OT: Houston Trip Advice

[RingN2012]

Bought tickets to a Texans game in a couple of weeks and am looking for a hotel for my girlfriend and I to stay. Any recommendations on hotel locations in Houston?
I am considering touring the space center on Saturday before and going out for dinner/drinks that night. Don't want to go to chain restaurants/bars but don't want to spend an arm and a leg on rooms either. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jgbishop]

A lot of people like Hotel ZaZa in the Museum District. It's right next to the light rail that runs to Reliant which would make it easy to get the game. Downtown has your typical Hilton/Hyatt/Double Tree, etc. within walking distance from the rail too.

Some of the best kept secrets in bars are in downtown by the way. If you like hidden, low lit dive bars I highly recommend that area. Capt Foxhearts Bad News Bar is one of the best around for whiskey selection.

Restaurants... Just take your pick. Houston is one of the most cuisine diverse cities in the country and there are ridiculous amounts of restaurants. That part isn't hard. I can give some of my favorites if you want something "different"

 

[holydawg]

Try Underbelly with a drink at Hay Merchant next door. You're welcome.

Hotel Derrick right down the road and near NRG stadium.

Which game?

 

[missouridawg]

Hotel Derek, Underbelly, and Hay Merchant are

Try Underbelly with a drink at Hay Merchant next door. You're welcome.

Hotel Derrick right down the road and near NRG stadium.

Which game?

all excellent choices. ZaZa is great too. Derek/ZaZa will both be pricey (probably $150+ per night, if I had to guess).

For other restaurant choices....
Italian - Poscol
Americana - Liberty Kitchen, Union Kitchen
Great Burger - Lankford Grocery (featured on Diners, Dives, and Drive-Ins with crazy blonde headed tool - burgers are really messy, so plan appropriately)
Mexican - Pappasitos (there's one right across from Reliant Stadium - It's a chain, but it's excellent food)

For drinks:
Anvil - makes great specialty drinks, but can get really crowded
Pub Fiction - Neat bar, lots of TVs
Check out any bar in the Rice Village area (closer to Reliant than the others). Sherlock's Pub, The Ginger Man are a few that I frequented as a grad student at Rice

For breakfast:
If you've never had any, find a Kolache Factory and indulge. Breakfast foods (eggs, sausage, ham, bacon, chorizo, etc...) wrapped in sweet bread.
For a more traditional breakfast, go to Le Peep (one in Rice Village, one near Hotel Derek). Be a man and get the lumberjack. Pancakes are excellent.
Also probably worth getting a good breakfast taco while you're here. A place like Brothers Taco House or Tacos A Go Go.


If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me. Lived in Houston since 2006.

 

[Palos verdes]

Anywhere on Post Oak Boulevard is good.

 

[Xenomorph]

We stayed at the Magnolia Hotel. Nice place. It's downtown, a block from the rail. After scoring 3 points against OKSt we spent the evening a couple of blocks away watching games and drinking at the Flying Saucer. Good times were had by all... Also, the complimentary breakfast at the Magnolia was probably the best "free" buffet I've ever eaten.

 

[RocketDawg]

Bought tickets to a Texans game in a couple of weeks and am looking for a hotel for my girlfriend and I to stay. Any recommendations on hotel locations in Houston?
I am considering touring the space center on Saturday before and going out for dinner/drinks that night. Don't want to go to chain restaurants/bars but don't want to spend an arm and a leg on rooms either. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You ARE getting separate rooms aren't you .... ?

 

[rugbdawg]

The Houstonian.

It's a little isolated but you are able to take the "free shuttle" wherever. The free shuttle is a fully loaded Audi A8.

 

[RingN2012]

Bills vs Texans. I appreciate the advice so far but am more on a Marriott budget than ZaZa. There are just so many options for Marriotts in houston that it is overwhelming. I don't want to stay in a bad part of town and would like to be a cab ride away from night life.
And yes, we are getting separate rooms.*********

 

[RingN2012]

Bump

 

[SheltonChoked]

I like the Hilton americas downtown. Should be about $100. Walking distance to the rail.

Bars: go to market square. Drink at pastry war. Save money on the girlfriends room. Take uber back to the hotel.

Eat: liberty kitchen, bb cafe, underbelly, Kenny and ziggy's, cook and Collins, Brennan's, hugos, any Pappas, almost any Mexican place, tacos a go go, pass and provisions,


For an out of this work breakfast. Go to el bollio on airline. It's a Mexican bakery. And a chef breakfast hot spot.

 

[vhdawg]

Look up House of Pies. It's a couple miles north of the stadium near Rice University. Basic diner food, but then the dessert.....whoa Nellie. Any pie is good, but the Bayou Goo is the sort of pie that could lead eventually to world peace.

 

[SheltonChoked]

I forgot to add common bond for breakfast. It's a new place and has great reviews.