Address: 604 Brazos Street, Austin, Texas 78701
Website: www.driskillhotel.com
Phone: (512) 439-1234
A Legendary Austin Landmark
If you’ve spent time on Sixth Street, you’ve likely passed the Driskill Hotel — a Romanesque Revival masterpiece that has stood in downtown Austin since 1886. Built by wealthy cattle baron Jesse Lincoln Driskill, this grand structure quickly became the most opulent hotel in Texas. Inside, the marble floors, stained-glass dome, and massive columns speak of Gilded Age ambition — but beneath all that beauty are whispers of the paranormal that have persisted for more than a century.
When it opened, the Driskill hosted lavish balls and political galas, the first inaugural ball for Texas Governor Sul Ross took place here in 1887. Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson met here for their first date, and he later used the hotel as a campaign headquarters. It’s also been the temporary home for celebrities, senators, and royalty visiting Austin. But ask almost any Texan, and they’ll tell you: the Driskill is as famous for its ghosts as its guests.
The Ghost of Jesse Driskill
The man who built it, Jesse Driskill himself, lost the hotel just two years after its opening in a gambling debacle that cost him his fortune. Locals say he never really left. Guests and staff have reported smelling his distinct cigar smoke lingering in the lobby and hearing a deep male voice murmur from the shadows. Some claim that paintings occasionally shift on the walls or that their cigars and matches vanish mysteriously in the bar area, a playful nod from the hotel’s long-departed owner.
The Little Girl on the Staircase
Perhaps the most famous haunting is that of a young girl known as Samantha Houston, the four-year-old daughter of a Texas senator who allegedly fell to her death while chasing a rubber ball down the grand staircase in the late 1800s. Although the story has never been conclusively verified in historical records, the legend has persisted for generations. Visitors claim to hear the faint sound of a ball bouncing and soft childlike laughter echoing through the stairwell late at night.
A portrait of a young girl believed to represent Samantha, hangs in the hotel’s fifth-floor hallway. Guests who linger too long in front of it have reported feeling lightheaded or uneasy, as if the child in the painting were watching them. Some say her eyes seem to follow you no matter where you stand.
Room 525 — The Brides Who Never Checked Out
Room 525 is arguably the Driskill’s most haunted spot. According to hotel lore, two different women decades apart, took their own lives in that same room after their weddings were called off. Guests who stay there have spoken of hearing sobbing in the bathroom, feeling sudden drops in temperature, and waking to find the tub filled with cold water even though no one touched it. Staff members have admitted that the room is booked less frequently by choice, many prefer not to risk the experience.
The Architecture and Atmosphere
Walking into the Driskill feels like stepping into a Victorian dream. The columns of Tennessee marble, the stained glass rotunda, and the ornate ceilings all add to the hotel’s haunting ambiance. The building was designed by J.N. Preston & Son and constructed with over six million bricks and local limestone. In 1930, architects Trost & Trost added a 13-story tower that blends seamlessly with the original structure. Today, the Driskill stands as a living museum elegant by day, and mysterious by night.
Paranormal Investigations and Sightings
Numerous paranormal teams have investigated the Driskill over the years, recording electronic voice phenomena (EVPs), strange light anomalies, and sudden temperature shifts. Guests often share their own encounters online, footsteps when no one is there, doors opening by themselves, and a sense of being watched in empty hallways. Even the hotel staff, many of whom have worked there for decades, admit there’s something special about the energy inside those walls.
If you visit, make sure to stop by the lobby at night, some guests say they’ve seen a man in a Western suit disappear into thin air by the front desk.
Visiting the Driskill Hotel
The hotel is still fully operational and welcomes guests from around the world. Even if you’re not staying overnight, you can enjoy a meal or a drink at the 1886 Café or the Driskill Bar while soaking in the atmosphere. If you go looking for ghosts, be respectful — and remember that much of the building is private property for hotel guests only.
Ghost hunting can be dangerous, and you should never trespass into restricted areas or disturb other visitors. Always seek permission, stay aware of your surroundings, and use caution when conducting any investigation.
Why It Captures the Imagination
What makes the Driskill so captivating is the way it bridges Texas history and haunted legend. Every floor feels alive with stories, of cattle barons, brides, and ghostly children whose laughter still echoes down the marble corridors. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, it’s hard to deny that the Driskill Hotel is one of Austin’s most intriguing and mysterious landmarks.
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