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Hotel Woes / Hotels with Revolving Restaurants / Hyatt Hotels / Houston Hotels / Texas Hotels / Killer View / Hotel Restaurants / OpenThread / → All Tags

When Bad Revolving Floors Happen To Good People

Where: 1200 Louisiana St [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77002

Or is it the other way around...?

We didn't think it was possible to have a bad time at a revolving restaurant on top of a hotel, but one family in Katy, TX has found a way. Back In October, reports The Houston Chronicle, while dining at Spindeltop atop the Hyatt Regency Houston with her parents, a four-year-old girl got her foot stuck in the gap between the slowly-rotating floor and the window. A few panic-stricken moments ensued as they struggled to free her, but luckily the girl came away with her foot intact, and only a few lacerations. Scary!

The bad news? The family is now suing Hyatt for the incident, claiming the gap didn't have any warning signs, and that the hotel handled the situation badly.

Well, gee.

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Hotel News / Autograph Collection / Marriott Hotels / Houston Hotels / Historic Hotels / Magic Johnson / → All Tags

Bringing a Little Magic To The Autograph Collection

Where: 220 Main St [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77002

The Hotel Icon in Houston has been around since 1911, and used to house the Union National Bank. But in January, the struggling landmark was acquired by a company known as Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund, a side project of NBA legend Magic Johnson.

The new ownership had decided the hotel would be re-branded by an unnamed "major luxury national hotel chain" at some point over the summer. It has now been revealed that the Icon will be inducted into Marriott's exclusive Autograph Collection, and will officially relaunch in two weeks.

This will be the Autograph Collection's twenty-fifth hotel, though properties in the Caribbean and in other parts of Europe are planned for 2012.

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Final Four Hotels / Houston Hotels / Hotel Indigo / March Madness Hotels / → All Tags

Hotel Indigo in Houston Still Has (Funky) Rooms for the Final Four

Where: 5160 Hidalgo Street [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77056

If you're a fan of Virginia Commonwealth University, you probably never thought this weekend would happen. But if you're a fan of VCU, then that means you're probably looking for a hotel room in Houston, Texas for the NCAA Final Four. After all, you'd be crazy to miss this appearance.

While hotel rooms in Houston are in high demand this weekend, they aren't at exactly Super Bowl rates. Looking at HotelRates.HotelChatter.com, we were psyched to see the Hotel Indigo Houston at the Galleria going for $209 on Saturday and Sunday night. That includes free WiFi, very bright guestroom decor and hardwood floors (perhaps this could come in handy if you need to dribble out the nerve?). And it's actually $20 less than the nearby Hilton Garden Inn. Does HGI put haikus in the guestroom? No, they do not.

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Cute Hotel Doggies / Pet-Friendly Hotels / Halloween Hotels / Houston Hotels / → All Tags

Cute Hotel Doggie Friday: Howl-o-ween Edition

Where: 2525 West Loop S [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77027

Friday is now officially Cute Hotel Doggie Day here at HotelChatter, and in honor of Halloween, we felt it was our duty to bring you Dogs At Hotels in Halloween Costumes. It looks like quite a few properties have had Halloween parties for their four-legged guests this week, including Houston’s Hotel Derek.

Dog Days Out are a regular affair at the pet-friendly Hotel Derek, but this Wednesday was a special Howl-o-ween Spooktacular. As you can see from these photos, it wasn’t just the dogs who dressed up: owners were welcome to come in costume, too. (Which seems fair, considering how silly and perturbed some dogs look when they’re in costume.)

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Pink Hotels / Houston Hotels / Hotels Doing Good / → All Tags

Hotel Derek in Houston Unveils Its 'Lady Pink' Rooms

Where: 2525 West Loop South [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77027

The pink hotel craze continues but the latest hotel to use pink in its rooms is doing it for a good cause. The Hotel Derek in Houston has created five guest rooms designed for the female traveler (uh oh, paging gender neutralists) and 10 percent of the room rate will go towards the Houston chapter of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Pink décor complements each of the guest rooms and includes luxurious bedding, bathroom accessories, as well as a cozy robe and slippers. A unique feature of the Lady Pink rooms is the wellness bar and soothing spa music atop each nightstand.

Room rates start at $289 a night during hte week and goes down on the weekends to $169.

Hotel Technology / Plug Panels / Geek Hotels / Hotel Amenities / Hotel Openings / Houston Hotels / → All Tags

New Houston Hotel Introduces Bluetooth Stereo in Guestrooms

Where: 800 West Sam Houston Parkway [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77024

Hey there tech geeks: next time you find yourself in need of a hotel room in Houston, consider spending the night at the Hotel Sorella which will open on August 16. That's because the hotel promises to have a plug panel that includes bluetooth stereo for guests in-room--meaning they can play music from their iPhones or other Bluetooth-enabled devices through the rooms's TV speakers.

We got the tip from someone who works for the plug panel technology. Here's how it all went down:

I work for a hotel technology supplier and we are installing our first MediaHub panel with stereo Bluetooth at the Hotel Sorella in Houston. I know I've seen a few people chatting about plug panels. The new one going into the Hotel Sorella has a stereo Bluetooth interface so guests can stream music or any other audio through the TV speakers by using Bluetooth - no wires or cables. The catch: you have to pair an A2DP enabled device or one that will work with wireless speakers (not just a Bluetooth headset).

Ok, so what the heck is an A2DP enabled device and how do you know if you have one? Well if you have the iPhone 3G, that will definitely work here. A lot of Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson phones will work with this, as will Palm TREOs. Unfortunately, your first, second, or third generation iPod will not work with this feature. Still, you can just plug it into the panel.

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Hotel Video Tours / HotelChatter Reviews / Houston Hotels / → All Tags

We Came, We Saw, We Texas Two-Stepped at The Houstonian

Where: 111 North Post Oak Lane [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77024

This past weekend, we jetted down to Houston, Texas for an insanely over-the-top wedding that only a true Texas bride could pull off. It was large, it was lavish, it was ornate — and so was the hotel in which the wedding was held (which is also where we crashed for the weekend).

Check out the tour of our room at The Houstonian (apologies for the shaky camera work; we were fresh off the plane and all psyched up to hit the wedding festivities) and our thoughts on the "urban resort" — which is part of the Preferred Hotels and Resorts Group — from our two-day stay & play.

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Snapshot / Hotel Amenities / Embassy Suites / → All Tags

Embassy Suites Houston's Magical Duck Memorial

Where: 2911 Sage Road [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77056

Hey, remember that duck who was just minding his own biz in an Embassy Suites ornamental pool when a crazy guest ripped off his head and threatened to eat it in an Embassy Suites Lobby? Ah, yes, well: it seems an Embassy Suites has erected an homage to him in the form of this hideous basket-y thing.

This is a snapshot from the Embassy Suites Houston, and it was staring at us from behind the coffee maker. Everyone in the room had some commentary about it: "that's something my grandma would have" or, more succinctly, "ew."

We're happy, though, that Embassy Suites has honored Mr. Duck's memory — but this belongs nowhere near the gigantic flat-screen TV and other updated amenities.

Hotel Opening Rates / Hotel Openings / Starwood Hotels / Element Hotels / → All Tags

The World's Third Element Hits Houston Today

Where: 14555 Vintage Preserve Parkway [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77070

While the music junkies, artists and techies have descended upon Austin for SXSW, there has been another grand arrival in the Lone Star State — Houston, to be specific: the third oh-so-friendly Element Hotel opens today. And by "friendly" we mean environmentally-friendly, wallet-friendly, and 2009-friendly.

Dallas is usually the first Texas town to receive the newest budget-chic brands (the first NYLO hit Dallas before any other city, and the honor of having the first Texas Aloft was given to DFW as well), so we're happy Space City's finally receiving some love. Located in Vintage Park, an area of Houston with lots o' shopping and offices, the Element Houston Vintage Park is about a 20-minute drive from the Houston airport and less than a half hour from downtown.

The property is going for its LEED certification within its first year (as all Elements are required to do) and the property takes its green principles from the building's fixtures to the parking lot: guests arriving hybrid cars are get priority parking.

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Hotel Pools / Houston Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

Will Houston's Luxury Pools Convince You to Go to There?

There are many reasons not to go to Houston. Among them: soaring temperatures and humidity that makes your hair frizz within 30 seconds of leaving the salon. And then there's the whole Hilary Duff thing.

But the Houston Chronicle seems to think that maybe Houston's luxurious hotel pool scene may give travelers a reason to reconsider the great H-Town:

Blending a high-end hotel pool with an upscale bar to create a resortlike scene is a national trend, and Houston is diving in.

Though the pools can be costly -- the Four Seasons spent $4 million on its upgrade and the San Luis, $2 million -- hotel operators say they help boost room stays and business in general.

A key ingredient is opening them to the public. By mixing stylish outsiders with hotel guests, the hotel gives its pool a trendy, clublike feel.

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Red Roof Inns / Texas Hotels / Hotel Crime / Hotel Pools / → All Tags

Bad Boys, Bad Boys:: Escaped Convict Nabbed at Red Roof Inn Pool in Texas

Where: 12929 Northwest Freeway [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77040

It's still hot here in the city and so we're well into dreaming of rooftop pools and cabanas with mimosa pitchers. Thus we totally have to sympathize with the escapee prisoner who was caught taking a dip in the swimming pool of a Houston, Texas Red Roof Inn on Tuesday.

The convict, charged with murder during the robbery of a convenience store in April, had lost weight in recent months and managed to shimmy his way out of jail through an air conditioning duct no more than one foot wide. Missing from his cell since Saturday, he had apparently been enjoying all the comforts of the Red Roof until his arrest Tuesday night.

All that kicking back in the pool must have relaxed him too, as it sounds like all went pretty smoothly according to an arresting officer: "We found him. He walked out to the pool, got in the pool, he was taken into custody while he was in the pool."

Despite the fact that all this went down in a motel off of the Northwest Freeway, it is easily only a cocktail and gold medallion necklace away from being a pretty baller takedown.

Gas Packages / Houston Hotels / → All Tags

Gas Package Spotted: Houston Hotel's 'So Tank Full' Package

Where: 1117 Prairie Street [map], Houston, TX, United States, 77002

The Alden-Houston Hotel in Houston is offering a silly-named gas package called the "So Tank Full" that includes deluxe room accomodations for one night, overnight valet parking and a $50 gas card. If you upgrade to a suite you get a $75 gas card.

The price for a deluxe room is $179 and the price of a suite is $229. Taxes not included.

Once you get to the Alden-Houston, you probably won't even need your car. The hotel is four blocks from Minute Maid Park, six blocks from Downtown's new Discovery Green and the Theatre District, and just one block from the Metro Light Rail which can take you wherever else you need to go in town.