Austin Mansion Infuses Imagination and Authenticity
Austin Mansion Infuses Imagination and Authenticity
Built as a wedding gift for a young couple in 1900, The Mansion at Judges’ Hill Boutique Hotel & Restaurant is today a Texas landmark and one of Austin’s architectural treasures. With 48 rooms and a five-star restaurant, this award-winning downtown icon offers affordable luxury and welcomes both business and pleasure travelers.
The former home of Goodall and Ella Wooten has gone through many transformations from the time it was built, starting with a $10,000 Neiman Marcus facelift in 1929. In the 1940s, Fred Adams bought the house and converted The Mansion into student housing. He dug up and sold most of the original landscaping, enclosed the second floor veranda and converted the stables and servant’s quarters into apartments.
In the years following, The Mansion served as a dormitory, a sorority house and a Christian meeting hall. In 1983, the property was used as a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. During that time, owner DeLois Faulkner added the North Wing and had the home listed on the National Register of Historic Places. She also spent five years upgrading the home with the help of a famous interior designer, adding bold colors, expensive fabrics and other ornate details, from doorknobs to oriental rugs. As a result, The Mansion was featured in an eight-page spread in a 1985 edition of Austin Homes & Gardens.
Present owner Bill Gurasich purchased the Austin property in 2001. He originally planned to turn the group of buildings into office space, but instead he set about preserving and restoring the home to its current urban inn ambience. His re-invention of The Mansion at Judges’ Hill required research, imagination and a dedication to excellence. Along the way, Gurasich strived to replicate original features and historical elements of the home. He refinished the long-leaf pine floors, installed 38-ounce sculpted carpet, re-opened the verandas on both floors, furnished The Mansion with authentic period antiques and graced the walls and rooms with more than 70 pieces of artwork, each reflecting the popular style of the 1900s.
The overall look of the Mansion is grand, vibrant and original, with gorgeous chandelier, detailed trim and pillars and tiles with patterns and mosaics. The outdoors creates an open display of colors and well-manicured lawns with a large shaded courtyard that mimics the traditions of the affluent in the early 20th century. 
Far from the crowd of business traffic, but with easy access to Austin hot spots, The Mansion is both secluded and accessible, with room rates ranging from $139 to $299 per night. Guests enjoy 310-count Egyptian cotton linens, 100% hypoallergenic pillows and duvets, deluxe bath robes, custom bath products by L’Occitane and Gilchrest & Soames as well as high-speed Internet and other amenities provided by first-class hotels.
The Judges’ Hill Restaurant within The Mansion serves guests and the public and features international modern and classic cuisine prepared by a five-star chef. The site also accommodates wedding receptions, business meeting, conferences and other corporate events for up to 250 people. ■
For more information, visit www.mansionatjudgeshill.com or call 1-800-311-1619.
