The Driskill Hotel is the oldest operating hotel in Austin, built in 1886 as the showplace for cattleman Jesse Driskill. The hotel opened to great fanfare, but there was not the clientele to support the expensive nightly rate, so the Driskill closed within a year.
Through the years, the hotel has changed hands and undergone a number of renovations and additions. It has received a number of celebrity visitors, including former president Lyndon Johnson, who took his future wife there on their first date. Johnson returned many times over the years, turning the hotel into his campaign headquarters during the 1948 Senate race.
The Driskill Hotel is part of the Hyatt Hotels chain and has been restored to its original opulence. It has 189 guestrooms, 14 of which are suites, and the Driskill is a member of the Historic Hotels of America.