In your company, are you responsible for booking venues, facilities, restaurants and organizing transportation for meetings and events?
| Revamped Bayou City Accommodations |
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.
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.
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If accepted, your submission will be edited for length and clarity. There is no monetary payment if your item is used; instead, you can publicize yourself through a five-line biography with your contact information that will appear at the end of the article.
Send submissions to
editorial@MeetingPlannerResources.org. We will contact you if your submission is chosen.