houston Travel Guide
Tags: Cute Hotel Doggies / Pet-Friendly Hotels / Halloween Hotels / Houston Hotels / → All Tags
Cute Hotel Doggie Friday: Howl-o-ween Edition
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.)
Tags: Pink Hotels / Houston Hotels / Hotels Doing Good / → All Tags
Hotel Derek in Houston Unveils Its 'Lady Pink' Rooms
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.
Tags: Hotel Technology / Geek Hotels / Hotel Amenities / Hotel Openings / Houston Hotels / → All Tags
New Houston Hotel Introduces Bluetooth Stereo in Guestrooms
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.
Tags: Hotel Video Tours / HotelChatter Reviews / Houston Hotels / → All Tags
We Came, We Saw, We Texas Two-Stepped at The Houstonian
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.
Tags: Snapshot / Hotel Amenities / Embassy Suites / → All Tags
Embassy Suites Houston's Magical Duck Memorial
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.
Tags: Hotel Opening Rates / Hotel Openings / Starwood Hotels / Element Hotels / → All Tags
The World's Third Element Hits Houston Today
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.
Tags: 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.
Tags: 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
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.
Tags: Gas Packages / Houston Hotels / → All Tags
Gas Package Spotted: Houston Hotel's 'So Tank Full' Package
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.
Tags: Houston Hotels / Jock Jam Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags
WTF News: Houston's Astrodome to Turn into a Convention Hotel?
The might be one of the strangest hotel conversions we have heard of yet. But if it all goes as planned, sports fans might have a chance at staying on some hallowed athletic grounds.
The Houston Reliant Astrodome was once considered the "Eigth Wonder of the World" and indeed it was the world's first domed stadium when it opened in 1965. But as the years went by the place began to show its age.
After the last b-ball game was played there in 1999 (the Astros moved to the Minute Maid Park), the dome hosted mostly concerts and rodeos since knocking it down wasn't environmentally sensible.
But now there are plans to turn the dome into a 1,200-room convention hotel. The county and the city is still working out the messy logistics and financing of such a place. However, if this conversion does take place, we'll be real interested to see how they make a hotel out of the dome.
[Photo:Cybertoad]
Tags: Houston Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Hotel ZaZa Does It Up In Houston
Usually when we're looking for cool hotels with unique décor and interesting design we head to New York, London or L.A. But Houston? Turns out, this is the next big spot. In June, the second Hotel ZaZa opened with 315 of the most uniquely decorated rooms we've ever seen. (And the most interesting foyer too--There's a woman crouching in a Lucite cage suspended from the ceiling.)
In addition to the interesting furnishings, guests can expect rooms with incredible views, 40-inch plasma TVs, small (but pretty) bathrooms, and perfect Wi-Fi connections. Plus the hotel's restaurant is casual enough for jeans by day, but goes formal enough for a shirt and tie by night. With wild mushroom-crusted halibut and lobster cannelloni, it's a menu worth dressing up for.
The new location is about a mile from downtown and within walking distance of some of Houston's most beautiful parks and famous museums.
So it seems as if the Hotel ZaZa is all about decadence--from the menu to the décor--but at $255 a night, you can still afford it. Although, for special occasions we recommend one of the $2,500 suites.)
[Photo: New York Times]
Related Stories:
· Check In, Check Out: Hotel ZaZa [NYT]
· Houston Hotel Reviews [Hotel Chatter]
· Houston Travel [Jaunted]
Tags: Hotels-Near-MLB-Stadiums / Baseball Park Hotels / Houston Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
MLB Travel: Hotels Near Houston's Minute Maid Park
Summer is here, which means baseball-obsessed people all over the U.S. are hopping in planes, trains, and automobiles to visit MLB fields around the country. To help these fanatic fans/hotel guests, we will be looking at ballparks around the country and give you a quick rundown of your closest, safest, and best hotel options. "America's Favorite Pastime" with some of America's finest second cities--what is not to love? If you got any hotel questions or suggestions or even better, firsthand baseball park hotel reviews, send them here and share them with other MLB fans--even if they are Yankee fans.
Click Here to Go Straight to the Hotels Near MLB Stadiums Map
Next up in our MLB Travel series is Houston's Minute Maid Park. Ya gotta love the corporate sponsorship of ballparks these days. Still the juice company beats the park's former name--Enron Field. The Inn at the Ballpark is the closest hotel, literally across the street from the park. Surprisingly enough the place doesn't offer any "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" types of packages.
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