Here's the point

Houston boutique hotel from Austin-based brand joins Hyatt rewards program

Houston's Hotel Saint Augustine is the city's only Bunkhouse property, for now.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Some properties operated by Austin-based Bunkhouse Hotels are joining the World of Hyatt rewards program. Bunkhouse has been connected with Hyatt since 2024, when the hotel giant bought Standard International, the local boutique hotel operator's 22-property parent company.

As of July 17, Austin’s Hotel Saint Cecilia and Houston’s Hotel Saint Augustine were the only Bunkhouse properties that had been fully incorporated into the Hyatt rewards program, according to a Bunkhouse statement. Other Bunkhouse properties set to be folded into World of Hyatt are:

Hotel San José, the Austin Motel, and the Carpenter Hotel on July 23. These three properties are in Austin.
Hotel San Cristóbal, on Mexico’s Baja peninsula; and Hotel San Fernando, in Mexico City’s Condesa neighborhood, on August 6.

The Hyatt program will add Houston’s Hotel Daphne once it opens this fall. It’s unclear when other Bunkhouse properties will join the Hyatt program.

“With a reputation for building memorable experiences rooted in the communities in which they exist, Bunkhouse Hotels offer authentic design, locally driven programming — from live music and poolside hangs to community-centric gatherings of all kinds — and curated food and beverage concepts alongside branded retail that spotlights regional makers and artisans,” a Bunkhouse spokesperson said.

World of Hyatt members who stay at participating Bunkhouse hotels will receive:

Five base points for every eligible dollar spent.
Four bonus points for every eligible dollar spent when using the World of Hyatt credit card.
Perks such as room upgrades and late checkouts.

In conjunction with the Standard deal, Hyatt debuted a lifestyle group that is based in New York City and maintains offices in Austin and Bangkok.

“The beauty of the [Hyatt and Standard] combination is that Hyatt respects the creativity and freedom required to deliver the experiences we do, and we respect the value of Hyatt’s storied history, global infrastructure, and best-in-class commercial services,” Amar Lalvani, then a Standard executive and now a Hyatt executive, said last year.

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Amusement Park Fun

Six Flags Over Texas launches new roller coaster with a 285-foot drop

Riders on Tormenta Rampaging Run at Six Flags Over Texas

Photo courtesy of Six Flags Over Texas

CultureMap took a ride on Tormenta before it opens to the public.

Six Flags Over Texas will officially open its anticipated new roller coaster, Tormenta Rampaging Run, on Thursday, July 9, and CultureMap and other media and VIPs were given early access to experience the ride's intense thrills before its public debut.

The new coaster boasts several records — as the tallest, fastest, longest, and first-ever giga (300+-foot-tall) dive coaster in the world, topping out at 309 feet just before it sends riders plunging into a beyond-vertical, 95-degree, 285-foot drop. We take you along for the ride in the following video:

Each car of the coaster features three rows of seats with eight seats per row, servicing 24 riders at a time. During the preview event, two cars were sent out in staggered sessions, but a third car sat close by to be used if needed.

The ride's rodeo theme is strong, with multiple posters advertising fictional rodeos and a metallic gate swinging open at the start to let the ~~bull~~ car pass through.

To paraphrase Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, the first part is a doozy, as riders are click-clacked up a steep stretch forcing them to look straight up into the sky.

The ever-so-brief pause at top affords a view of the surrounding city, the rest of Six Flags, and, in the distance, the downtown Dallas skyline. The angle feels like you're above those towering skyscrapers even though logic tells you that you aren't.

The initial plunge tests the mettle of even hardcore roller coaster fans, sending riders through the extreme drop before hurtling them into two large loops and a corkscrew before coming to another brief stop.

The 95-degree, 285-foot drop of Tormenta Rampaging Run. Photo courtesy of Six Flags Over Texas

That stop gives riders only a small reprieve before they're shot through two smaller loops and a sharp right curve before — mercifully — coming to a jolting halt as the coaster car is shuttled back into the loading station.

From start to finish, the ride lasts around 2 minutes and 45 seconds, but the first 75 seconds is spent just getting to the start of the main portion of the coaster.

All told, the drops, loops, and other elements lasts exactly one minute, which is not that long, but the time-to-thrill ratio is still high.

Misting fans and pergolas at Tormenta Rampaging Run at Six Flags Over Texas. Misting fans and pergolas will help keep riders cool while waiting in line for Tormenta.Photo by Alex Bentley

Even during the brutal heat of the Texas summer, visitors should expect lines to be long for the hot new ride. The corrals close to the ride have scattered pergolas and umbrellas for shade, as well as oscillating fans with misters. Once you reach the completely covered top platform, there are a number of ceiling fans, although they do little to stave off the high humidity.

Opinions will differ as to whether a long wait time for a short ride is worth it, but for those who get their kicks trying out the latest and greatest roller coasters, Tormenta Rampaging Run is a great new addition to the 65-year-old amusement park.

The grand opening for Tormenta is Thursday, July 9 at Six Flags Over Texas. The park is open daily through August 16.

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