best new stays

Chic Houston property named one of Esquire's best new hotels for 2025

Houston's boutique Hotel Saint Augustine was the only Texas property to make the cut on Esquire's 2025 list of Best New Hotels in the World.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Houston's recently opened Hotel Saint Augustine was the only Texas hotel to earn acclaim on Esquire's just-released list of the Best New Hotels in the World 2025.

The travel industry has entered a new era when it comes to finding the best places to stay, boosted by TikTok influencers flaunting a hotel's plush amenities and other social media-backed endorsements. But Esquire's travel experts pick their 42 best new hotels "the old-fashioned way" by staying at each property and exploring everything it has to offer.

Previously, The Thompson Hotel was the sole Houston representative on the magazine's 2024 list of best stays in North America and Europe.

Hotel Saint Augustine opened in Houston's artistic Montrose neighborhood in December 2024, presenting a sophisticated-yet-approachable atmosphere to locals and visitors alike. It boasts 71 boutique guest rooms and suites across five, two-story buildings, and more than half of rooms have their own balconies or terraces. Most of the rooms also have a stunning view of the courtyard.

Hotel Saint Augustine courtyard A view of the courtyard lounge seating and Perseid's patio. Photo by Julie Soefer

"Each room [is] decorated in an archly mid-century fashion inspired by the private quarters of the August family," Esquire contributor Joshua David Stein wrote. "Colors are sage, mustard, and siena; the print on the couch is inspired by Charles James, the couturier who designed the de Menils’ home."

Other must-try amenities that were highlighted in the hotel's review include the temperature-controlled pool – an absolute necessity during Houston's brutal summers – and the listening room at the Augustine Lounge.

"A listening room holds a reel-to-reel tape player and plush geometric couches on which recline hot, louche Houstonians with stunning décolletage while mere feet away the awe of Cy Twombly’s monumental works beckon in majestic repose," Stein wrote.

Hotel Saint Augustine listening room A listening room with a reel-to-reel tape deck sets the mood. Photo by Julie Soefer

The Augustine Lounge is open to the public, so visitors don't need to book a room at the hotel to pop in and visit. The lounge is designed as a "third space" for travelers, featuring multiple seated gathering areas, a walk-up bar, and a laid-back feel that's perfect for hanging out with friends.

The publication also praised the French and Gulf Coast-inspired cuisine at Perseid, the hotel's signature restaurant led by iconic Houston chef Aaron Bludorn. Notable dishes included the crawfish sausage and the classic St. Augustine Burger topped with a duck-liver mousse.

Nightly rates at Hotel Saint Augustine begin at $429.

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T+L in HOU

Travel + Leisure includes Houston stay on 100 best new hotels list

Photo by Julie Soefer

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Hot on the heels of being named one of Esquire magazine’s best new hotels in the world of 2025, Houston's Hotel Saint Augustine has picked up another accolade. The Montrose property landed on Travel + Leisure’s 100 Best New Hotels of the Year this week. It's the only Texas hotel to make the list.

The magazine noted the property “feels true to the destination and is a perfect addition to Houston's growing hospitality scene,” noting details that pay tribute to Houston’s history, like the Night Heron cocktail named after the city’s official bird and that the hotel itself takes its own name from Augustus Chapman, one of Houston’s founders.

When Austin-based Bunkhouse Hotels opened Saint Augustine back in December of 2024, it was a much-anticipated addition to the Bayou City’s hospitality scene. Adjacent to the world-renowned Menil Collection, the Hotel Saint Augustine blends seamlessly into its surroundings with a quiet elegance and luxury amenities.

“For us, Hotel Saint Augustine offers a chance to become part of a neighborhood that deeply aligns with the Bunkhouse ethos,” Bunkhouse senior VP of design and development Tenaya Hills said when it first opened. “Montrose, and by extension, the Museum District and Houston at large, foster an incredible sense of community, of creativity, of old world and new. We wanted to create a place where everyone could come and feel as welcome and inspired. As the next iteration of our Saint hotels, we aim to provide the same unique feeling of seclusion, of permission to be indulgent, and, most of all, completely at ease.”

With 71 rooms across five, two-story buildings, many with courtyard views, the Saint Augustine has quickly become known for being both upscale and approachable. Reviews thus far on sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp call the property “simply stunning,” with a “fun atmosphere,” and “a treasure…in the heart of Houston.”

On the Travel + Leisure list, the hotel is ranked among properties such as the Hotel Hana in Paris, The Lotus Palace in India, and the Palm House in Palm Beach, Florida. Room rates start at $429 per night.