Commodore Perry Estate – a Jazz Age mansion turned Two-Key Austin retreat

Behind a stone wall on Red River Street, just north of the University of Texas, a Jazz Age mansion stands on ten acres it has occupied since before most of Hyde Park existed. Commodore Perry Estate takes its name from Edgar "Commodore" Perry, a cotton trader and Austin developer who built the 10,800-square-foot Italianate villa in 1928 for his wife Lutie, after spotting the gravel pit that would become its gardens from the fairway of the old Austin Country Club. Restored by developer Clark Lyda and reimagined by designer Ken Fulk, it opened in June 2020 as Auberge Resorts Collection's first urban property, a private social club as much as a hotel. The MICHELIN Guide recognises it with Two Keys, and the estate's 54 rooms, Jazz Age architecture and walled gardens along Waller Creek make it unlike anywhere else in the city.

01The house

The story begins with a golf shot. While Edgar Howard “Commodore” Perry was golfing at the now Hancock Golf Course in the early 1900s, a gravel pit across the street caught his eye, and he envisioned developing a showplace estate for entertaining. Perry, contrary to his title, was not a naval officer but a real estate developer, cotton trader, hotel owner and businessman who later became the head of the Austin Housing Authority. Designed by renowned Texas architect Henry Bowers Thomson, the mansion was set on nearly 10 acres of lush grounds along Waller Creek in what was then Austin's northern edge.

The Perrys moved in in 1928. Having made his fortune as a cotton broker in Europe before World War I, Perry brought his Dallas-born bride to Austin and built the estate with the stated intention of making Austin "a nicer place to live." Inspired by the owner's European travels, the original Commodore Perry Estate included a large Italianate mansion, carriage house, swimming pool, bowling alley, green house, six-car garage, and formal gardens. In 2001 the estate was entered on the National Register of Historic Places.

The mansion's second life began decades later. Developer Clark Lyda was fascinated by the grand old mansion designed by Austin-born, Dallas-based architect Henry Bowers Thompson, so, in 2012, along with architect John Volz, he restored the deteriorating structure to a close semblance of its former glory, then opened it for several years as a special events venue. Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Collection, the storied architectural landmark situated on 10 secluded acres in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Austin, opened on June 29, 2020 as the first urban destination for Auberge Collection. For the conversion, designer Ken Fulk retained the elegance and glamour of the property while giving it a modern update.

02Rooms and suites

Accommodation is split between the original mansion and a newer Inn building set around the gardens. The property has 54 rooms. Reimagined by designer Ken Fulk, the private retreat offers a modern interpretation of a residential estate within a welcoming 10-acre setting in the heart of the city.

Insider tip

Book Lutie's well ahead; the restaurant and pool are also used by the estate's private members' club.

In the house itself, ranging from 500 to 1575 square feet, each one- or two-bedroom suite in the original Italian Renaissance Revival mansion is charmingly distinct, with design nods to its original inhabitants, and antique windows open onto the cascading formal gardens. Across the lawns, rooms at the Inn are spacious, 400-square-foot rooms furnished with custom and heirloom vintage pieces, with oversized windows, Juliette balconies or French doors opening onto lush gardens or a serene courtyard, while suites at the Inn run from 625 to 1,060 square feet with a private scented garden or terrace over the walled grounds. Interconnecting Two King Inn Rooms, aimed at families, come with two full bathrooms, a walk-in rain shower, a vintage-style mirror over a dual vanity and a minibar with Austin French roast coffee.

03Where to eat

The estate's dining room opened nine months after the hotel itself. Lutie's Garden Restaurant opened on April 7, 2021, named after the estate matriarch Nannie Lewette "Lutie" Perry. Lutie's features ingredient-forward fare prepared with a refined approach as influenced by husband-and-wife chef team Bradley Nicholson and Susana Querejazu's experiences cooking in acclaimed restaurants around the world. The ever-changing, seasonal menus spotlight local farmers and ranchers and reflect the chefs' celebration of ingredients through preparation rooted in understated simplicity.

The room itself is part of the draw. Designed by local architecture firm Clayton & Little with interiors by powerhouse style maker Ken Fulk, Lutie's evokes the warm hospitality and convivial spirit of the property's Jazz Age legacy. A breezy covered terrace overlooks the property's immaculate Italian gardens and fountains. Dishes on the hotel's own menu description include playful culinary mash-ups such as white sturgeon caviar on Texas toast or green corn hush puppies with truffles.

04The bar and library

Beyond the dining room, the mansion's older rooms double as the hotel's social spaces. The property's own gallery notes a second-floor lounge of a full-service Hotel, private Mansion, Lutie's Restaurant, an over-sized outdoor pool, and exquisite outdoor and indoor event space. Guests and members gather for cocktails in rooms styled, in the hotel's words, for quiet conversation — a Library paired with a drink, a Mansion Living Room to explore, and a terrace for al fresco starts to the evening.

05Spa and pool

Wellness at the estate centres on a dedicated treatment space. The Spa Suite offers an intimate wellness experience designed to restore balance, encourage stillness and nurture lasting wellbeing, in partnership with ELEMIS, combining advanced skincare science with the restorative power of touch in personalised rituals. Treatments include signature deep-tissue and light-pressure massages, alongside enhancements such as LED light therapy.

Outdoors, the hotel's own gallery describes its Palm Springs-inspired pool, as refreshing as it is photogenic. Model and guest Nicole Trunfio, featured in the hotel's own Insiders series, called the "swimming hole on the grounds of Commodore Perry Estate" one of her favourite spots on the property, alongside the lawns for picnics and games.

06The neighbourhood

The estate sits in the Hancock pocket of Hyde Park, Austin's oldest planned suburb, a few minutes from the University of Texas campus. Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Collection is located 1.3 miles from Texas Memorial Stadium. Guests also have use of a complimentary house car or a Mercedes for exploring the city (driver not included). Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is roughly 7 miles away.

07Making the most of a stay

The estate runs its own calendar of experiences drawn from its history as a social hub. The Auberge Concert Series features ongoing live-music residencies at Commodore Perry Estate. Seasonal offerings have included a chef-prepared picnic basket enjoyed on Commodore Perry's grounds, horseback outings from the property's historic stables, and yacht charters on Lake Travis. As a guest, you are welcomed as an honorary member during your stay, gaining exclusive access to the private historical property, spectacular dining, experiences and events.

For a weekend. For a lifetime.