Important Hotel Information

Confirmed SXSW conference registrants, exhibitors, and festival artists (music or film). Registrants include Panelists, Filmmakers, Press, Sales/Trade Clients, Sponsors, and Co-Sponsors.

Click here to see hotel map online. Select your hotel from the list of official SXSW Hotels at sxsw.com/hotels/availability. Click on any hotel name to see:

• Pop-up window with hotel amenities and policies (including deposits, penalties, smoking, etc.)
• Hotel photo and indicator of hotel quality and service ranging from best luxury (+++++) to limited service (++)
• Distance (in blocks or miles) from Austin Convention Center (many are walkable and others are 5-15 minutes drive)
• Whether hotel is on the R&R shuttle route ($40 for 5 days of unlimited travel)

• Registrants who know their Shopping Cart username and password can return to their Shopping Cart to book a hotel room. This is the easiest way to make a reservation.
• Registrants who do not have immediate access to the Shopping Cart that was used for their registration should use the link via my.sxsw.com.
• Festival artists can email housing2@sxsw.com and trade show workers, production crews, and others can email housing@sxsw.com.

There is no deadline for hotel reservations—the Housing Desk continues booking rooms through the end of the event—but popular downtown hotels often sell out as early as October and November.

Booking early helps ensure a reservation at your preferred hotel.

Showcasing Artists: Do not book a hotel now unless you are buying a registration. Your showcase confirmation letter will provide hotel booking instructions.

SXSW has blocked rooms at all of Austin's most desirable hotels at guaranteed rates.

Popular downtown hotels sell out every year and SXSW rates are normally better than anyone else's.

We also have over 30 hotels that will have shuttle service available to all SXSW attendees. You can get your shuttle pass online once you've picked your hotel. Shuttle info can be found here and the hotel list here will show shuttle icons on each hotel where a shuttle is available.

Only confirmed SXSW attendees can make a hotel reservation.

• After registering, click on the green button in your shopping cart to enter the Hotel Requester and book a hotel
• Registrants who don’t make a reservation immediately can use their Shopping Cart username and password to return to the Hotel Requester any time to book a hotel
• Registrants who don’t have access to the Shopping Cart used for their registration should access my.sxsw.com and follow the link there to the Hotel Requester

Using the Hotel Requester

• Verify your contact info at the top of the form
• Enter your check-in and check-out dates
• Based on those dates, available hotels will populate the hotels field (use the map on the right side of the page to view rates and access individual hotel’s amenities pages).
• Choose your hotel and room type (rate shown will be for basic guest rooms – some hotels will also show suites and special room types that can be booked online for the rate shown for one person).
• Enter names of all persons sharing your room, if any
• Enter special room requests, if any
• Enter credit card information to guarantee the reservation. No hotel-related charges will be charged to your credit card at this time. Important: some hotels will charge a deposit for your room – read your confirmation carefully to see whether your hotel will charge a deposit.

Festival artists will receive instructions on how to book their room after they are confirmed and may email housing2@sxsw.com for questions. Trade show workers, production crews, and others can email housing@sxsw.com.

Special group rates are available only to confirmed SXSW attendees. Room rates are US$ per night based on number of guests in the room (1/2/3/4 people). Rates do not include occupancy tax (currently 15%) or personal charges. A few hotels offer lower rates during SXSW Film/Interactive (Friday March 12 - Tuesday March 16, 2010).

Most special room types (suites, river-views, concierge level, etc.) can be booked online. Major suites are available only by contacting the Housing Desk directly.

Make changes and cancellations with SXSW Housing (not the hotel) online using the link via my.sxsw.com or email the Housing Desk or phone 512-467-7979.

All hotels require a valid credit card guarantee. If the credit card is not in the guest’s name the hotel will provide an authorization for the credit card holder to complete and sign. Some hotels will charge a deposit on or about March 1 as shown on their amenities and policies page.

All hotels assess penalties (usually equal to one or two nights) for no-shows or for cancelling within certain time frames (usually 48 hours to 14 days before scheduled arrival). Many assess penalties ($50 - $200) for checkouts before scheduled checkout date as shown on their amenities and policies page.

At check-in, each guest is responsible for knowing the method of payment for room, tax, and incidental charges. Guests will be asked for a credit card (or sufficient cash deposit) to pay for room, tax, and incidental charges (unless you have pre-paid or completed a credit card authorization in advance).

If the credit card used to guarantee the room is not in the guest’s name the hotel will require a credit card authorization form. Contact the hotel directly for their form (your hotel confirmation will include the hotel’s contact information. If you (or your company) want to pre-pay room and tax charges, you will need to contact your hotel directly for their form. See your hotel confirmation for the hotel’s phone number.

Several Austin hotels have gone 100% non-smoking including: Wyndham Garden Hotel, all Marriott, Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Fairfield Inn properties, and others. You can filter the hotel list for your smoking preference here.

R&R Limousine & Bus will provide a pay-to-ride shuttle between the Austin Convention Center and hotels outside downtown. During Music (March 16-20) the shuttle will serve all SXSW hotels outside downtown. During Interactive/Film (March 12-16) it will serve seven select SXSW hotels. Unlimited ride passes are $40 for five days (March 12-16 for Interactive/Film or March 16-20 for Music) or $60 for nine days. Hours (8:30 am – 3:00 am) will help attendees get to the Convention Center early for the conference and trade show and back to their hotel after conference hours, late parties, and late night shows. See all shuttle information at the hotel shuttle page.

Do not book a hotel now unless you are buying a registration. Your showcase confirmation letter will provide hotel booking instructions. Please email housing2@sxsw.com