The Magnolia Hotel Houston ~ Art Deco meets Modern-Chic
Written: Feb 04 '08 (Updated May 23 '08)
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Pros: Excellent Location - Lovely hotel with large rooms and bathrooms.
Cons: No in house-parking. Must valet park.
The Bottom Line: A beautiful hotel, a great location, chic décor, comfortable and large rooms. A cookies and milk buffet every night; what else does one need?
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| reginafug's Full Review: Magnolia Hotel |
The Houston Magnolia is located in the heart of downtown Houston, enjoying a prime location that allows the guest to walk to several venues such as Minute Maid Park, The Toyota Center, the Downtown Aquarium, the Theater District, and the Convention Center.
When I arrived at this hotel, downtown Houston was bustling with activity in preparation for the January 13, 2008 Houston Marathon. I arrived around 4:30 pm, the night before the marathon, and the queue for valet parking ($24/night)) was several cars long, along Texas Avenue. In spite of the queue, it did not take long to reach the front of the hotel. An attendant quickly grabbed my bags, and put them on a cart, while another attendant drove my car away from the curb.
My marathon sponsor had secured several rooms and a couple of suites at special rates. I shared a double room with a friend, and the group rate was $144 + taxes, to include a 4:00 pm checkout if running the marathon. We saved about $60 with the special group rate.
A little history:
The former Post Dispatch building can also be associated with Humble Oil, the Magnolia Oil Company (predecessor to Mobil Oil), and Shell Oil Co. The red Pegasus, Mobil Oil's symbol, still sits proudly on top of this building.
The building was built in 1926, and at 22 stories, it was one of Houston’s first skyscrapers and thought to be one of the most impressive buildings in the state of Texas.
In 1971 Shell Oil Co. vacated the property to move to a brand new building a few blocks away, and the building stood empty for almost 30 years until the Denver-based Magnolia Hotels Group purchased the building.
The hotel opened in March 2003 after a $50 million-dollar renovation, re-establishing the property as a boutique hotel.
First Impressions:
Upon entering the building, the lobby is inviting, with a circular living-room where guests can mingle. The décor is modern, chic, and understated.
The Front Desk area is small, and there were two women serving the desk. In spite of the line, it didn’t take long for me to get my room card. Everything was ready and all I had to do was present my drivers license and credit card; within minutes I was on my way to my room. A bell boy was standing to the side waiting for me with my bags and showed me to the room.
There are four high-speed elevators serving the hotel, and even though the hotel was at capacity, the elevator wait was never long.
The colors chosen for the hallways, rooms, public areas are very soothing, art-deco colors. Original art works are displayed throughout the hotel.
The Room:
I was pleasantly surprised to see how large the room was, with two queen size beds, a full-size armoire (entertainment center - also houses the a safe box and coffee maker, along with Tazo teas and Starbuck coffee ), a desk, night tables, a small sofa, a chair, and several lovely light fixtures graced the room.
The beds had a beautiful bedspread made of rich gold fabric and lovely toss pillows. I immediately examined the bed linens and I was pleased to see and feel that the hotel provides quality linens.
The bathroom:
The wash area is separate from the toilet and bath area. Double doors lead to the bathroom area where you‘ll find a large closet (with iron, ironing board, and two bath robes). The vanity counter-top is quite a stunner, made of slate, and a rectangular wash bowl with super modern water fixtures adds to the flair of this slate countertop.
I particularly liked the large, oval bathtub, and I was very glad to have such to have a large bathtub to soak in after the run.
The bathroom amenities are made specifically for the Magnolia Hotels and they are pleasant.
Another friend who was staying in a suite with his family showed me their room, and it was a spacious one-bedroom suite, complete with a fully-equipped kitchen, and a nice and roomy living room.
All rooms feature lovely dark wood furniture, modern, but comfy sofas and chairs.
Hotel Amenities:
The hotel offers free Wi-Fi, Internet services in all rooms and public areas.
The Pool ~ This hotel features Houston’s only downtown rooftop and Jacuzzi. The night views of the city are stunning. The pool is extremely small, but the deck area is large and there are a lot of lounge chairs. I suppose you go up there to hang out with friends, but not necessarily to swim laps in the tiny pool (it is not one of those "endless pools").
Fitness Center ~ There is a large, 24-hour fitness center adjacent to the pool area, and several aerobic machines (treadmills, stair master, cycles, elliptical machines, etc) are available, as well as a weight rack. I did not use the facilities but they looked adequate. My running friends who do not know I write reviews thought I was strange for wanting to check-out every nook-and -crany of this hotel!
The Club Room lounge:
Located on the second floor, this is a huge public room featuring a billiards area with plasma TV’s and a full service bar. There is also a large library offering several periodicals, as well as two desktop computers. The lounge is very inviting and many guests gather here for drinks and to listen to live Jazz music in the evenings.
Dining Services:
The hotel does not have an in-house restaurant, but it does offer a full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu for room service. The logic behind not having an in-house restaurant is because there are numerous restaurants a few minutes walk from the hotel. Alternatively, a complimentary town car is available to nearby attractions with advance notice.
We enjoyed a pasta dinner courtesy of our marathon sponsor, and the food presentation was lovely, well-prepared and delicious. The staff was attentive and we were not rushed through the meal.
Coffee Shop:
Adjacent to the hotel entrance is a coffee shop serving specialty coffees and pastries. This opens at 6:00 am and is ready to serve those on the go.
And My Favorite Hotel Amenities…
Social Hour ~ Regardless of room type booked, all guests are invited to the Social at 5:30 - 6:30 pm, every day of the week, for complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks.
Cookies and Milk ~ 8:00 - 10:00 pm. Indulge yourself with home-made cookies (chocolate chip, double chocolate and oatmeal/raisin), and a milk-buffet (strawberry, chocolate and plain low-fat milk).
Breakfast:
Also complimentary, from 6:00 - 9:00 am, join other guests for fresh bagels, breads, juices, granola, yogurt and Starbucks Coffee.
Summary:
I love how a historical building (that had been abandoned) was brought back to life and converted into a very chic hotel. Being walking distance to all of the downtown attractions makes it a very desirable hotel. The hotel is well-maintained, impeccably clean and the staff is friendly, although not overly obsequious.
The hotels nightly rates start at $199 - to $299, but if you’re a weekend visitor, you may want to look into booking one of their special packages.
Additional Information:
Check In 3 p.m.
Check Out 11 a.m.
Address 1100 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002
Hotel Website: www.magnoliahotelhouston.com
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Thank you for reading!
Recommended:
Yes
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