. It’s the fastest-growing US city, thanks in part to its ‘Keep Austin Weird’ motto attracting a hip, free-spirited crowd. Meanwhile, low taxes have drawn in the likes of Google, Apple, Oracle and Facebook to create a new Silicon Valley in the south, known as Silicon Hills, writes Neal Baldwin

Getting there

Austin’s modern infrastructure has meant boom time for tech start-ups and prompted the arrival of the biggest players. To meet demand, Virgin Atlantic is launching a new direct service from London Heathrow four times a week on Boeing 787-9 aircraft from May 25 – it’s first new US route since 2015. Together with joint venture partner Delta Air Lines, it offers seamless connections from Austin to 10 US cities; Seattle, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Raleigh Durham and JFK. British Airways also offers four weekly flights a week to the Texan capital from Heathrow, while Lufthansa and KLM fly from Frankfurt and Amsterdam respectively.

SLEEPING

For cattle baron chic, look no further than The Driskill. This impressive period property exudes oldschool Southern charm, with hide-covered coaches and longhorn busts celebrating its cowboy heritage. For a more modern take, Colton

House – with its 80 Texas-sized apartment-styled suites – attracts the trendy tech crowd, while Kimpton’s Hotel Van Zandt, amongst the slick bars of Rainey Street, is a must for hipsters.

EATING

Tex-Mex and barbecue rule in Austin, and Garrison tops the lot. Located at the Fairmont Hotel (another top stay option), this elegant grill house takes meat, fish and poultry to new levels of juicy! Alternatively, Veracruz All Natural has a host of outlets and taco trucks around the city serving up the freshest ingredients – fast food maybe, but delicious definitely.

AFTER HOURS

Downtown restaurant, bar and nightclub Higher Ground has a religious theme and a ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ cocktail list likely to put you on the path to damnation in the morning. In the Warehouse District, the stylish Roosevelt Room has a bold playfulness (plus a loyalty card to tick off – complete its 50 cocktails and you’ll win a free T-shirt!)

GETTING DOwNTOwN

By far the cheapest way to and from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is the reliable high-frequency Capital Metro Route 20 bus, which does the 35-minute trip for just $1.25. Taxis operate from a rank

with a four-passenger maximum and fares around $30.

MUST-SEE SIGHTS

oLD Austin is as Texan does, so make

SChooL sure your trip takes in the cowboy SoUThERN classics. First stop has to be Allens

ChARM Boots, a landmark outfitters boasting the best in boots, hats and fancy shirts. Properly attired, head to either The Broken Spoke or the White Horse – the best in dive-bar honky tonks offering free Texan two-step lessons. Legendary Franklin Barbecue has long queues and awesome ribs, while the Texas Capitol Building is an historic gem.

KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD

DIVE-bAR hoNKy ToNKS

JOIN THE PARTY

Celebrate with the best talent in the business travel industry at the 2022 People Awards at the Leonardo Royal City Hotel, 6.30pm till late, Tuesday September 13 2022