World City Guide

Hotels

An occupancy tax, which currently stands at 17%, is added to all room rates. This tax is usually added to the bill at the end, although it is worth checking when making a reservation.

The hotels below have been classed into four different pricing categories:
$ (up to US$75)
$$ (US$76 to US$150)
$$$ (US$151 to US$250)
$$$$ (over US$251)

The prices are the standard starting prices for a double room per night, excluding occupancy tax and breakfast, unless otherwise stated. Discounts may well be available.

Business

Hilton Americas
A brand new 1,200-room convention hotel connected to the recently expanded George R Brown Convention Center. Hilton Americas’ rooms have all the facilities expected of a business hotel including Internet and dataport. There is also a fitness room and pool and three restaurants serving American fare with The Skyline Grill on the 24th floor having panoramic views of the city. A large number of meeting rooms can accommodate small group meetings right up to banquets for thousands.
1600 Lamar
Tel: (713) 739 8000.
Website: www.hilton.com.
Price: $$$$

The Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa
Set in 8 hectares (18 acres) of parkland close to the Galleria, the hotel has an Old World charm. The 288 rooms are tastefully decorated and have oversized desks and cordless phones. The excellent facilities include a health club, three pools, spa facility and the use of an 18-hole golf course. There are three restaurants serving regional American dishes and lighter meals. The hotel also has a business centre and 26 meeting rooms with audiovisual equipment available.

111 North Post Oak Lane
Tel: (713) 680 2626.
Website: www.houstonian.com
Price: $$$$

Luxury

The Lancaster
Located in the heart of the Financial District and the Theater District, The Lancaster is pure timeless elegance decorated in an English country house style with rich colours, classic fabrics and reproduction antique furniture. The 93 rooms and suites each have sumptuous marble bathrooms, VCR and CD players, fax machine and modem points. The hotel contains the award-winning Bistro Lancaster and a fitness facility, together with three meeting rooms, catering for between six and 150 people.

701 Texas Avenue, at Louisiana Street
Tel: (713) 228 9500.
Website: www.lancaster.com
Price: $$$$

The Warwick Hotel
The Warwick is conveniently located 3.2km (2 miles) from both the heart of the city and the George R Brown Convention Center. This prestigious hotel was built in 1926 in a European style with antique wooden panelling. The rooms are full of character with antique-style furniture but also well equipped with telephones with voice mail and modem points. Facilities include a fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool, gift shop and two restaurants.

5701 Main Street
Tel: (713) 526 1991.
Website: www.warwickhotelhouston.com
Price: $$$ (including breakfast)

Moderate

Best Western Plaza Hotel & Suites
One of a chain of extremely good-value hotels in the Houston area, this is located in the heart of the Texas Medical Centre and two blocks from the Light Rail. There are 125 bright, clean and spacious rooms. Room features include high-speed Internet access, cable TV, coffee maker and irons and ironing board. Facilities within the hotel include a pool, spa, fitness center, guest laundry room and business centre.

6700 South Main Street
Tel: (713) 522 2811.
Website: www.bestwestern.com
Price: $$ (including continental breakfast)

Wellesley Inn & Suites
Its excellent location in the trendy Galleria area makes this extremely good-value hotel very popular with value-conscious businessmen. The 64 studios and 70 suites are light and spacious with private bathrooms, fully equipped kitchens, TV, two-line speaker phones with voice-mail and irons/ironing board. Additional facilities include laundry service, a pool and fitness centre, and two meeting rooms.

7855 Katy Freeway
Tel: (713) 263 9770.
Website: www.wellesleyinnandsuites.com
Price: $ (including continental breakfast)

Other Recommendations

La Colombe d’Or Hotel
This is the world’s smallest luxury hotel just a few minutes from Downtown with only five suites and one penthouse, each with a private dining room and marble bathroom. In addition, there are nine Courtyard Villas. Built in 1923, the very elegant French furnishings in this hotel are complemented by original art and antiques. La Colombe d’Or has a ballroom, Le Grand Salon de la Comtesse, for up to 600 guests.

3410 Montrose Boulevard
Tel: (713) 524 7999.
Website: www.lacolombedor.com
Price: $$$

Lovett Inn
This wonderful historic house is located close to Downtown and the Galleria. There are only 10 rooms, some with four-poster beds, and each is decorated to evoke the inn’s historic past. Rooms are not as well equipped as some of the traditional business hotels but still have cable TV and telephone with voice-mail. There is a meeting room available for hire and the hotel also has a garden, pool and Jacuzzi.

501 Lovett Boulevard
Tel: (713) 522 5224.
Website: www.lovettinn.com
Price: $$ (including continental breakfast)