Meetings and Events Houston | Revamped Bayou City Accommodations

Revamped Bayou City Accommodations

Article By: Adam Castaneda of III: Volume 2 - Issue 1

The great news for Houston meeting planners is that despite a slowing economy, there is still a wide selection of accommodations facilities to choose from. Worth considering are the numerous properties that have been renovated and refurbished in the recent months. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston, property owners have invested more than $220 million in 2008 to upgrade and renovate their facilities.

According to the 300 hotel managers and owners who participated in the survey, this industry revamp has allowed Houston visitors and meeting planners to choose from a wide selection of refurbished hotel rooms, lobbies and event spaces, not to mention the millions of dollars that have and continue to be spent on developing new properties.

As usual, Meetings & Events Houston has made it a priority to gather the most recent information and statistics on the city’s constantly changing hotel facilities. Our listings reflect new hotels that have opened their doors in the past six months as well as updated information on familiar names that have overhauled their meeting spaces. Change and reinvention seem to be the names of the game when describing the Houston hotel industry and we hope this issue reflects this exciting trend.

Since the last issue of Meetings & Events Houston, we’ve gained much more detailed information regarding the status of our colleagues in Galveston and their facilities in the wake of Hurricane Ike. We’re excited to include in our listings the hotel facilities that are now open to receiving visitors. We’ve also taken a moment to spotlight the signature hotels and their recently completed restoration projects.

Hotel Renovations
The Hilton Houston North has completely redone its entire facility, including 51,000-square-feet of meeting space. Located less than eight miles from Bush Intercontinental Airport, the Hilton Houston North offers redesigned guest rooms that showcase the latest in business travel comfort, including 32” LCD high-definition televisions and a choice of wired or wireless Internet access. Meeting planners should note that the hotel is North Houston’s only convention accommodations facility andis an invaluable resource due to its first-class amenities, including an enlarged fitness center, fully functional business center, redesigned lobby, restaurant and bar.

The Four Seasons Hotel downtown is famous for filling the void in Houston’s spa industry with its state-of-the-art treatment facilities, and now guests can enjoy the relaxing comfort of a saltwater resort pool as a result of its $12 million renovation project. The Four Seasons Hotel is walking distance from Houston’s business district, making it the perfect facility for visiting professionals needing an extended stay in the city. The Four Seasons Ballroom is one of the largest spaces of its kind in downtown and can seat a maximum of 600 people for a theater-style function. The hotel’s smaller, executive meeting rooms provide the best atmosphere for conducting business on an intimate level, with spaces fully furnished with authentic antiques and quality pieces of art.

The St. Regis Houston has also recently finished construction on its $15 million renovation work, the result of which includes new room furnishings, wood flooring in public areas and the latest in computer and technology services. The hotel’s 10,000-square-feet of meeting space can accommodate anywhere from 10 to 400 guests. Planners needing extra assistance can work with an in-house executive meeting specialist to assist them through every stage of the planning process. For its incomparable customer service and world-class accommodations, the St. Regis Houston is celebrating its seventh consecutive year as the winner of the AAA Five Diamond Award.

BMPs will be pleased to know that the completed remodel of The Houstonian Hotel, Club, and Spa has resulted in the redesign of their 280 guest rooms, now featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that provide perfect scenes of the natural world outside. The accommodations overhaul lends itself to the overall executive vibe of the facility, which includes a fitness center, golf course and several dining options. This secluded and piquant wooded haven in the middle of Houston also features 32,000-square-feet of meeting space spread over some 26 different rooms. The Houstonian Grande Ballroom can accommodate a banquet-style function of up to 650 guests while the Mahogany Boardroom can hold an exclusive corporate meeting of up to 18 professionals.

In addition to 313 guestrooms, the recently renovated Doubletree Hotel Houston Intercontinental Airport offers 18,500-square-feet of meeting space including the Kansas City amphitheater, a 42-tiered theater-style seating space. The Outdoor Pavilion is also a unique area that allows meeting planners the use of a natural environment to organize memorable and exciting events. Doubletree also offers guests complimentary shuttle service to and from George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Looking for a great resort getaway within easy access to Houston? Check out La Torretta Del Lago Resort & Spa, formerly the Del Lago Resort, which recently opened after a $135 million renovation. Described as the “ultimate European lakeside retreat in Texas,” you can read more about this wonderful location in the following pages of this section.

Notable Newcomers
For the past few seasons, visitors of Houston have enjoyed the creative comforts of the boutique-style facility Hotel Indigo. Designed with bright and calming hues of blue and yellow, Hotel Indigo offers 132 beautifully crafted guest rooms along with casual dining and lounge areas. The 4 meeting rooms make it possible to host events for groups of up to 118 guests in six different seating formats. The hotel is situated in the heart of Houston’s Uptown district, the city’s center of fashion and trend-setting retail stores and restaurants. As part of the Galleria complex, Hotel Indigo gives its visitors a chance to explore more than 3 million-square-feet of retail space that makes up nearly 400 different stores, from familiar anchors like Macy’s and Nordstrom’s to high-end names like Barney’s New York CO-OP and Dior.

The Four Points by Sheraton Houston, Memorial City has also been a great new asset to the local hotel industry, offering downtown-level accommodations at the cross section of the Katy Freeway and Beltway 8. Guests can access Memorial City Mall through the hotel’s free shuttle service and are only a few minutes drive from great eating and shopping establishments. The meeting and event staff is available to help organize corporate functions and meeting space is fully equipped with projectors, whiteboards and audiovisual equipment. Tech support professionals are also on standby to lend assistance.

Galveston — Hurricane Ike Recovery
Galveston is slowly recovering from the extensive level of devastation left by Hurricane Ike in 2008. With travel to and from the island restricted for the first few months after impact and with many of the city’s signature facilities suffering extensive damage, the local meetings and events industry found itself in the position of having to bypass the holiday tourist season and redevelop itself for the fiscal year ahead.

The island’s three historical hotels all suffered varying degrees of damage, but with the help of real estate legends George and Cynthia Mitchell, were repaired and are fully prepared to receive visitors for the fall 2009 season.

During its months of closure to the public, The Harbor House at Pier 21 served as a crucial landmark for the city’s recovery initiative as it housed many of the workers and professionals aiding the project. The revamped hotel now boasts 39 nautical-style guest rooms, all newly reconstructed to their former glory. Visitors can enjoy a truly authentic Galveston experience, as the seaside charm of every room is magnified by the views of the local harbor. The Harbor House is situated near 30 miles of Galveston beaches and is
only a short drive from the city’s local attractions.

The Hotel Galvez was able to open its doors to the public sooner than many other establishments on the island. Meeting planners will be thrilled to learn that the hotel’s signature meeting spaces are completely operational, including the gorgeous Music Hall which can seat 350 for a banquet-style event.

Ever since its 1911 opening, the hotel has maintained a reputation of excellence for its ever expanding repertoire of sophisticated events. The classical architecture of the building is integrated with the latest trends in the hospitality industry and the hotel staff is more than happy to assist meeting planners in every stage of the event planning process. The Hotel Galvez also features a beautiful garden area for outdoor ceremonies and events and a spa that specializes in sea-based therapy treatments.

For a stay in Galveston’s historic Strand district, The Tremont House offers fine European-style accommodations and amenities. The restored interior is a postcard replica of Victorian architecture and furniture, complete with a four-story atrium with birdcage elevators and a rooftop terrace. The hotel’s four meeting rooms offer a variety of options in terms of décor and seating arrangements. The largest space is the Tremont House Ballroom, a gorgeous, late 19th century-style banquet hall complete with ornate chandeliers and classical 14-foot high ceilings. Its 7,946-square-foot area makes it one of the few places in Galveston able to recreate the majestic formal events of the preceding centuries.

The massive restoration efforts on the island of Galveston have made the area a viable location once again for first-rate meetings and events. The commitment displayed by the hospitality industry to lend a helping hand to the work force as well as to former competitors, is a testament to the determination of these professionals to continue on with business as usual.