One of these things is not like the others…” goes the old Sesame Street jingle, and if you were singing about Texas cities, Austin would stand out as the bohemian black sheep among a herd of good old boy metropolises.

The artsy, progressive nature of the place, personified by the funky and iconic Austin City Limits outdoor rock music festival, sets the rebel tone of the town. The city’s eco-friendly pedigree is strong with an annual Green City Festival, citywide gardening and clean energy initiatives, a network of bike trails, a Green Arts fest, and even the international airport terminal is made of 100% recycled steel.

On the shore of Lady Bird Lake, the pinnacle of Texas hospitality is wrapped up in Hill Country style at the Four Seasons Hotel, Austin (www.fourseasons.com/austin). Backed by the glass and steel cityscape of downtown, the hotel with 291 guestrooms and suites feels like an intimate retreat overlooking the park-lands and blue waters.

Jamie Laughlin, the Assistant Chef Concierge at the Four Seasons Hotel Austin, sees herself as a personal assistant to every guest. “This can, of course, pose challenges,” she says, but adds that those uphill efforts and the fast-paced environment are what concierges thrive on. Dinner reservations, transportation arrangements, special order floral requests, or locating a ten-foot wooden giraffe (true story) are all taken in stride when she is in the zone as an ambassador of the city, creating personalized, memorable experiences.