Associate editor Grant Flowers recently visited the St. Regis
Houston. His report follows:
HOUSTON -- The property now known as the St. Regis Houston has
changed names almost as many times as Elizabeth Taylor has changed
husbands. In fact, on approaching the hotel, a cab driver remarked,
"They can't figure out what to call it."
Thankfully for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, the White Plains,
N.Y-based hotel giant which owns and operates the property, the St.
Regis moniker, officially bestowed in December, seems as if it will
be in place for a while.
The hotel, built in 1982, was first known as the Remington Hotel
and was originally managed by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.
Ritz-Carlton took over management in 1986. After a fall out with
ownership, Ritz-Carlton left and Sheraton bought the property as
part of its Luxury Collection in 1997.
Starwood subsequently acquired Sheraton, but for the last few
years the hotel has gone by the awkward title of the Luxury
Collection Hotel, Houston.
The hotel is about a half-mile inside I-610, Houston's perimeter
highway. The Galleria, a large shopping area, is close by, as is
River Oaks, the city's toniest neighborhood.
The St. Regis Houston was the fourth property to have the St.
Regis name. The flagship of the luxury brand is still the St. Regis
New York but there are also properties in Aspen, Colo., and
Washington.
So far in 2000, Starwood has given the name to the St. Regis
Grand in Rome and the St. Regis Beijing, bringing the portfolio to
six.
Starwood invested $12 million in renovating the 12-floor,
232-room St. Regis Houston. The goal, according to Richard Cotter,
vice president and managing director of St. Regis Hotels North
America (and also the man in charge at the St. Regis New York), was
to create "the best hotel in Houston."
If it's not the best, it certainly is up there. Although the
exterior of the St. Regis Houston is perhaps too reminiscent of the
1980s, the interior possesses a sedate, simple elegance that
pervades the property.
The hotel's public areas are as luxurious as could be expected.
A sunny lounge, where guests frequently have tea, was particularly
pleasant, with marble floors, fancy furniture, and plenty of light
during the day.
The Remington Grill, the hotel's in-house restaurant, has great
steaks and a darker, but still fashionable, look. The Remington is
popular with both guests and local customers.
The ground floor also has a beautiful banquet area that is used
for brunches on the weekends. The St. Regis brunch is a fabulous
spread, complete with ice sculptures of horse-riding cowboys.
Rooms, which go for about $275 per night, are sizable and have a
very cozy, bright feel. Decor includes patterned gold carpets, soft
yellow walls and ornate wood furniture.
Marble desks, complete with data ports, are standard, as are the
usual St. Regis touches like large TVs, CD players and portable
phones. The bathrooms suffer by comparison. They are smaller than
one would expect and not as bright, but the sinks are marble and
the mirrors are big.
The hotel has 16 meeting rooms with a total space of more than
15,000 square feet. Services include valet and overnight parking,
and, for trips in the immediate area (such as a jaunt to the
Galleria), the hotel's complimentary car service will provide a
lift.
For additional information, call the St. Regis Houston at (713)
840-7600, fax to (713) 840-0616. For telephone reservations, call
(800) 325-3589.