From the behemoth Kalahari Resorts & Conventions—expected to offer 975 hotel rooms at completion in November 2020—to the boutique 39-room Ruby Hotel that opened in February, the hospitality industry is alive and well in Round Rock.

“We definitely are seeing a building boom, or increased interest, in hotel development in Round Rock,” said Bradley Dushkin, Round Rock’s assistant director of planning and development.

For projects in the works, the size and price point of the new hotels are varied, Dushkin said. A Tru by Hilton, which opened in February, offers a “no-frills” option for business travelers, he said. Large to medium-sized hotels, including the Embassy Suites and the Four Points by Sheridan, will offer needed conference room space when they open.

Kalarahi, the hotel arguably making the biggest splash, is a resort-style getaway complete with the nation’s largest indoor waterpark.

“Kalahari hasn’t deterred other hotel brands from pursuing their own projects here,” Dushkin said. “Even right across [Hwy.] 79 from Kalahari, we’ve got a La Quinta that’s under construction now.”

Similarly, in Pflugerville, Planning Director Emily Barron points to a variety of hotels that are in the development pipeline. Prior to 2019, Pflugerville had only two hotels. Five are currently under construction or working through the city’s development review process, she said.

“They don’t all seem to be the same,” Barron said about the hotels coming online in Pflugerville. “Each offers something unique—whether that be room count or otherwise.”

Hutto City Council announced April 18 plans for a mixed-use development with a large convention hotel on-site. Plans indicate space for additional hotels on-site, but no further information has been released about potential brands or the number of hotel rooms at this time.