home for the holidays

Houston's best hotels book the perfect staycation holiday getaway

Busy Houstonians who long for a chance to get away — but not drive too far or negotiate swarmed airports — can stay home for the holidays while escaping home — thanks to some of our best hotels.

From exclusive packages, super suites — including a must-see/must-stay honoring President George H. W. Bush — to beachy escapes, these top-tier hotels and resorts pamper weary staycationers and offer a new way to view explore the city.

Book quickly — these rooms are moving fast.

C. Baldwin Hotel
Head downtown to ring in 2023 at one of Houston's hottest hotels. A special New Year’s Eve package offers10 percent off the best available rate and a $100 food and beverage credit, which guests can use at Chris Cosentino’s Rosalie Italian Soul, Good 2 Go, or the chic Lobby Bar. Book online.

City Place Marriott
Spend the holiday season in Spring with the Home for the Holidays package. Book a consecutive stay of two nights or more from December 23 through January 1 and use the special booking code Z88 for 15 percent off. Book the You and Me in 2023 package for stays between December 30 and January 1 and receive welcome bottle of champagne or non-alcoholic beverage, a half-dozen chocolate-dipped strawberries, $100 food and beverage credit for the hotel’s SwitcHouse Plates & Pours restaurant and bar, and late check-out at 2 p.m. based on availability. Use code EVE at booking.

Four Seasons Hotel Houston
The chic downtown destination treats revelers to a New Year Celebration Package, which offers 30 percent off the published room rate, a 2 pm late check-out, and savings on valet parking. Reservations of two or more nights receive a complimentary upgrade to the next room category (dates are December 30 and 31, 2022, and January 1, 2023).

Christmas diners can also indulge in a bountiful Christmas brunch buffet at the acclaimed, in-house Toro Toro. The feast features an omelet station and housemade pastries, lobster bisque with caviar, double rack of pork, bone-in country ham, beef tenderloin, roasted leg of lamb, seafood station, dessert display, and a kid’s selection. Prices run $145 for adults and $65 for children ages 12 and under; reservations are required.

Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel
The sophisticated downtown address allows guests to take advantage of everything the city center has to offer. Book the ‘Tis the Season package and get a daily breakfast buffet, one complimentary ticket for ice skating at Discovery Green, basic in-room WiFi, and holiday cookies upon arrival. The deal is good through January 28, 2023. Book online.

Hotel ZaZa
Book the NYE 2023 package and ring in the new year at this boutique hotel in the heart of the Museum District. The rate includes accommodates, two tickets to ZaZa's new year's eve party, and New Year's Day brunch for two. The epic end-of-year celebration features a DJ, wine, beer, cocktails, bites, entertaining activations, and more. Book online.

Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa
The newly renovated Houston icon is offering a Unwind & Dine Staycation package. Guests can stroll outdoor trails, take a dip in three temperature-controlled pools, sip complimentary cocktails, book an indulgence at Trellis Spa, and sleep in — always a favorite. More perks include a special hotel rate, two complimentary cocktails, a $50 food and beverage credit per night, self-parking, latte check out, and access to the exclusive Houstonian Club with no resort fees.

For a truly Houston staycay — and over-the-top New Year's Eve/New Year's Day stay — a new 2-room suite christened the “Bush Suite” is available for $1,200 per night. Named in tribute to President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush, resided at The Houstonian during his presidency, the suite offers adjoining rooms, luxe accommodations, and photos and memorabilia from George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. An especially poignant photo depicts then-President Bush calling President-elect Bill Clinton to concede the election.

La Colombe D'Or
Book a new year's eve package at this upscale Montrose address and receive champagne and cake on arrival, breakfast for two in-room or at the hotel's Tonight or Tomorrow restaurant, and a late 4 p.m. check out. Book online.

The Post Oak Hotel
Tilman Fertitta's 5-star palace welcomes locals with the Renew & Revive package, which includes 15 percent off the best available rate, a $200 spa credit and a $50 food and beverage credit.

For some extra private pampering, families, friends, and companies can now reserve the entire Spa, including both locker rooms, steam rooms, tranquility pools, sauna, heated stone lounges and the Quiet Lounge. Stella’s Wine Bar offers will become a holiday chalet, while The Cellar, the hotel's opulent, expansive wine collection housing over 30,000 bottles with more than$5 million of the world’s finest wines, can be rented out for intimate dining experiences.

San Luis Resort
Get away to Galveston this holiday season to stroll along the seawall and relax to the sound of waves. The luxury resort offers a Bed and Breakfast package that includes breakfast in Blake's Bistro for each adult on the reservation. That's a perfect way to ease into your day of exploring this charming city by the sea.

The Westin at the Woodlands
This Woodlands retreat offers a New Year's Eve package that includes New Year's Day brunch for $429 per room. Guests can also take advantage of being able to make early reservations for the hotel's New Year's Eve bash, which includes music, champagne and more. The rate includes late check out on January 1, 2023.

Photo courtesy of The Post Oak Hotel

The Post Oak Hotel is a Forbes fave.

Airport News

Both Houston airports would be affected by air traffic slowdown

Photo by David Syphers on Unsplash

Flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston will run travelers about $392 on average.

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to reduce air traffic by 10 percent across 40 “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing government shutdown.

The affected airports covering more than two dozen states include the busiest ones across the U.S. — including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities — such as New York, Houston, and Chicago — multiple airports will be affected.

CBS News has a list of all the airports affected and that list includes both DFW Airport and Dallas Love Field. Other airports in Texas that would be affected include both airports in Houston — Houston Hobby and George Bush Houston Intercontinental.

The FAA is imposing the flight reductions to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the government shutdown and have been increasingly calling off work.

Controllers already have missed one full paycheck and are scheduled to again receive nothing next week as as the shutdown drags on.

The FAA has been delaying flights at times when airports or its other facilities are short on controllers.

Passengers should start to be notified about cancellations Thursday. Airlines said they would try to minimize the impact on customers, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice.

United Airlines said it would focus the cuts on smaller regional routes that use smaller planes like 737s. United, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines said they would offer refunds to passengers who opt not to fly -- even if they purchased tickets that aren’t normally refundable. Frontier Airlines recommended that travelers buy backup tickets with another airline to avoid being stranded.

Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began October 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.

Major airlines, aviation unions, and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest on record.

Staffing can run short both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, but they don’t always lead to flight disruptions. Throughout October, flight delays caused by staffing problems had been largely isolated and temporary.

But the past weekend brought some of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown.

From Friday to Sunday evening, at least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits, according to an Associated Press analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system. The figure, which is likely an undercount, is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.

During weekends from January 1 to September 30, the average number of airport towers, regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at higher altitudes that announced potential staffing issues was 8.3, according to the AP analysis. But during the five weekend periods since the shutdown began, the average more than tripled to 26.2 facilities.

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