It’s hard to toss a lasso in Austin, Texas, without roping an entrepreneur, so it’s fitting that Commodore E.H. Perry, the man behind this 1928 estate turned Auberge Resort, was one of the city’s originals. The Commodore (a nickname he earned after his boat capsized on Lake Austin) built a cotton trading company with partners in Europe where, no doubt, he developed his taste for the landmark’s Mediterranean architecture – stucco facades, checkered tiled floors, carved stone fireplaces – all of which were preserved during the gated property’s multimillion build and restoration. Suites are individually designed with sumptuous wallpapers and antiques, and all of the 54 rooms have soaring ceilings, original art, and customised cocktail bars. Outside, rows of sycamores frame 10-plus acres of gardens as well as a pool surrounded by striped yellow umbrellas.
The estate also has a social events calendar worthy of its Roaring Twenties roots. Curated experiences, open to guests and Commodore members, range from punchbowl parties in the elegant barroom and naturalist-led hikes to panels on art and custom fittings with a local haberdasher. A day well spent will end at Lutie’s, a jewel box of a restaurant named for Perry’s wife, who goes down in history as a born hostess with a keen wit. Here, under a canopy of ferns and ivy, smartly dressed patrons dine on dishes like red snapper over Delta Blues rice and smoked trout row, or sunchoke falafel paired with roasted garlic. An antique mirrored bar faces doors that open to a patio dotted with tables under black-and-white awnings. It’s easy to envision Perry and Lutie here, toasting with French crystal, planting the seeds of their estate and city. Since then, Austin has wrestled with its growth spurt to two million and its ever evolving skyline, but this lookout, with a glowing sunset filtering through centuries-old post oaks, remains the same. From about £543. Stirling Kelso Neff