The W has been a fixture in downtown Austin since opening five years ago, and last Thursday night, friends new and old turned out to celebrate the occasion. Drinks, delectable bites, DJs, dancing and a live concert all paid homage to a venue that has solidified its spot on the downtown landscape.

The W isn’t just one of the most popular hotels in downtown Austin, it’s also home some of the most popular bars (WET® bar – seasonal), restaurants (TRACE), lounges (Living Room) and regularly serves as a venue for other events (F1, New Year’s Eve, SXSW etc.). All of that in addition to being next door to the legendary ACL Live at The Moody Theater: ground zero for some of the biggest and best shows Austin has to offer. Suffice it to say, The W brings a lot to the table.

Thursday night’s guests meandered throughout the Living Room and patio areas, with DJs stationed both inside and out, ensuring a constant soundtrack as burlesque performers The Southern Sirens danced their way through the crowds. Multiple bars served up craft beer, wine, and cocktails alongside a seemingly endless flow of appetizers, and local artist collective SprATX freehand spray-painted a mural in quintessential Austin style to celebrate The W’s 5-year anniversary.

A bit later in the evening, Australian blues/rock guitarist Hamish Anderson kicked things up a notch in the Living Room, rocking the crowd and bringing back memories of Living Room Live, a weekly live concert series saw up and coming artists play, quite literally, from the Living Room.

It’s been a strong first five years for The W Austin and we look forward to celebrating the next five!