The Most Romantic Hotels in Houston, Texas

Set in the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center (a perfect place for hand-in-hand strolls), this upscale hotel offers warmly decorated rooms with polished dark-wood furniture, floor-to-ceiling windows with tree views and high thread count sheets. The wood-paneled walls extend to the relaxed bar where you can swirl a brandy next to the fireplace, and there’s a spa with a heated relaxation pool and 20-plus treatment rooms. The manor house restaurant serves traditional Southern cuisine and, if you feel the need to work it off, there’s a vast fitness center plus a lap pool and indoor tennis court.

The ever-reliable Four Seasons is on top form in Houston, rising elegantly over the downtown area, not far from Minute Maid Park. Loved-up couples can start their evening by picking from the international menu at the Quattro restaurant, with gentle live piano in the background. Heading up to the rooms, there are big beds with down duvets, elegant glass-topped tables and cabinets, impressively sized plasma TVs and big minibars stocked with fine wines. On the fourth floor, there’s an outdoor heated pool and a tropical-style patio offering both a relaxing aquatic experience and a romantic view over the city skyline – also offered by the outdoor bar.

The Granduca is located uptown, in an area with a newfound hipster reputation. The Galleria mall is a stone’s throw away, and the Arboretum & Nature Center is just over the road. The ivy-covered entrance gives way to a private oasis, complete with palm trees, Bedouin-style color schemes and Grecian columns by the impressive outdoor saltwater pool. Inside, there’s a billiards room with a poker table and an Italian restaurant which mixes Milanese recipes with Texas beef. The rooms feature canopied beds, birch cabinets and granite bathrooms.

The ICON was once the Union National Bank HQ, and the marble pillars and big vault doors ensure guests are aware of its pedigree. There’s a distinct leaning towards old-school Texas too, with cow-print upholstery in the rooms and lounge areas. The rooms have quirky features such as a sliding panel window between the bedroom and bathroom and arched entryways, and all the rooms and beds are remarkably spacious. The Line & Lariat restaurant offers Texas specialties of all shapes and sizes. There’s a big gym, and even a free car service for couples who want to explore the city.

The moment you clap eyes on the outdoor pool, surrounded by a stone firepit and beautifully arranged loungers, you know you’re in for a luxurious, romantic stay. The Post Oak is owned by a billionaire who took a militant approach to comfort. Standard rooms have three TV sets; Egyptian cotton is the norm; there are original art pieces in the rooms and common areas; and the restaurant serves Royal Ossetra caviar beneath a ceiling adorned with hand-blown glass flowers. The wine cellar alone is valued at $5m. Rooms come with hand-made chocolate delivered daily, complimentary iPads, crystal light fixtures and a set of weights for those who would rather avoid the gym.