The Best Luxury Hotels in Houston

If the Four Seasons brand is synonymous internationally with cocooning luxury, Houston’s property is in full-on seduction mode. Try clubbing on the virtual fairway at the Topgolf Swing Suite, within the Bayou & Bottle bar – overseen by celebrity chef Richard Sandoval. You can sip a smoky bourbon cocktail and nibble guacamole and chips while you play. Nights are just right here, snuggling up in cozy blue and cream-hued rooms with signature plush Four Seasons goose duvet-topped beds. Rise to bay-window views of downtown Houston and a dip in the oasis-like pool.

Over-the-top luxury comes as standard at Texas’s only Forbes Five-Star Hotel and Spa. It’s clear from your first glimpse of the Swarovski-crystal lobby chandelier, and the multi-million-dollar art collection of works ranging from Frank Stella to Robert Motherwell. Even entry-level rooms are spacious, with skyline views. For a shopaholic experience, the property’s Post Oak Motor Cars is home to Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Bugatti Houston, while 29 North is flush with accessories from Gucci and Balenciaga. Don’t leave without visiting the Cellar, with its 30,000 bottles of wine compiled by the hotel’s sommeliers.

Here is the epitome of Texas luxury, from the rich leather furnishings to the sumptuous steakhouse, Remington Restaurant, where live music plays on Friday and Saturday nights. The floor-to-ceiling views from guest rooms are almost as iconic as the trademark St. Regis butler service that is a core part of every guest experience. From welcoming you upon arrival and unpacking your suitcase, to delivering your morning cup of coffee, to making dinner reservations and traditional shoe shines, you won’t be lifting a finger.

A decadent tribute to Old World Italy, Hotel Granduca Houston whisks you to a classic Italian villa: it’s an essay in antique furnishings, art, carved stone fountains and luxe linens. Rooms eschew any trendy design tricks in favor of calm beige-and-brown elegance, with full-length windows. Lounge by the pool in the Tuscan-inspired courtyard among rustic colonnades and fruit trees before heading to Ristorante Cavour for an intimate Northern Italian-inspired dinner – we’re already salivating over the idea of veal ossobuco ravioli. The boozy signature Negronis are not to be missed.

It may just be seven miles (11km) from downtown Houston, but the pine and leather-accented opulence of this clamored-for retreat make you feel light-years away in a lush oasis. Amid acres of wooded forest, the lodge-like property houses multiple pools, tennis courts and jogging paths, alongside its renovated Trellis Spa (this is the largest spa retreat in the state). Take a dip in its health-boosting outdoor soaking pools before indulging in redfish with salsa and corn, or a ribeye with béarnaise, at Tribute, one of five restaurants.

It couldn’t be more conveniently positioned, connected by a skywalk to the George R. Brown Convention Center. And the Marriott Marquis Houston is perfect for leisure guests, too, offering a sleek, modern hideaway in downtown Houston. Up on the roof, before a mighty skyline view, is an infinity pool and a Texas-shaped lazy river that kids in tow will adore. There’s also an adults-only pool section, which teams like a dream with colorful cocktail sessions in the cozy cabanas. Head to the hotel’s Pure Spa, downtown Houston’s only full-service spa, for a couple’s massage or Elemis Biotec facial.

Bold and eclectic, Hotel Zaza Houston Museum District leaves no detail unattended. Elaborately themed luxury suites pay homage to global destinations, including Italy, Japan and New York. We love the Moroccan-flavored one, Casa Blanca: a tribute to Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the movie classic. The Monarch Restaurant & Terrace is the biz for chicken sandwiches and cheeseburgers. If you opt to head out for a bite or to see some sights, the hotel’s Magic Car Service is available to whisk you around.

Steps away from the Galleria’s shops and their irresistible buy-me displays, the JW Marriott is a refined modern escape from the big-city bustle. The in-house Stray Horse is a winner for dinner: gourmet Texas classics include kick-n fried chicken and blackened fish tacos. They’ve got an indoor and (yep, Houston gets hot) an outdoor pool. With views of Houston’s famed skyline or the Galleria itself, you’ll want to relax and enjoy the muted, calming rooms once you’ve wandered Uptown, the surrounding district.

Well-watered greenery, a cabana-lined rooftop pool and warm and inviting guest rooms transport you from the city pace of downtown to a state of luxurious relaxation. Top tip: book a corner suite for broad double-aspect views of the city that’ll have you transfixed all afternoon. At least once (it’ll be more, believe us), visit the hotel’s trophy-collecting restaurant Vic & Anthony’s for a classic steakhouse experience. For an active take on Houston, explore the city with the hotel’s New Balance gear – just ask the front desk.

Below the glossy 30-story atrium that ushers you in so grandly lies a surprise: a seven-mile (11km) tunnel system connecting this cool, contemporary hotel to downtown’s thriving restaurant and entertainment scene. How convenient is that? Calm blues and greys decorate the comfortable rooms where you can unwind after a splash in the garden-lined outdoor pool – no problem if you’ve got young ones to look after, as there’s on-site babysitting available so you can catch some R&R. Furry friends are welcome, too.