My friend Mary and I had a fantastic experience in Austin generally but to kick it off checking in at Julie's place was a treat. Much better value than getting a whole place to yourself, this also had the benefit of Julie's hospitality, local knowledge, generous touches: such as stocking the fridge with milk and breakfasts, getting little bottles of water for us and making us coffee every morning. The house itself is super modern and cleverly laid out, with generous spaces and a cool open plan kitchen, full of light, and melding the inside and the outside with internal gardens surrounded with glass doors, floors of polished concrete and everything carefully thought through to make the place feel bigger than it was. We had a room and bathroom to ourselves and Julie had laid out lovely soaps and after-shower products for us to use. The neighbourhood was exactly where we wanted to be, with Bouldin - a great vegan-vegetarian café that does a great brunch one block away, a fabulous hand-made shoe shop, and around the corner a fab array of Tex-Mex neon-lit eateries and shops, and a short stroll from Congress where EVERYTHING is. Also a short drive from everywhere else. Barton Springs is a must visit too - natural swimming pool in the park with beautiful views of the city in the distance.