7 Unique Houston Hotels

By Laura Mericas | Make Favorite

Photo: Kelly Hornberger Photography 
Location: The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa 

Houston’s luxury hotel scene is HOT, and that’s good news for couples on the hunt for a venue that mixes unique thematic elements with the full service and ample accommodations of a top-tier hotel property. Planning an Art Deco affair? Pining for a Gulf Coast getaway? Searching for South Asian menu expertise, Parisian charm, a spa retreat…or something else entirely? Check out these unique wedding hotels for a reception with personality!

Photo: Jordan Scheiner Photography

Cosmopolitan Cool: Omni Houston Hotel
Tucked away within the prestigious Post Oak area, the Omni Houston Hotel is a distinctive modern oasis.  The hotel’s in-house Mokara Spa offers day-of couple’s massages, as well as other beauty treatments for to-be-weds looking to get some R&R together on their big day.  While you are relaxing—either in-spa or in your well-appointed Omni Houston room—the hotel’s catering staff orchestrates every detail, turning its enormous ballrooms and cosmopolitan outdoor spaces into a chic resort-like fantasy, with Asian-inspired gardens and understated design. While some guests will retire to their luxe hotel rooms, those who want to keep the celebration going after the reception will have ample opportunity. Home to the only in-hotel nightclub in Houston, the Omni wows wedding guests and couples with the recently renovated Black Swan, an underground, industrial-chic club fit for swank candid photo ops and let-your-hair-down after-party fun.

Photo: Kelly Hornberger Photography

Houston Classic: The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa 
Enchanting forests and classic wood-paneled ballrooms exude The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa’s Southern elegance and warm hospitality. Located along a wooded stretch of Houston’s Memorial Park, this revered hotel offers wedding couples many intimate spaces within the sprawling property. The award-winning grounds beneath twinkling Live Oak trees make for joyous (and truly Texan) outdoor ceremonies. Every event of your wedding weekend can be held within the six elegant ballrooms, restaurants or lounges. Guests also can enjoy the club’s lavish pools, top-rated spa, fitness facilities and golf course, during their downtime.

Photo: Courtesy of Hilton Americas-Houston

City Views: Hilton Americas-Houston 
While wedding events at the Hilton Americas can be intimate and understated, or lavish and large, all are guaranteed to come with unforgettable views. Each of the hotel’s unique ballrooms has a spacious foyer with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Discovery Green and Downtown’s glittering skyline, the perfect backdrop for an extravagant social hour. If you’re planning a 1,000-guest traditional South Asian ceremony complete with a baraat procession on elephant or horseback, followed by a feast for all your friends and family members, the Hilton Americas can accommodate you, both with ample square footage, and a culinary staff well versed in traditional Indian and Pakistani cuisines. Traditional couples with an intimate wedding in mind may prefer the smaller, chandelier-lit Ballroom of the Americas, while those who seek expansiveness and modern elegance may choose the Lanier Grand Ballroom.  

Photo: Khanh Nguyen Photography

Artful Elegance: JW Marriott Houston Downtown
Inspired by Houston’s vibrant heritage, and located in a historic Downtown building, the JW Marriott Houston Downtown is an ideal wedding venue for couples with a love for the arts, and a reverence for restoration. Complete with giant steel columns and eclectic artwork throughout, the Downtown hotel balances industrial and luxury vibes in its gallery-like Picasso Hall, chic Monet Ballroom and sleek lounges, restaurants and guestrooms. The award-winning restoration of the 100-plus-year-old tower often surprises couples looking for a modern and personalized wedding experience. Expect all the amenities and conveniences of a downtown hotel, with thoughtful, sleek design… which truly makes it a work of art!

Photo: C. Baron Photography

Seaside Celebration: Hotel Galvez & Spa
Nearby Galveston’s Hotel Galvez & Spa, the only historic ocean-view hotel on the Texas Gulf Coast, provides wedding couples with an ideal option for a vintage-inspired beachside event. Stepping into the foyer of the Galvez is like going back in time to the era of the ‘Grand Dame’ hotels. With three separate outdoor ceremony spaces, couples can say their vows under fluttering palm trees or surrounded by lush green gardens. Afterwards, guests can proceed into one of the hotel’s ballrooms—each has gorgeous, romantic gulf views glimpsed through grand arched windows. Built in 1911, the historic hotel boasts iconic architecture and refined design, which can be kept simple or made extravagant for any wedding event.

Photo: Akil Bennett Photography

Dramatic Decadence: Hotel ZaZa Museum District
This premier boutique hotel, located in Houston’s posh Museum District, plays host to some of the most dramatic weddings in the city. Featuring rich, modern decor which includes sophisticated chandeliers, flamboyant colors and eye-catching theatrical elements repurposed from New York’s original Warwick Hotel, Hotel ZaZa is a most fashionable fit for engaged couples craving a celebration that is as refined as it is…sexy. To-be-weds who want to push the envelope a bit, but don’t want to venture inside The Loop, also are in luck. A second luxurious location—Hotel ZaZa Memorial City—is set to open in the coming months. Like other ZaZa locations, the hotel will feature a signature ZaSpa, resort-style pool, and avant-garde lounge and restaurants, for maximum guest enjoyment before, during and after the main event.

Photo: Adam Nyholt

French Fête: Hilton Houston Post Oak
Decked out with sparkling Louis XIV-style crystal-teardrop chandeliers, dramatic recessed ceilings and gold-leaf accents, the Hilton Houston Post Oak has a “je ne sais quoi” that evokes French charm and elegance. The Uptown hotel’s freshly renovated lobby and guestrooms, and luxurious amenities, boasts a grand sense of arrival.  Be among the first to celebrate in the classically styled Grand Ballroom, which is being given a new plum, eggplant and café-au-lait color scheme, suited for Parisian-inspired weddings and other opulent events. Expect to be treated like a VIP at Hilton Houston Post Oak too: Privacy is a major part of its wedding appeal, since it has only one ballroom – which means no competing for attention with another large function on your wedding day!

Photo: Julie Wilhite Photography

Wellness Retreat: The Westin Memorial City
The  Westin Memorial City welcomes your guests to a peaceful oasis on the west side of the city. With its convenient location to both airports, rooftop infinity pool, in-room spa treatments, and calming blue and green hues throughout the property, the Westin Memorial City offers wedding groups an atmosphere of luxurious tranquility. If yours is the crow that likes to get out and about, the hotel offers ample shopping and dining opportunities both walking and Uber- distance away, in addition to its own sleek stone-accented eatery and waterfall-filled bar, the 024 Grille and the 024 Lounge. A sky bridge connects the hotel to the Memorial City Mall and a shuttle takes guests to CityCentre. For the wedding itself, The Westin’s modern garden-themed ballrooms lend themselves to serene ceremonies and picturesque receptions, while air-walls in the nature-inspired, wood-paneled rooms can be moved to accommodate large extravaganzas or intimate occasions.