Galveston's next destination

Historic Galveston hotel renovation makes waves with 2 Houston hospitality superstars

A rendering shows the plans for Hotel Lucine.

Courtesy of Kartwheel Studio

A boutique hotel boasting waterfront views and destination-worthy food and drink is coming to Galveston next summer. Hotel Lucine will occupy the historic Treasure Isle Motel property at the intersection of 10th Street and Seawall Boulevard.

The 61-room property will be centered around its pool and an adjacent area called the Den that will serve as the venue for breakfast, lunch, and cocktails in the evening. Austin-based design firm Kartwheel Studio’s plans call for preserving the building’s mid century feel with details such as white brick, bleached white oak and native greenery.

Hotel Lucine's partners possess strong Galveston ties, which is important in a city where being BOI establishes a required level of credibility. They include: Dave Jacoby, a finance and hospitality developer who also serves as president of the board of the Galveston Historical Foundation; Robert Marcus, who has a background in real estate and hotels; and Galveston native Keath Jacoby, a marketing executive who recently worked with Vision Galveston.

“Our vision for Hotel Lucine is an alluring destination for visitors and locals alike, a place that feels refined and modern but still approachable and full of heart and soul like a good house party,” Dave Jacoby said in a statement.

“We hope to make it a refuge for culture, fun, and culinary and cocktail delights that you never want to leave,” added Robert Marcus.

To create the "culinary and cocktail delights," the hotel’s ownership recruited Houstonians Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu to serve as operating partners for the food and beverage offerings.

The duo, who together own Heights patio bar Better Luck Tomorrow and the European-inspired restaurant Squable, are also known for Heugel's status as a co-founder and owner of seminal Houston cocktail destination Anvil Bar & Refuge and for Yu's work as the James Beard Award-winning chef-owner of Theodore Rex. Yes, this hotel is the "big project" Heugel alluded to in his announcement about the decision to close downtown agave bar The Pastry War.

The duo will be responsible for developing the food and beverage offerings for the Den, an additional restaurant on the property, and a rooftop bar that will offer 180-degree views of the Gulf of Mexico. Heugel tells CultureMap the duo are still finalizing their plans for the project and will have more to say in the coming months.

For now, Houstonians can contemplate spending a weekend next summer on Galveston in an environment that's a little more intimate and stylish than the other properties on Seawall Boulevard. After all, the only way to find out if the aroma of sea air makes a Bobby Heugel martini taste even better than normal is to go up on the roof and find out.

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where to travel right now

Hill Country wineries beckon + 9 more Texas travel ideas for June

Photo courtesy of Texas Hill Country Wineries

The Barrels & Bites pass offers Hill Country wine lovers upscale tasting experiences or curated food and wine pairings.

School's out, summer has arrived, and with it comes a bounty of weekend getaway inspiration for Houston travelers.

Travelers on the hunt for the ultimate summer adventure outside of H-Town can head down Austin for a Father's Day barbecue showdown, leap to the coast for a restaurant takeover at a Galveston hotel, or say hello to Maisie the Highland cow at a new farm retreat in Jewett, Texas.

Here are CultureMap's top picks for a June vacation around Texas.

Around Texas

As summer arrives and gas prices remain high, fuel-conscious Texas travelers can book their next road trip with transportation startup Shutto, which recently launched new routes connecting major cities like Dallas, Austin, Houston Galleria, and The Woodlands. Each route includes a pit stop at Buc-ee's — a quintessential road trip moment — and travelers can also book private, customizable trips beyond the scheduled routes. Fares start at $87 per person to Austin and $97 per person to Houston, and trips can be booked online.

Central Texas and the Hill Country

The historic Faust Hotel in New Braunfels has finally completed its thoughtful restoration and reopened its doors for Hill Country travelers. All 45 guest rooms and 15 deluxe suites have been updated with king beds, custom vanities, 55-inch streaming televisions, retro Frigidaire mini-fridges, and much more. The hotel's new signature restaurant, Wilhelm & Werner, mixes Texas and European culinary influences with dishes like an "apple strudel" of foie gras and pork, saffron tagliatelle with Gulf shrimp, and poulet rôti with a savory bread pudding. Nightly rates at the Faust Hotel begin at $215 in June.

Faust Hotel New Braunfels The revamped Faust Hotel blends the property's historic bones with new furnishings. Photo by Jason Risner

A Gonzales County wellness retreat is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a roster of new services, events, workshops , and more to come later this year. Ottine Mineral Springs is now offering private Watsu experiences, a massage performed in the mineral pools by licensed therapists before the general public arrives. The oasis will soon offer poolside cabana rentals, and open a climate-controlled indoor lounge and soaking space. Guests can book day passes (starting at $65), events, and spa services online. Reservations are required.

Limestone Fields, a new farm retreat on Lake Limestone in Jewett, is now accepting reservations for stays on its 16-acre property that sits along Lake Limestone. Guests are welcome to explore the expansive area, which also includes a working farm with chickens, ducks, and two Scottish Highland cows. Limestone Fields hosts 10 furnished cabins with front decks that overlook a pond and back decks that open to the lake. Stays start at $200 a night and usually have a two-night minimum. Prices vary with seasonality.

Maisie the Scottish Highland cow at Limestone Fields Maisie is a miniature Highland cow that lives on the farm.Photo by Ashley Estave

Texas trade organization Texas Hill Country Wineries is offering a new way to experience its participating wineries' vintages with a new Barrels & Bites weekend event pass running from June 12-14. During the weekend, passholders can visit up to four wineries each day for winemaker-led experiences including elevated tastings or curated food and wine pairings. New this year is the Grand Tasting event at Ron Yates in Johnson City on Friday night from 5-7 pm, where passholders and single-ticket holders can try samples from 21 different wineries. Individual passes are $175, couples passes are $300, and single tickets for the Grand Tasting are $35 per person.

Austin

Adventurers can take their barbecue-loving dads for a smoke-filled weekend at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin for Father's Day weekend from June 19-20. The resort will host its second annual barbecue festival, Smoke: A Celebration of Fire and Flavor, bringing together the most prolific pitmasters and acclaimed restaurants for two days of live-fire cooking and live entertainment. The weekend kicks off with a VIP dinner experience on Friday featuring a multicourse meal of elevated barbecue dishes from chefs, and the barbecue showdown will commence Saturday with an open-air tasting event, live music, and a fireworks finale. Weekend bundle passes are $479 per person, with single admission tickets available for each day of the festival.

San Antonio

Magik Theatre, a beloved San Antonio children's performing arts center, is getting ready to for its grand reopening after months of renovations with a celebration party and a performance of The Very Hungry Caterpillar starting Saturday, June 13. The reopening party will feature a ribbon-cutting at Hemisfair Park, plus children's activities, a live DJ, and more. The Party in the Park is free to the public. Tickets for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which will run until August 2, range from $26.50-$33.50 per person.

On the Gulf Coast

Galveston's seaside refuge Hotel Lucine is hosting the third annual Bludorn by The Sea dining series from June 12-13. Acclaimed Houston chef Aaron Bludorn will stage a two-night takeover of the hotel's on-site restaurant, The Fancy, with a raw bar pop-up from 4-7 pm, and elaborate four-course dinners planned each night. A Courtyard Party will precede Saturday's dinner from 12-3 pm with a yakitori-style grill-out and live music. Dinner reservations for Friday and Saturday ($95 per person) can be booked via OpenTable, and visitors are encouraged to book a stay at the hotel for the weekend.

Dallas-Fort Worth

June brings the arrival of World Cup season, and one Dallas-Fort Worth hotel is making its debut just in time to welcome FIFA fans from all over the world. The retro Caravan Court Hotel in Arlington will open at 205 N. Collins St. on June 1, less than a mile away from AT&T Stadium. The hotel offers 143 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, an in-house restaurant, martini bar, and a rooftop lounge. Room rates begin at $109 per night in June.

Photo courtesy of Texas Hill Country Wineries

The Barrels & Bites pass offers Hill Country wine lovers upscale tasting experiences or curated food and wine pairings.

Hotel Vin in Grapevine has launched a new "Route 66 Pit Stop" package in celebration of the iconic roadway's 100th anniversary. The package includes an Americana snack basket, Texas wine flight, disposable camera for capturing the journey, and grab-and-go breakfast for the road. Guests can also visit “The Vin Pit Stop" Lounge at WineYard Grille + Bar, the hotel's al fresco dining concept, for light bites, road trip-inspired specialty cocktail flights and Texas wine. Nightly rates for the "Route 66 Pit Stop" package start at $419.

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