Arriving at the Crowne Plaza, you are greeted by the friendly valet guys. Valeting is required, and is $15/night. This is pretty typical of any hotel in DT Austin. We got our room for $103 (AAA rate).
Inside, the lobby is nothing spectacular -- low ceilings, a few couches. Our room was standard, but with a very nice down comforter with a very hip, new-looking striped cover. The room was pretty typical of any hotel room, but it did have one thing that any group of girls traveling together appreciates: plenty of mirrors! There were four of them! The bathroom even had a separate "getting ready" area outside of the actual bathroom. This greatly speeded along our getting ready process.
During our stay, there was a wedding on top (18th) floor so the restaurant/bar was closed. However, we did eat at the continental breakfast bar in the morning -- Normally $9, but two of our breakfasts were complimentary since I am a Priority Club member (so join!). The view from the restaurant (the 18th floor) is a gorgeous view of all of downtown Austin. I can see why lots of people have wedding receptions here.
Being a Priority Club member, we also got a complimentary paper delivered to our door in the morning, which is a very nice touch. The hotel is obviously geared towards catering to business travelers with lots of conference rooms and Internet access in every room.
Outside the hotel is really pretty. Using the creek that flows through the area, the hotel is built with a "bridge area" between the two buildings. The bridge area is really nice. There is even a small pool (with a manmade waterfall) & Jacuzzi overlooking the creek.
The location of the hotel was perfect for partying on 5th/6th streets. The entrance spills out onto Fifth, making walking very easy.
Overall, this was a great hotel that fit all of our needs for just the right price. Other hotels in the area are nicer, but Crowne Plaza offers a better price.