It seems inevitable that Bunkhouse Hotels would eventually get involved with Austin’s hippest throwback-kitsch hotel. That distinctive sign, which has been drawing double-takes along South Congress since 1938, is now backed up by some equally distinctive retro-themed interiors, and the Austin Motel joins Hotel Saint Cecilia, Hotel Magdalena, and the Hotel San José as part of South Austin’s growing collection of exceptional lodgings. As usual, good taste is about taking your inspiration just far enough, but no further. This is true in the bedroom as well, where the bright orange beds match the bright orange wallpaper and countertops — and are tempered by minimalistic furniture and clever little details like Tivoli radios, rather than going for full-on Space Age kitsch. The parking lot, once the indispensable centerpiece of a roadside motel, has been replaced by an open-air lounge space and the tropical-themed Rocky’s Bar, while the old pool is as charming as ever, joined by its own poolside bar. It’s down-to-earth, unpretentious, and hip in a welcoming rather than an elitist way — a description that fits any of the Bunkhouse Hotels, come to think of it....