LUXE LAURELS

Historic Texas property lodges onto Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best list for 2021

The Austin property is tops in Texas.

Courtesy of Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection

A reimagined historic landmark tucked away in Austin’s Hyde Park neighborhood continues to garner praise from one of the most popular travel publications on the planet.

Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection, the glamorous 10-acre retreat that was originally built in 1928 as the country home of Nannie Lewette “Lutie” and Commodore Edgar Perry, has been named the No. 1 resort hotel in all of Texas on Travel + Leisure’s 2021 World’s Best list.

Though likely a welcome accolade, this is not the first time the property — the first luxury urban hotel of its kind and a modern interpretation of a local treasure that seamlessly blends European elegance with Texas hospitality — has received recognition from Travel + Leisure. Earlier this year, the publication named Commodore Perry Estate one of the world’s best new hotels, making it one of only two Texas properties to grace that list.

The estate, now an Auberge property, was re-envisioned by designer Ken Fulk, who helped lovingly bring the historic property into the 21st century while maintaining its longtime majestic allure. In addition to housing 54 rooms and suites, including five luxurious signature suites, Commodore Perry Estate is also home to Lutie’s Garden Restaurant, the newly opened Jazz Age-inspired eatery serving elevated Texas cuisine along with a side of undeniable glamour.

Other Commodore Perry Estate amenities include a dramatic oval swimming pool, lush sunken gardens, a state-of-the-art fitness center, plenty of events space, and an array of experiential programming.

Travel + Leisure’s annual survey gathers reader input about the world’s best destinations, hotels, resorts, spas, cities, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, rental-car agencies, and more, tapping the travel media brand’s audience of 35 million readers to create the World’s Best Awards.

As part of the recognition, Commodore Perry Estate will be featured in the magazine’s October 2021 issue and on travelandleisure.com.

“It’s an honor for Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection to be celebrated as Texas’ No. 1 resort hotel on Travel + Leisure’s esteemed list,” says Marco Bustamante, general manager of the property, in a release. “We are proud of our dedicated Texan team, whose commitment to creating immersive guest experiences and offering the highest level of personalized service have earned this incredible distinction.”

hotels awards vacation lists luxury

Holiday News

American Airlines expects record-setting travel on Thanksgiving 2024

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

American Airlines ready for takeoff.

The holidays are looming and American Airlines is ramping up. Over the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend, the Fort Worth-based airline expects to process nearly 8.3 million customers across more than 77,000 flights.

According to a statement from American's COO David Seymour, the airline is having a good fall season and canceled fewer flights than its peers during October.

“Thanks to the hard work of our 130,000 team members, we canceled fewer flights than any of our major competitors this October and beat our own records for on-time departures and arrivals,” Seymour says.

That's surely good news. One hates to rain on their parade, but in June 2024, the only flight I booked this year, my flight was canceled less than 24 hours before take-off. I had made hotel reservations, scheduled a pet sitter, planned events, and arranged for a friend to pick me up at the destination airport. One employee speculated that it may have been "insufficient crew." Their only solution offered was: Feel free to reschedule your flight.

Thanksgiving facts and figures
The travel window runs from November 21 to December 3, and the airline expects to carry more than 500,000 more customers than it did last year.

The most-traveled day will be Sunday, December 1. The second most-traveled day will be Monday, December 2.

The peak of peak: 1,035 mainline and regional aircraft will be enroute at 10:45 am on Sunday, December 1 — the highest number of flights handled at any given time during American’s travel period.

The airline expects to serve more than 6.8 million Biscoff cookies on board from November 21 to December 3.

Travel tips
Download the American Airlines app and check in for your flight, noting added any bags to your trip. This will save you time at the airport.

If traveling internationally, download the Mobile Passport Control app, which can speed up your entry into the U.S. Global Entry members can download the Global Entry app, which allows you to submit your entry and go straight to the officer.

Upon arrival at the airport lobby, scan your mobile boarding pass to print bag tags quickly at a kiosk. If you’re not checking bags, go straight to TSA security with your mobile boarding pass.

holidays