Casulo Hotel

My parents needed a place to stay in Austin. They are both in their 80s. They enjoyed the upgrade room. They got a room with a see thur bath room! I was a bit put off but my parents seem to enjoy this benefit. Just in a case someone has a fall, they could see it and help.
My parents enjoyed the breakfast and staff. The rooms were clean and the open shower was big and roomy.
My parents really like this hotel, great price, easy access to St Edwards and South Congress area!
Overall my parent continue to have positive experiences each time they stay.

Found this place last minute for my family who were visiting me over the weekend. Very nice hotel to stay at and very friendly service. The only problem was the glass window that looked into the bedroom from the shower. It was not a very comfortable for a family because well… you could see who was in the restroom even with the shade down. I could see this being great for couples or singles.
Overall great service and nice room.

DECEPTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES– do not book this hotel!
I made a reservation in December 2015 on
for the Casulo Hotel for a stay in March 2016 for the SXSW conference. The site indicated «free cancellation at any time, no restrictions» on the tab right next to the reservation button. The reservation details indicated I would pay for the hotel directly upon staying there.
I later received the Expedia confirmation for Casulo Hotel and was shocked to see the fine print indicating the room was non-​refundable for certain days– totally inconsistent with the «free cancellation at any time.» I called the Casulo Hotel directly to cancel the reservation. They said I could cancel, but they needed approval from Expedia. I called Expedia customer service to cancel the reservation and was on the phone (mostly on hold) for about 30 minutes. The agent didn’t know how to solve the problem and told me to call back.
I again called Expedia customer service who said I could cancel the reservation, but they just needed to clear it with the Casulo Hotel. I spoke with multiple customer service people who kept putting me on hold and could not figure out how to cancel the reservation– total phone time with Expedia was over 45 minutes. Here’s a tip– never book on Expedia!
I sent an email to the General Manager of the Casulo Hotel, Sam Chen, explaining the issue and asking him to cancel the reservation, plus I left a message at the front desk of the hotel for him to call me. The Casulo Hotel was in a sold-​out situation for March and would easily be able to rent the room I had reserved, probably for a higher price.
Despite my attempts to contact the Casulo Hotel and Expedia, I got zero response from both. But, I happened to check my credit card statement online and saw that on the day I called to cancel my reservation the Casulo Hotel charged my credit card for over $ 1,000.00 for the entire March stay, even though it was only January! What the #@$*?
Both Expedia and the Casulo Hotel engaged in deceptive business practices by claiming I could cancel the reservation for free, telling me I could cancel it, and then charging my credit card in full before I even stayed there. Steer clear of both!

Love this place!!! My daughters and I stayed all of last weekend. Every room was exciting with an amazing feel in each one. Plenty of room for the girls to run and play. Never heard a noise. Amazing location. Sam, the owner is a hoot. He greets you at the door upon check out and makes sure your stay was pleasant. I love the afternoon and morning staff. Sophie showed us every room and explained how the new PHASE 2 was going up next door.
Loved it so much we can’t wait to get back there tonight.

We were really pleasantly surprised by the size of our hotel suite. I think it’s probably the largest hotel room I’ve ever stayed in – high ceilings, a separate living space, and a really large bathroom. The hotel is definitely quirky, but it fits in well with the city I think. We didn’t spend much time at the hotel. If you’re looking for somewhere not too far from downtown, this place works. The bed was huge and comfortable and the hotel staff was friendly. We would stay here again.

This is a review of their customer service. My plans changed and I cancelled my reservation, a week in advance. What a surprise to see the full bill on my credit card the next month. Well this will be easily resolved, I thought. A week, a chain of emails, and a series of calls with increasingly unprofessional and unhelpful Casulo employees later, I called Visa and had them stop payment. I should have done it in the first place but I was trying to give a new-​ish business the benefit of the doubt. Did they think I was just going to forget my money and go away if they kept stalling? I honestly can’t tell whether it was genuine extreme incompetence or some sort of fraud tactic? Either way, 1 star for them, 5 stars for Visa.

The location is located perfectly between the airport and downtown and is fairly easy to find. We have been here many times and slept in most of the rooms in this boutique hotel. The hotel is small, staff is friendly. They are very accommodating. They have a cup of free wine in this month and the front desk gave me $ 30 off for the continue staying. The room was clean and very big with a mini fridge in it. Good experience!

I started writing a review my second night at the hotel and marked it 2 stars… Then I woke to up to cockroaches.
Here’s the bad: (getting progressively worse)
*It’s advertised as a «boutique» hotel. This is NOT true.
*AT&T does not get a signal here. Not the owners fault but still annoying.
*Wifi is unsecured and is very slow when it is working. This a real bitch when you already don’t have a signal.
*The breakfast is not as advertised and poorly kept. «Full hot breakfast» means some slimy scrambled eggs and bacon in a crock pot. No bowls for cereal, no muffins, they did have a few bagels but no cream cheese.
*The staff is careless. The first day they didn’t close our door all the way after they cleaned. The second day I asked the front if I could borrow a corkscrew (I brought the bottle with me to the desk) and he said «we don’t have one». I turned around and pointed to the SHELF FULL OF WINE BOTTLES AT THE BAR and said «well how do you open all of those?» He then got up and carelessly slid a corkscrew over the bar.
*The rooms are run down. The walls are all scratched up and filthy. The door isn’t sealed properly so light and noise poor in from the hallway. I hung robes over the door in an attempt to get darkness. The tile around the tub sticks out about a half inch and it hurts. It’s also hard to avoid because it’s in the middle of the room.
*As stated above, cockroaches. End. Of. Story.
When I asked to cancel early because of all this, they said they couldn’t without 24 hour notice. Then the story changed to «we can’t because you booked through an online site. So then the online site called them and they denied ever having talked to me. So I went back in with online site on speaker phone and they finally let me cancel my reservation. It took almost an hour.
The good:
*The beds are comfortable.
*The bathtub is really awesome but I’m very concerned about the sanitation.
It was hard to write this review because I have a friend who knows the owners and from what I hear, they are great people. But that is not reflected in their establishment and hopefully the honest reviews will help them reach their full potential.

I booked this hotel last week with my friends for two day vacation. This hotel really nice include the hot breakfast. The front desk staff really friendly and provide a lot of help on gave us suggestion for austin. The decoration in the lobby is very classic and asian. the room pretty big. we had two king size bed and separate living room. The comfort for the bed I give 5 stars!!! The internet was not bad. I will come back.

Stayed here after booking a trip last minute, everywhere I would usually stay was booked and I found a room at Casulo on the HotelTonight app. The rooms were very large and mine had a full bathtub and large shower. The staff was friendly and the wifi was free. Everything was pretty basic though, for example I forgot toothpaste and called the front desk to get some and they did not have any or sell any. Little things like that go a long way.

This place is gross !!! The photos don’t represent the property. The breakfast food was nasty. We thought we were going to a luxury hotel we got fooled!

I feel like I should give this place two reviews. A 1 star and a 5 star. Why, you ask? Let’s dive in, this story is like a Greek tragedy.
THE ONE STAR:
— do not, under any circumstances, stay on the fourth floor. «But Adam, the elevator only goes to the 3^rd floor. There isn’t a fourth floor!» You say? Well, that’s because you have to go up a fire escape to get there. We stayed in 401, or what the front desk would tell me casually on the phone: «the last room available.» At checkin, after they took our money, things started to get weird. The host looked very uncomfortable as he hands over a key ring with 3 keys and a card key attached. He gives us directions that you would expect to receive if you were going to a speakeasy during prohibition. Use this key here. Knock twice there. That kinda thing. After going up one of the nastiest smelling staircases I’ve ever been in, I open up the door to step outside ON THE ROOF OF THE HOTEL. I walk across a few planks that had been ripped off of a palette board to another door. Use the next key, open to a 5×5 entrance way. There is a door to room 401 and 402. We enter 401. Big room, with no phone to the hotel, about 7 entry points to the roof, and no way to truly lock the door. I had a vibe that I might have entered a horror movie, then I saw a huge wall with what I am 99% sure was a two way mirror. «That’s crazy, Adam! Who would do that?» Well, I investigated this mirror and did some silly tests. Yup, pretty sure this is a peep show room. The other side had a weird access space that I won’t get into, but needless to say, I covered up that mirror with a sheet. Now. They told us we were alone up there, but I definitely heard noises so I use my cell phone to call the front desk and report this. They brush it off. Then I hear the door to 402 open and close a few times.
I end up not sleeping too much.
THE 5 STAR REVIEW:
The next day we went to change rooms and they accompanied. I write this review from my bathtub in the new room, and no BS, it is really nice for the cost. Breakfast is complimentary and not too bad either.
So yeah, 3 stars.

love this hotel. the atmosphere is so relaxing. the art décor is definitely unique. the carpet is a bit trippy. the only thing that wasn’t so great was the tv. we couldn’t seem to get it to work and the receptionist wasn’t much help. other than that, I enjoyed my stay. I’d definitely be returning!

Unfortunately, I had an absolutely terrible experience with this hotel and particularly the staff. The positive reviews make me wonder if it isn’t someone promoting from the inside. We are far from high maintenance and basically just looking for some where to stay the night but this hotel did not even meet such standards for that.
The hotel was in no way as construed through the beautiful pictures provided online. It was VERY run down and the construction made it even less comfortable. The hotel has a terrible smell that has been attempted to be covered by cleaning products. To make matters worse, there is currently construction right next to the pool making a huge mess and the pool unusable.
Even above these issues, the worst part was the staff. They were absolutely unprofessional and showed no concern for our position as customers. We reserved the hotel online 2 hours before arrival after being told that there are free cancellations. When we got to the hotel and saw the horrendous conditions that in no way matched the online representation, we chose to cancel and not even get checked in.
The staff I spoke with to me that the ‘purchasing manager’ on site would not be able to help me and if have to wait for the property manager to arrive in the morning. She told me that the ‘property manager’ literally refused to speak with me and would not give a name.
When I finally spoke to Viviana, the alleged property manager, she literally ignored what we told her in person as well as on the phone, and repeated herself by saying that her answer for no refunds on our reservation was final and there’s no one else we can talk to about the matter. She told us that the general manager, Sam, just left and «does not speak to customers» and the information she gave is being passed on from him.
Again, the entire experience with this hotel and what has an online resemblance to a resort was far below average expectations for a hotel. I was truly excited about it when I found it online but sorely let down by every learned aspect. The rates of $ 150 are insane compared to what they do. or rather do not have to offer.

This hotel was amazing! Celebrated my 8 year anniversary here with my honey on 4^th of July weekend. Got the balcony suite and had a great view of the fireworks all over the city. The woman who helped us at the front desk was super helpful and friendly. Food was good but the cocktails were even better! We also got to enjoy the beautiful songs of some nightingales that seem to hang out by the pool! The bed and the couch was comfortable. The internet speed was fast, which is always a plus. The shower was nice. Enjoyed the all glass enclosure. The tub was clean too encouraging me to take a bath, which I rarely do in hotels. Great deal! Can’t wait to go back!

We’ve been here many times and slept in most of the rooms in this boutique hotel. It’s changed management or ownership over the years but the quality is still the same. It had been at least 2 years since my last visit.
The hotel is small. Staff is friendly. They are very accommodating. For example we bought a bottle of wine and the cork remover we bought broke off in the bottle. We asked the hotel to lend us their cork remover. They lent it to us no problem. I thought it would be a strange request but it wasn’t.
The hotel has a Japanese Zen like décor. It’s modern as well. Other reviews say this place some sort of foul odor but I don’t smell it. It does have a scent but it’s like cleaning products, not mold. The rooms are clean. They don’t smell funky either. I know this because I was able to tour a few rooms before deciding which one I wanted to pick. Now, the layout in one of the rooms was kinda freaky but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t fancy another person. That room had a jacuzzi tub in the middle of the room. Why it was put there I don’t know but it wasn’t for me. We went with our standard selection. If I remembered the name I would tell you.
My room had 2 areas that had 2 large sofa’s. We had a view of downtown Austin from our room. I think it was 325. I could be wrong. It was a room at the very back of the hotel away from the elevator. The bathroom is really the reason why we keep coming back. The over sized tub is amazing. We like the dual shower heads and the soft water. It’s like heaven on earth.
The beds are clean. We actually aimed to have our beds as comfortable as Casulo but we raised the bar. Our bed at the house is more comfortable. I can’t say they have the best bed now that I have our totally awesome bed that we got at mattress firm. I can say their beds are better than most other hotels. The sheets are crisp and feel cool to the touch.
We had breakfast here. We woke up early for it and I have to say I regretted that decision. The food was gross. We should’ve slept in and gone to Denny’s. Oh well live and learn. If you’re into bagels, cereal and other run of the mill continental breakfast stuff then you’ll love it. Our last visit was about 2 yrs ago and they had hot breakfast. They had a chef that was making omlettes to order. They also had fresh waffles from a waffle maker. This visit though, no chef, no fresh waffles either. I’ve been spoiled by my fiancée when it comes to these things. However it’ll be sufficient if you’re not a big breakfast eater.
For those looking for a romantic weekend this place is the place for you.

Great volume and finish to the lobby and a modernistic Asian flare.
Something to see.

This is what you might call a hidden gem. It is located perfectly between the airport and downtown and is fairly easy to find.
You won’t have room service but you do have a full hot breakfast and spacious Café and bar area.
The rooms are HUGE and have plenty of space to make sausage or practice jazzercise! The bathtub is not the small variety, we are talking extra large soaking tub. The bed has a bit of space and a decent amount of comfort.
All in all, affordable price, great location, would come back to stay for sure!

The name, Casulo, itself should inform you this is an indie hotel. Casulo is not part of a national chain. It was built from the ground up four years ago by a Chinese owner who decided to use a Portuguese word for the hotel’s name.
To start off, I would definitely visit this hotel again if I was making a short visit in Austin and needed a value hotel, but my experience was a bit of a roller coaster.
The décor makes you feel as if you were walking into a Chinese museum, but it makes the hotel unique. The amenities: possible Jacuzzi (depending on the room), possible balcony (depending on the room), pool, free breakfast, free wifi, decent lounge isn’t a bad deal for $ 99. The rooms themselves are a little basic, but that is okay. There are possibly two beds, but no headboards so watch your head.
Check out is a little later than usual (noon) so you can take a longer snooze and breakfast lasts pretty late as well. Their eggs and sausage tasted like real eggs and sausage so thats a plus as well. Make sure you get to breakfast early though, if you have a problem with using plastic plates.
Interesting Side Amenity:
Met someone on 6^th street and they turn out to be a complete psycho? Are you holed up in the restroom while they axe through the door like Jack Nicholson from The Shining? No worries, there is a handy telephone on the wall right next to the toilet.
Give the place a chance if you want to try something Indie. It definitely fits in Austin.

I’ll go ahead and say it right off the bat: This is not a typical chain hotel. You might consider it an «indie» hotel run by an independent business owner, and it really shows. In terms of amenities it’s a little all over the place for better or worse, and it’s really quite a treat.
Despite the Portuguese (?) name the place has quite a bit of Asian décor. It’s also convenient to check in and check out (check in starts at 3pm and check out isn’t until noon, so you have plenty of time to sleep in), and complimentary breakfast lasts quite a while. We didn’t get down there until after 10am and it was still going!
The soaps and such also come from Bath and Body Works, so they’re surprisingly luxurious. Our room didn’t have a tub but had two head nozzles, one on the wall and one from up top. It took a bit of time to warm up, but was kind of convenient once it did. There was only a soap holder so I had to walk back to the counter to grab the shampoo.
The place is an indie hotel and it really shows. It’s a pretty neat experience, but keep that in mind when you book here.