Travel Guide: Where to Stay in Houston

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Last month I was in Houston for some meetings and was able to stay at The Magnolia Hotel in downtown Houston. This boutique hotel is a breath of fresh air from many of the surrounding hotels which feel impersonal and lacking in design and style.

Magnolia is ideally situated in the heart of downtown Houston, just steps from the major corporations in the area, meaning I literally walked to all of my meetings. It’s a great place for a business traveler to stay, but is also great for those visiting for tourism.

Magnolia takes design very seriously and has a really chic feeling from the second you walk in. Once you walk in you are facing a beautiful fireplace with hanging lanterns over the mantle decked by oversized arm chairs, tufted couches and serene lighting. The wood floor has a distinctly Restoration Hardware vibe of reclaimed wood. It all has a very zen vibe, which is welcoming after a day of long meetings.

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Next, let’s move onto their rooms. I live in Manhattan, and the size and decor of my suite literally had me wanting to move into Magnolia Houston. I had a one-bedroom suite with an entire living room and kitchen in the other room. It was extremely spacious and soothing. The bed was very comfy with lush sheets and plenty of pillows. The bathroom had a plunge tub, which was ideal for unwinding in at night before bed after indulging in some cookies and milk (more on that later). I also really appreciated the large marble vanity when getting ready in the morning in their plush robes.

The living room had a giant kitchen with a marble counter as well as a few couches and flat screen television. It was a great spot to hang out in after dinner and do some writing with a glass of wine from the hotel’s complementary happy hour each night.

In addition to the happy hour, there is a cookie and milk hour. You read that right. Each night between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., the hotel lays out cookie jars filled to the brim with chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, strawberry shortcake cookies, English toffee cookies, etc. They are soft and chewy and there are glasses of milk to go along with them. It’s such a nice treat that brings back the nostalgia of being a kid. In the mornings, the same room has a complementary breakfast buffet, with Greek yogurt, granola, cereals, eggs, bacon, sausage, bagels, oatmeal and other foods to pick on. There’s also coffee set up.

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The hotel has a wonderful gym equipped with free weights, treadmills, elliptical machines and other equipment which I am proud to say I used every day. It’s really clean and the equipment is top of the line. On the rooftop there’s a pool overlooking Houston.

One night I made it to the Menil Collection museum which was definitely worth visiting — it’s full of Warhol’s and other classic art in a real tranquil setting. The location of Magnolia is also near some great restaurants and cafes.

I’d gladly recommend Magnolia Houston to visitors. From the plush room and amenities to added touches like happy hour and cookies and milk, it’s the perfect spot to see Houston from.

 

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