Famous for NASA and its history, arts & culture, Houston is a must-see for anyone traveling through Texas. But as the largest city in the Lone Star State, figuring out where to stay in Houston isn’t always simple.
Houston teems with interesting areas & neighborhoods, from its glitzy downtown to the artsy Museum District. The best hotels in Houston range from the quirky to the traditional, budget to high-end—and everything in between!
Need a hand finding your home away from home in Texas? Plan your trip with this complete guide to the best places to stay in Houston, TX.
Looking for more ideas for your trip? Check out our other hotel & accommodations guides and our Houston Travel Guide for recommendations on when to visit, where to go & what to do!
Best places to stay in Houston, TX
From the shopping mecca of Galleria & Uptown to the culture-laden Museum District, Houston is jam-packed with areas, districts, and neighborhoods that’ll resonate with your interests.
For first-time visitors and business travelers, Downtown Houston is a good place to start. You’ll find a wide array of excellent lodgings here, along with many of the most popular things to do in Houston.
If you’d prefer to get outside the downtown core, check out Galleria & Uptown, home to the largest shopping mall in the state. Other areas like Northwest Houston, the Museum District, and Greenway Plaza & Upper Kirby also offer plenty of hotels with a slate of their own attractions.
As Houston is a huge business hub, you’ll find plenty of professional accommodations around the city, with business centers and workspaces.
Traveling for leisure rather than for work? Choose from a range of major chain hotels to independent B&Bs to more spacious suites.
The best areas to stay in Houston, TX, are:
Downtown Houston
✓ Best area to stay in Houston for business trips and attending events
As the city’s bustling central business district, Downtown Houston is full of skyscrapers, suits, and great lunch spots. If you’re here on business, the downtown area is going to be ideal for jumping from meeting to meeting.
Coming to Texas with the family? Downtown Houston is also home to some of the city’s top attractions, including the Houston Aquarium, Discovery Green, and the home of the Houston Rockets, the Toyota Center. It’s an especially ideal spot if you’ve only got 24 hours to explore Houston.
Looking for relaxing greenery in the heart of the city? You’ll find Market Square Park, Minute Maid Park, Sam Houston Park, and Buffalo Bayou Park, all within the boundaries of Downtown.
Downtown is not the city’s cheapest area for lodgings due to its centrality and popularity with business travelers. Book early, though, and there’s a good chance you could still snag yourself a sweet hotel deal.
Cambria Hotel Houston Downtown Convention Center
With quirky maximalist design in the common areas, the Cambria Hotel Downtown Convention Center brings brightness and boldness to your trip.
Take advantage of the free bike hire and explore the downtown area in an eco-friendly and speedy way. The chic and modern bedrooms and suites contrast with the lobby design, providing you with a peaceful night’s rest.
Hyatt Regency Houston
Looking for thoroughly modern accommodation with top-of-the-range amenities? The Hyatt Regency is packed with glamorous restaurants and relaxing and modern design features, perfect for entertaining and kicking back after a long day in the city.
Business travelers can make use of a well-appointed 24-hour business center, complete with bookable meeting rooms.
The Westin Houston Downtown
Do you like classic opulent design, with wall-to-wall wooden reception areas and bars? Go back in time at The Westin Downtown. With spacious dining areas and meeting rooms, this hotel is ideal for both work and play.
Once you’ve had your fill of the common areas, retire to your bright and airy rooms, complete with generously sized beds, workspaces, and flat-screen TVs.
The Lancaster Hotel
Want to feel like you’re staying in a wealthy person’s townhouse rather than a hotel? Well, that’s the exact aesthetic you can expect from The Lancaster Hotel. With soaring columns, golden chandeliers, and staircases designed for people to stop and stare, this accommodation is all about the details.
Relax in the bistro-style restaurant, kick back in the spacious and serene bedrooms and suites, all within a bonafide Texas Historical Landmark.
Galleria & Uptown Houston
✓ Recommended neighborhood to stay in Houston for shopaholics and foodies
Coming to Texas’s largest city with a credit card burning a hole in your pocket? Spend your nights in the Galleria & Uptown Houston area. The district is home to The Galleria, the largest shopping center in Texas and one of the biggest in the country! Get your fill of boutique, independent, designer, and high-street chain stores—they’re all here!
After working up an appetite, hit up the open-air mall, Uptown Park, home to a wide variety of world-class restaurants, bars, and cafes. Take your pick from Thai, Japanese, Italian, and more. It’s perfect for even the pickiest eater.
As the area is designed for retail therapy, the hotels in Galleria & Uptown Houston vary in price. Upscale lodgings are available here; on the whole, they’re often more affordable than in business-centric Downtown.
Holiday Inn Express – Houston – Galleria Area, an IHG Hotel
Looking for somewhere relaxing to recharge your batteries after shopping til you drop? Head up to the rooftop pool of the Holiday Inn Express Galleria Area. This pooch-friendly hotel offers bright and airy rooms and tons of amenities, including a fitness and business center.
Drury Inn & Suites Houston Galleria
Searching for a cozy and comfortable stay? The Drury Inn & Suites Galleria is ideal for a couple looking to explore the Uptown area. With a spacious and quirky lobby and lounge area, an expansive swimming pool, and a jacuzzi, this accommodation offers a lot to love.
The Westin Oaks Houston at the Galleria
Looking for slick and modern decor from your Uptown lodgings? The Westin Oaks at the Galleria offers spacious rooms and suites, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows displaying outstanding views.
Outside of your relaxing rooms, enjoy a dip in the rooftop pool or settle in and sunbathe on one of the many loungers.
The Post Oak Hotel
If you’re wanting classic luxury and contemporary design, The Post Oak Hotel needs to be your accommodation. Featuring a retro wooden bar area, a secluded courtyard pool, and even an onsite French-inspired bakery, this outstanding hotel is the perfect spot to treat yourself to a stay.
Northwest Houston
✓ Top district to stay in Houston for combining business with outdoor pursuits
Slightly further out from the beating heart of the city, Northwest Houston is a neighborhood that offers a more relaxed pace. Home to the beautiful Memorial Park, this neighborhood is ideal for travelers seeking a work-life balance.
Enjoy walking, running, or cycling around Memorial Park before returning to your lodgings, grabbing your laptop, and heading to the thriving Energy Corridor to get some work done.
Compared to Downtown, the Energy Corridor is more like Silicon Valley, with tech startups and big companies alike setting up shop here.
With more space out of the city center, expect to find more suites in the Northwest Houston area; it’s the perfect choice if you’re planning on a longer stay in the city.
Fairfield Inn & Suites Houston Memorial City Area
Looking for spacious and clean lodgings with well-kept amenities? Although not the most flashy option, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Memorial City Area has everything you could need for a stay in Northwest Houston.
Enjoy a dip in the outdoor pool, build up a sweat in the fitness center, or unwind at the well-stocked bar.
Home2 Suites by Hilton Houston Energy Corridor
If you want a place that has a clean and clear-cut layout with plenty of space, check into the Home2 Suites by Hilton Energy Corridor. You won’t find flashy decor or design features, but you will find a suite that’s designed with purpose in mind.
With a desk, sofa, and spacious bed adorning each suite, you can work, play and enjoy your time here.
Embassy Suites by Hilton Houston-Energy Corridor
Want your suites to have a touch of modern luxury? Look no further than the Embassy Suites by Hilton Energy Corridor, where you can have the hotel aesthetic and amenities with the suite level of space.
Enjoy the classy cocktail bar, take a plunge in the indoor pool, and wow your bosses in their stylish boardroom—the options are endless.
Hotel ZaZa Houston Memorial City
Looking for a beautifully designed space in the heart of Northwest Houston? With calming and cool bedrooms, intimate private dining rooms, and a stylish late-night cocktail bar, the Hotel ZaZa Memorial City is perfect for couples.
Chill in the outdoor swimming pool, hit the treadmill, or nail those deadlines in the business center.
Museum District & Medical Center
✓ Ideal area in Houston for culture vultures
The name sort of gives away what this Houston neighborhood is famous for. The Museum District & Medical Center area is home to some of the city’s finest museums, including The Museum of Fine Art, Houston, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
Located in family-friendly Midtown Houston—where you can enjoy a day at Hermann Park or the highly popular Houston Zoo—the Museum District and Medical Center area are great for all kinds of visitors.
If you’re traveling with friends or a loved one, check out the Montrose neighborhood, located within the Museum District & Medical Center area. In Montrose, you’ll find quirky boutiques, clubs, bars, and LGBT-friendly nightlife.
Hilton Garden Inn Houston Medical Center, TX
Need a spot that’s equally good for work and play? With conference facilities, meeting rooms, and a business center, the Hilton Garden Inn Houston Medical Center, TX, is great for working vacations. The spacious and minimally decorated rooms and common areas are perfect for relaxing after a long day of exploring the city.
Blossom Hotel Houston
Want a hotel that wouldn’t look out of place in an interior design magazine? The grandiose lobby and lounge area of the Blossom Hotel looks like it’s ready for high tea at a moment’s notice. Enjoy bright and airy rooms and a rooftop pool and terrace to die for. Truly a design lover’s paradise!
InterContinental Houston Medical Center, an IHG Hotel
Looking for quality customer service and spacious rooms? The InterContinental Houston Medical Center, an IHG Hotel, is going to tick all your boxes. With a highly-rated concierge service, doormen, and even a shuttle service, this hotel knows how to make your experience an unforgettable one.
Hotel Zaza Houston Museum District
Wanting to set the vibe to something dark and moody? The aesthetic of the Hotel Zaza Museum District is ideal for couples looking to get away. With a beautiful spa, world-class dining, and gorgeous design, it’ll be a stay that you’ll never forget.
Greenway Plaza & Upper Kirby
✓ Recommended neighborhood for theater, shopping, and fine dining
Heading to Houston as more of a night owl? Greenway Plaza & Upper Kirby is home to the legendary Music Box Theater and tons of great bars and restaurants along West Alabama Street. With famous spots, such as Tony’s, in this area, it’s a wonderful spot for foodies.
During the daytime hours, you can enjoy some of the city’s coolest art galleries and spend hours perusing the many antique shops in this area. Find a bargain, discover a new favorite, or just browse and imagine having a house where you could have all these beautiful things.
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With more of a cultured and low-key vibe throughout Greenway Plaza & Upper Kirby, you can expect more modest hotels and suites and some B&Bs for a more homely feel.
Sonesta Simply Suites Houston Galleria Medical Center
If you’re looking for more long-term accommodations, the Sonesta Simply Suites Galleria Medical Center is ideal. More like a studio apartment than a hotel suite, this place has all the home comforts you’ll need to unwind and refresh. Don’t forget to check out the included BBQ facilities.
Modern B&B
Looking for that classic home away from home? Experience that trademark Texas hospitality at the oddly named Modern B&B. Enjoy a gourmet, organic breakfast that’ll set you up for the day, including a delicious espresso bar. It’s the perfect way to start any day in Houston!
Courtyard Houston-West University
Want spacious rooms that are designed with comfort and relaxation in mind? The Courtyard Houston-West University offers it, complete with a gorgeous outdoor pool and terrace. Take a plunge in the jacuzzi, chill in the contemporary lounge area, or grab a snack in the hotel’s cafe.
