As the fourth largest city in the United States, Houston has every manner of place to stay: hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, hostels. How you like to travel and your budget dictate where you stay. Here are our experiences of the places we’ve stayed in Houston. They include Marriott and Hyatt properties.
Houston Marriott Westchase
We enjoyed our stay at the Houston Marriott Westchase. It’s located in West Houston, which is much calmer than the hustle and bustle of downtown. We had business in the area and found commuting around West Houston quick and easy. The Marriott Westchase sits near the Galleria, an upscale shopping mall. West Houston is also home to NRG Stadium and Rice University. Nearby businesses include National Oilwell Varco, Honeywell and BMC Software.
Our room was comfortable and well-appointed with contemporary Texas-themed décor and high-speed Internet.
The hotel provides free parking and a nice restaurant. Since we are Marriot members, we enjoyed the M Club Lounge.
When we again have business in the area, we’ll stay at the Marriott Westchase.
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Houston Westchase
The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Houston Westchase is in West Houston at Beltway 8 and Westheimer Road. Madeline and I chose the Fairfield Inn for our short stay for its location; it’s close to Toyota Center, NRG Stadium, Minute Maid Park, and the Houston Zoo and Kipp Aquarium.
At Marriott sites guests enjoy free breakfast and free Internet. Parking is free, too.
For a short visit, the Fairfield is economically priced. If you want more Marriott creature comforts, the Houston Marriott Westchase stands nearby.
Hyatt Place Houston-North
Located in North Houston, the Hyatt Place Houston-North is not too far from downtown. I stayed here while attending a convention downtown. I signed up too late for the convention to get a nearby hotel. But it wasn't a big a deal; I drove downtown for the convention each day. When the convention ended, I was close to the airport. If you want to be still closer close to the airport, the Hyatt Regency Houston Intercontinental Airport offers a good option (see below).
On the other hand, the Hyatt Place Houston-North does a great job right where it’s at! As a Hyatt Place the hotel and its staff provide all the things you expect.
Wi-Fi was good, breakfast selections were tasty, the room was clean and comfortable, and the staff at the desk were friendly and responsive. It’s a good hotel in a good location at a good price.
Hyatt Regency Houston Intercontinental Airport
The Hyatt Regency Houston Intercontinental Airport received a much-need renovation in 2017. Our room was nice with a couch and a separate lounge chair. The desk had all the usual plugs for our electronics. The TV was small by today’s standards; I wonder when they’re going to upgrade to at least 42-inch TVs.
The new lobby is large with multiple levels. It’s close location to the airport makes for a lot of convention and business meeting traffic. A convenient and regular shuttle to the airport is available.
The Hyatt Regency Houston Intercontinental Airport provides a nice restaurant and bar, both named Sam's. I’m guessing Sam refers to the famous Sam Houston, for whom the city is named. We didn’t venture into the bar, but we saw it was usually crowded. The restaurant was very nice. We had breakfast their every day and a dinner one night that was quite good.
The people were very friendly and helpful. We met the Assistant Front Office Manager, Thomas Dolan, who took care of us and made sure we were comfortable.
We made this hotel our base of operations when we visited Houston to see two concerts in the area. The first was Bob Seger at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. The second was The Rolling Stones at NRG Park. Mick needed an operation so that concert was postponed. But that means we get to go back to Houston. We will try the Hyatt Regency Houston on our next trip.
Hyatt Regency Houston
We found this hotel when we were looking for Houston dining options. We were staying at one of the Hyatt’s sister properties, the Hyatt Regency Houston Intercontinental Airport, because we had concerts in the city and north of the city, so we decided to stay in between.
I contacted the Hyatt Regency Houston and asked about restaurants. I received a prompt reply from an executive, Lyndsey, who answered all my questions. We decided to book two restaurant meals in this hotel.
The first was at the Spindletop Restaurant, perched atop the building and offering a great view of the city.
The second was at Shula’s Steakhouse. You can read more on our experience with these two restaurants in Houston: Restaurants.
The Hyatt Regency Houston is in the heart of downtown. It’s more of a meeting and convention site. The hotel is within easy walking distance to the Convention Center, Toyota Center, and Minute Maid Park. It also has an inside entrance to the seven-mile Houston Downtown Tunnels.
We thought Downtown Tunnels were fun, and the fact that it was so easy to access from the Hyatt Regency Houston made it that much more convenient!
The first time we visited the Houston area, we ate at those hotel restaurants. But we came back again and stayed a while. The spirit of hospitality is in high gear at this property. We met Lyndsey, who took very good care of us. I also want to thank Megan, who was at the other end of countless text messages. I could tell that both were ensuring a pleasant stay.
They upgraded our room to a suite. In the Hyatt regency Houston, a suite is a real statement. It’s a two-story suite with a beautiful winding staircase. The bedroom and bathroom are upstairs. Downstairs is a large dining table, comfortable sofa and chairs, and a large-screen TV. There is a wine cooler downstairs and mini fridges upstairs and downstairs.
The staff daily asked about how things were going and if there was anything the hotel could do to improve our experience. Other Hyatt properties should take note. This is a forward-thinking hotel, and hospitality is part of their DNA.
We met Leo at the front desk, and he helped us with a smile. He answered all our questions and was very helpful. Vincent at Guest Services was charming and knowledgeable about the area. He helped us a lot as well.
This hotel does not have a Regency Club, but they do have a nice bar in the lobby. You can eat breakfast at Shula’s Steakhouse, also in the lobby. We had dinner at Shula’s, and Joseph was a terrific server. We also met hosts Brenton and Maria, who remembered our preferences. We ate at the Spindletop Restaurant, which is a revolving restaurant at the top of the building. Mario ably served us, and we enjoyed talking with him and learning his background. Spindletop is more of a seafood restaurant but offers plenty of other dishes.
Bottom line: you will enjoy a stay the Hyatt Regency Houston. Great hospitality, wonderful rooms with a view and great service throughout.