"History runs deep at this boutique hotel, set in a refurbished manor house that dates back to 1900. The white Greek revival-style mansion has towering carved columns, a grand exterior staircase, and a wrap-around veranda—but inside, it's thoroughly modern, with contemporary artwork lining the walls, and furniture in a cool palette of grays and navys. The mini-bar selection is especially of-the-moment, drawing on the hotel's Austin locale for inspiration: in it, you'll find Deep Eddy Vodka, High Brew iced coffee cans, Republic of Texas tequila, and beers by Austin Beerworks. The Ella is quite close to the UT campus, but for anything else you'll need to rent a car or rely on ride shares." - Mandy Ellis, Allison Bagley