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What’s New in Houston: Hotel and Event Venue Highlights

Omni Houston Hotel reopened in November 2018 following a property-wide $30 million renovation. The inspiration drew from an authentic local aesthetic that includes leathers, bronze, brass and lush greens, providing a new take on a “modern Texas.”

The urban oasis now has natural light throughout with floor-to-ceiling windows, open communal spaces and the idea of bringing the outdoors inside.

The Omni Houston Hotel features 378 guest rooms and suites, more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space, the 7,100-square-foot Mokara Spa and numerous high-end dining options.

The Lancaster Hotel, which opened in 1926 and is registered as a Texas Historic Landmark, reopened in fall 2018 after undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation following flooding damage from Hurricane Harvey. The renovated hotel, well suited for small meetings, boasts a redesigned lobby and guest rooms, a new restaurant and bar, an outdoor mezzanine, an espresso bar and a new cardio fitness studio.

Additionally, The Lancaster Hotel is a haven for art lovers, with the work of more than 60 artists displayed throughout the property and a TV channel dedicated to art.

In March 2018, The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston opened as Houston’s newest luxury destination. The 10-acre development boasts a 38-story tower with 250 guest rooms and suites, 20 executive residences and a 35,000-square-foot conference facility.

Unique amenities include a two-story Rolls-Royce showroom and an on-site Bentley and Bugatti Post Oak Motors dealership, as well as signature restaurants, including Texas’ first Mastro’s Steakhouse and the new Willie G’s Seafood.

Z Resorts, the management company responsible for Hotel ZaZa, partnered with MetroNational Corp. to bring the sophisticated boutique hotel brand to Houston at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Bunker Hill Road. Hotel ZaZa Memorial City, which opened in late 2017, provides 158 creative guest rooms, including seven specialty concept suites, more than 22,000 square feet of meeting and event space, an outdoor poolside experience with a neighboring pool bar, ZaSpa, a fine-dining restaurant and a lounge.

Hotel Alessandra debuted in October 2017 and serves as a new anchor for downtown’s GreenStreet mixed-use development. Designed by Gensler and with interiors by Rottet Studio, the contemporary 20-story tower is located at Fannin and Dallas streets.

Midway developed the Hotel Alessandra project, which includes 223 guest rooms and suites, approximately 5,000 square feet of meeting and event space, Bardot lounge, Lucienne restaurant, Spa by Alessandra and a rooftop pool. Valencia Group is the operator.

The Melrose, a vacant, historic downtown office building originally constructed in 1952, was renovated to become an Le Meridien Houston Downtown, which opened in September 2017.

Highlights include a rooftop pool, outdoor sundeck, restaurant and bar. The property features 225 guest rooms and 8,000 square feet of meeting space in its 21-story design. The building was Houston’s first modern skyscraper and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A Washington-based hospitality group will bring its 10th Hotel RL concept to Houston in early 2019. Located at 1005 St. Emanuel St., the 150-room Hotel RL Houston Downtown will feature retail space, a signature restaurant and bar, and meeting space.

The Hotel RL concept aims to capture the spirit of adventure and creativity within comfortable and modern conveniences designed for a new generation of traveler, complete with exciting lobbies, free Wi-Fi, trained Victrola Coffee baristas, performance spaces and other unique amenities. Hotel RL is one of RLH Corporation’s brands.

Intercontinental Houston Medical Center debuted Jan. 15, 2019, in the heart of the Texas Medical Center. The 21-story, 353-room property features 12,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 7,800-square-foot ballroom, and unique restaurants such as Safina.

C. Baldwin Hotel Houston, a high-end, hyper-localized, independent property, is slated to debut in summer 2019. The hotel is inspired by the Bayou City’s unsung hero, Charlotte Baldwin Allen, who was a land developer, cattle rancher, brash businesswoman and philanthropist who used her inheritance to finance the City of Houston.

Highlights will include stylish guest rooms, common areas, a signature restaurant—also named after a groundbreaking woman—a luxury nail salon, curated local retailers, activated green space and 14,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

The former Southwestern Bell Telephone Company building in downtown Houston will be the location of a new Hyatt Place Hotel, expected to open in 2019.

The $22.8 million project will transform the 16-story building into a full-service hotel complete with 150 guest rooms, ground-level dining, rooftop cocktail bar, indoor pool and fitness center.

Downtown Houston’s century-old Houston Bar Center is being transformed into an AC Hotel by Marriott. The $44 million property, slated to open in summer 2019, will offer 185 rooms.

[Read This Next: 6 Sizzling Dining Hot Spots in Downtown Houston]

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About the author
Lori Tenny | Destinations Editor, Contributing Writer

Lori was formerly Director of Strategic Content at Meetings Today where she oversaw feature-related content for the brand, as well as custom publishing, content marketing initiatives and strategic digital projects.