Sydell, the group that is causing a stir in the industry Freehand Miami, Florida NoMad New Yorkers were aware that it would take a lot of courage to open their first store. Austin. This is Liz Lambert After all, territory is the matriarch for louche boutiques that are done with style and ease. Line is the opposite. Texan-style big. This is 428-room big. Sydell has a knack for turning spaces into urban landmarks, but it still feels intimate and thoughtful. The guest rooms in the former Wilbur-Clark’s Crest Hotel are decorated in neutral, earthy shades and feature original art and books by Texas-based artists. The Line offers an artist residency program, a nod at Austin’s growing scene of visual arts. Its location is what makes it so appealing. The Line is right in the middle of downtown. It was a place where suits used to leave at five o’clock and head straight home. The Line is changing this. Designer Sean Knibb and on-the-ground partner Michael Hsu brought the outdoors in through their public spaces—most notably Arlo Grey, a fine dining restaurant and bar helmed by Top Chef Winners Traitors star Kristen Kish—with natural materials such as concrete, canvas, blond and dark woods, and tropical plants spilling from hanging brass pots. Veracruz All Natural serves some of Austin’s finest barbacoa, al pastor, and coffee. Alfred’s is a walk-up cafeteria, while P6 has a rooftop bar that looks like a greenhouse with its potted plants. It has one of the best views of Congress Avenue Bridge—and the bats that fly out from under the bridge at dusk—in Austin. —S.K.
