Given Houston’s year-round convention activity, downtown’s hotel scene shows no sign of slowing, as evidenced by the bustle at Four Seasons, the Alessandro, and the new-look Magnolia Hotel — to say nothing of the newly opened AC Hotel and soon-to-open newcomer C Baldwin.
Now, a new hotel joins the group, booking a spot in the historically significant Great Southwest Building at 1314 Texas Ave. The Cambria, which opens on Thursday, August 1, promises to breathe life into the building best known for once housing the Petroleum Club of Houston and as the former headquarters of Texaco.
The hotel will feature 226 rooms, as well as a fitness center, ballroom, and multi-function meeting spaces situated on the 20th floor, boasting “unparalleled downtown views,” according to a release. The Cambria brand specializes in a “curated travel experience” and tech-minded amenities: Rooms are equipped with a Bluetooth-enabled bathroom mirror that allows guests to stream their own content, along with smart TVs.
Guests will enter on the ground level and access the lobby from either the preserved elevator cabs — which feature original, ornate Mayan designs on the doors — or the modern staircase. The open floor plan of the second floor offers views of the front desk, the hotel market, the bar, and The Rig restaurant, which will serve locally sourced, regional American bistro fare, per a release.
The Cambria hails from Choice Hotels group’s upscale Cambria Hotels & Suites collection. Dallas-based developer Todd Interests is spearheading the development; the group led a similar project for the hotel group in the historic Petroleum Building of Dallas for the Cambria Hotel Downtown Dallas.
“As the fourth largest city in the country, it was no question Houston would be the next destination for Cambria Hotels,” said Kristie Byrd, regional vice president of sales at Concord Hospitality, in a statement. “It was the right location, and we are honored to uphold the history and grandeur of the building in our own way.”
The Cambria ballroom.
