The Waldorf Astoria portfolio is on fire, with all kinds of amazing new properties under development, in London, New York, Sydney, Tokyo, etc. Well, Hilton has just announced the next location for its flagship brand, and it’s… a bit more off the beaten path.
In this post:
Details of the planned Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country
The Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country is expected to open in 2027, as a partnership between Hilton and Wine Country Hospitality Partners LLC. This will be Waldorf Astoria’s first property in Texas.
For those not familiar with Texas Hill Country, this is Texas’ most popular wine-tasting destination, with over 100 wineries, and it’s the second most visited wine country in the United States. The resort will be located less than one mile from downtown Fredericksburg, and will be less than a two hour drive from Austin and San Antonio (it’s 75 miles west of Austin and 65 miles northwest of San Antonio).
The Waldorf Astoria is expected to feature 60 dedicated hotel rooms, 37 branded multi-bedroom resort villas (up to 74 keys, through hotel rental programs), and 50 branded private residences. The resort will also have five food and beverage concepts, an 11,000 square foot spa and fitness center, two resort style pools, and more. The property’s design is described as being “authentically Texan,” with sprawling views of the surrounding Hill Country.
Here’s how Amy King, Hilton’s VP of Luxury & Mixed-Use Development, describes this:
“Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country’s signing marks a monumental milestone for Hilton and is integral to both our growth in the state, which represents Hilton’s largest hotel portfolio in the U.S., and Hilton luxury brands portfolio expansion across the Americas. Conrad Hilton’s legacy in the hotel business began in Texas more than 105 years ago, and working alongside incredible owners, we’re proud to deliver on Conrad’s vision as we introduce our distinguished luxury hotel and residential portfolio in the destination.”
This Waldorf Astoria looks intriguing(ish)
I’ve never been to Texas Hill Country, though I’m intrigued. I’m a big fan of wine regions — not because I’m a big wine drinker, necessarily, but rather because they’re typically so picturesque, have a great climate, and have excellent restaurants. To those who have been to Texas Hill Country, how does it compare to Napa? It’s certainly more convenient to get to, coming from Florida…
As far as the Waldorf Astoria goes, it’ll be nice to have a luxury points hotel in the area. That being said, I’m a bit disillusioned by luxury properties in the United States in general, and I rarely choose to vacation domestically.
It’s not just that luxury properties in the United States are typically outrageously expensive, but then they don’t actually deliver an amazing experience, often with lackluster service, nickel-and-diming at every opportunity, and a feeling that a lot of corners are being cut. I’m especially skeptical given that this will be a bit of a resort factory, given the total capacity of the property (between the hotel, the timeshare, and the residences).
Still, more options are always a good thing, and it seems like an easy getaway.
Bottom line
The Waldorf Astoria brand is expanding to Texas Hill Country, with a resort expected to open in 2027. This seems like a cool new wine country getaway that will be convenient for many, though it’s also quite a large resort, given that it has hotel rooms, timeshare units, and private residences.
What do you make of this upcoming Waldorf Astoria?
Native Texan. I’ve lived in Austin and San Francisco on/off for decades. As others have said, Hill Country is ruggedly beautiful, gorgeous in the Spring. I was somewhat surprised that it’s the #2 wine region. In these days of fewer estate vineyards vs mix and cask, I can see how it has improved. I’ve not been out there in awhile but on my list. From sampling, I think HC wines have a way to go....
Native Texan. I’ve lived in Austin and San Francisco on/off for decades. As others have said, Hill Country is ruggedly beautiful, gorgeous in the Spring. I was somewhat surprised that it’s the #2 wine region. In these days of fewer estate vineyards vs mix and cask, I can see how it has improved. I’ve not been out there in awhile but on my list. From sampling, I think HC wines have a way to go. Certainly doesn’t match overall Pacific Coast wines. There are a few exceptions.
This resort is a great idea! I will go but not specifically for the wine. With the Hill Country Film Festival and Weinachtsmart in Fredericksburg, the Kerrville Folk Festival, plus Gruene and surrounding towns (to name a few), there’s plenty to do.
June - Sept, you need to like the heat and sun by a pool. Where Napa/Sonoma heat up to 100+ during day, it drops at night to 50s/60s. No such thing here. Lucky to hit 80 by midnight during the summer. All of the lakes and river tubing (think RRV) are fun in the summer for those who enjoy the heat.
Hope it’s successful but not to the point the Hill Country is a bigger target for developers. Central Texas charm has always been the rolling hills, lakes/rivers, and wide open green spaces. We’re losing that much like NCal has.
Will be convenient to the National Museum of the Pacific War, which is one of the finest military history museums in the United States.
I live in Austin! Come on down Ben! Also it has an open container law like the French Quarter or Vegas.
Won't attract a ton of out of state guests but won't need to with wha tit will pull from the Texas triangle alone.
There are, in fact, lots of wineries in the Fredericksburg/Hill Country region. They line the highway between Johnson city and Fredericksburg (and beyond). An example of one of the nicer/better ones is Augusta Vin (check their website). Becker Wines is also highly regarded. I live in Virginia and it, too, has some very good wines, comments in this thread to the contrary.
Been to Fredericksburg a few times from Dallas with friends and it’s a good time for an in-state weekend roadtrip, but like, there’s a limited window for it having an enjoyable, well rounded aesthetic. It is miserably hot and humid most of summer and the area is prone to extreme drought. Winter is a little better, I guess, but it’s not exactly pretty- everything is brown or rocks. A lot of people find beauty in...
Been to Fredericksburg a few times from Dallas with friends and it’s a good time for an in-state weekend roadtrip, but like, there’s a limited window for it having an enjoyable, well rounded aesthetic. It is miserably hot and humid most of summer and the area is prone to extreme drought. Winter is a little better, I guess, but it’s not exactly pretty- everything is brown or rocks. A lot of people find beauty in that, it’s just not my preference for a getaway.
Sorry but Fredericksburg kinda sucks. It’s a small Texas town with highly seasonal tourism so naturally it can’t support that many restaurants and hotels, especially high-end ones. In all directions other than Austin it’s bordered by rural Texas and with that comes a culture in which some may not feel comfortable or welcome. I’ll let others speak to the wine but so far I agree with what’s been said.
Having said all that, I like the area and think it’s fine for a short trip if it’s convenient.
Lifelong Texan. The hill country is gorgeous. Bluebonnet season is amazing, and the German food is great. Fredericksburg peak summer gets packed and it’s more of an Air BNB town vs. the few basic hotels they have. I haven’t been since the Albert Hotel opened, but that looks like the “top” hotel besides this new one. Gruene & Luckenbach, TX are 2 other small underrated towns! Combining Fredericksburg with a quick Austin or San Antonio...
Lifelong Texan. The hill country is gorgeous. Bluebonnet season is amazing, and the German food is great. Fredericksburg peak summer gets packed and it’s more of an Air BNB town vs. the few basic hotels they have. I haven’t been since the Albert Hotel opened, but that looks like the “top” hotel besides this new one. Gruene & Luckenbach, TX are 2 other small underrated towns! Combining Fredericksburg with a quick Austin or San Antonio trip would be my recommendation!
With that being said, Napa/RRV blows it out of the water. It’s not close, and I don’t believe it’s the 2nd busiest wine destination. Cheers!
Hill Country has a huge amount of plusses but wine isn't one of them. Yeah, terroir and climate *can* be hospitable but anyone who has read the exhaustive first book of Caro's LBJ biography can tell you that consistency is not this landscape's strong suit. And inconsistency is the biggest threat to good wine.
Austin as a hotel market is something I know very little about. A relative speculatively bought quite a few homes...
Hill Country has a huge amount of plusses but wine isn't one of them. Yeah, terroir and climate *can* be hospitable but anyone who has read the exhaustive first book of Caro's LBJ biography can tell you that consistency is not this landscape's strong suit. And inconsistency is the biggest threat to good wine.
Austin as a hotel market is something I know very little about. A relative speculatively bought quite a few homes in new subdivisions there in the mid-90s. Whew. I wish I had a time machine.
I am a regular visitor to Napa and a former partner of a well-know Napa winery. Moreover, I do visit Woodinville quite a lot. Recently, I visited Fredericksburg and a few wineries there. The wine prices were more similar to Washington than California, but alas the quality was not: I did bring back a few bottles of Tannat and even a Sagrantino which I have enjoyed in Umbria.
Texas wineries have quite a way to go, in my opinion!
@Ben --> As someone who has spent their entire life in the U.S. wine trade, I honestly find it difficult to believe that the Hill Country is the second-most visited wine "country" in the US (after Napa, presumably). Really? They draw in more people than Sonoma? (Or are you counting "California" as a single wine region?) or Woodinville and greater Seattle? I mean, Texas has long ranked third in total wineries -- 959 bonded wineries...
@Ben --> As someone who has spent their entire life in the U.S. wine trade, I honestly find it difficult to believe that the Hill Country is the second-most visited wine "country" in the US (after Napa, presumably). Really? They draw in more people than Sonoma? (Or are you counting "California" as a single wine region?) or Woodinville and greater Seattle? I mean, Texas has long ranked third in total wineries -- 959 bonded wineries in 2023 -- significantly behind California (6,148) and Washington (1,384); slightly ahead of Oregon (939), followed by New York State (788).
Ben, you are correct when you say that wineries are in picturesque settings (save those built in industrial parks), and the Hill Country can be lovely, especially with the wild flowers in bloom. But when you ask how it compares to Napa, that's a loaded question if ever I've heard (er, read) one. "Napa" is simply a four-letter word the rest of us have to learn to live with. Scenically, it is beautiful. There are dozens of excellent restaurants, some exceptional hotels, spas, and some very expensive wines that are widely considered some of the world's best. They also have any number of tasting rooms which offer "experiences" for prices that can cost as much as $1,000 per person.
Hill Country wineries don't change anything close to the tasting fees of Napa. (For that matter, neither does the rest of California.) However, it's what is on the glass that counts. The wines are *much* better than they were 25+ years ago. However, they are still (IMHO) another 10-20 years away from making consistent world class wines, and that's assuming climate change doesn't f*** them up! It's certainly possible, but -- for example -- I've had consistently better wines from producers in Arizona as opposed to Texas...but that's *me*, that's *my* palate, my 2¢ (and probably worth far less -- keep the change).
Slow news day today Jason?
Hey now. There are some good wines in the Texas Hill Country! Most of them (the vast majority actually) import their grapes from west Texas, Oregon and other more favorable climes, but they have created some real gems. There is a need for this accommodation as most of the places around Fredericksburg are more modest BNBs.
Hill Country is scenic and interesting, but the wines? Ugh. About as good as Virginia wine.
Would be cool if American luxury standards weren't too poor. I've had better treatment at rustic rural pensiones than almost any American luxury hotel that I've stayed at.
I'm not sure what's worse in Fredericksburg... The weather or the wine? It's dreadfully hot half of the year, but the town itself is reasonably fun, but it closes early!
This area is very popular with folks in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. Aside from people taking side trips from Austin, I doubt they'll get too many out of state visitors, and prices will likely be through the roof.
They dont need out of town guests and prices dont matter so much money in texas these days. This is a slam dunk great business move by this hotel group. Texan's love Fredricksburg and there are no hotel options nearby.
The wine thing is new. Most Texans (myself included) don’t think of it as a wine region. Go for the gorgeous scenery, the lakes, the barbecue and German culture. Enjoy!
The Texas Hill Country is a beautiful area but in a rugged sort of way. Not Napa but somewhat similar to Sonoma with a little of the South of France and South Africa thrown in (yes, I know...). Fredericksburg has become quite expensive, with multi-million dollar homes more common. The wineries combined with the Central European heritage make the area quite popular. The WA is coming in at just the right time-slightly ahead of the curve.
I'm from Austin and have long thought the Hill Country was underrated in how nice it is. It's not developed in terms of luxury properties, but no reason why it couldn't be. Biggest issue is extreme summer heat.
Seems like a bit of a reach... There are hotels in the Hill Country, but they charge $150-$250 a night. It's not Napa or Burgundy or anything similar. I guess they can play it up for weekend wellness oriented trips, bachelorette parties and such, but not sure it needed to be Waldorf Astoria branded for that.
In terms of vacationing domestically in general, the US has the most number of wealthy people in the...
Seems like a bit of a reach... There are hotels in the Hill Country, but they charge $150-$250 a night. It's not Napa or Burgundy or anything similar. I guess they can play it up for weekend wellness oriented trips, bachelorette parties and such, but not sure it needed to be Waldorf Astoria branded for that.
In terms of vacationing domestically in general, the US has the most number of wealthy people in the world, and labor costs are high, so you aren't really going to get Asia like service levels here. Just not realistic. Find places that you like, that provide good value, where you are a repeat guest, etc. I am finding that being a repeat guest is the way to get more value these days, regardless of loyalty program
Texas hill country is lovely. Go in April, when bluebonnets are in bloom and weather is ideal. Avoid summer.
Agree with this, especially about avoiding summer. Fredericksburg is probably my favorite small town in Texas, with a great WWII museum (Admiral Nimitz was from there) and Enchanted Rock just up the road. Worth a two or three day visit.
Totally agree about the summer. Lived in Texas my whole life and the summers can be brutally dry and hot.