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    home for the holidays

    Houston's best hotels book the perfect staycation holiday getaway

    Holly Beretto
    Dec 16, 2022 | 6:00 am

    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.

    The Houstonian Hotel Club and Spa Bush Suite living room

    Photo by Steve Lee Photography

    The iconic Bush Suite at the Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa.

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    TOP CHEFS

    Posh Hill Country resort lands star chef Dominique Crenn for new restaurant

    Brandon Watson
    Oct 24, 2025 | 9:15 am
    Dominique Crenn
    Photo courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country
    Dominique Crenn will helm the upcoming restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country.

    The forthcoming Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country in Fredericksburg isn't messing around when it comes to luxury. The posh hotel has drafted Dominique Crenn, one of the most influential chefs of the 21st century, to helm its signature restaurant, opening in 2027.

    Known for her appearances on Iron Chef and an episode of Netflix's Chef's Table documentary series, Crenn has had one of the culinary world's most stratospheric careers. In the 1980s, she helmed the Intercontinental Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, becoming the nation's first woman head chef. She became a household name after moving to California, opening her signature restaurant Atelier Crenn in 2011.

    She was awarded the Best Female Chef Award in 2016 by The World's 50 Best Restaurants. In 2018, Atelier Crenn was awarded its third Michelin Star — making Crenn the only woman chef in the United States to have achieved that top honor. The food showcased in the 2022 horror classic The Menu? All Dominique Crenn.

    "Chef Crenn is an extraordinary talent with a rare ability to draw out the essence of every ingredient, crafting a culinary experience unlike any other," said Mark Harmon, developer of Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country, in a release. "With chef Crenn, we aim to further elevate Fredericksburg's identity as a leading wine and culinary destination by creating experiences that feel local, inspired, and enduring."

    Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country Crenn's restaurant will be the showpiece of the posh Fredericksburg hotel.Rendering courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country

    The unnamed restaurant will showcase Crenn's unique approach to cuisine, a style she calls "poetic culinaria." While rooted in French techniques, it will incorporate global flavors, premium seafood and meats, and locally sourced ingredients to showcase Hill County terroir. Guests can also expect a little avant-garde edge.

    "The Texas Hill Country has a culinary rhythm all its own," said Crenn in a statement. "This collaboration is a chance to celebrate the land, the people, and the seasons through a new lens — one that's deeply personal, rooted in nature, and elevated by imagination. I'm honored to bring this vision to life in Fredericksburg, and to be partnering with such an excellent team of hospitality legends to see it through."

    Crenn will have some fancy digs to show off her culinary finesse. The Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill County, the first Texas hotel for the chain, will include 60 hotel rooms, 37 multi-bedroom resort villas, and 50 private residences. In addition to lodgings, the resort will also contain five food and beverage concepts — an all-day restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a bar and lounge, a pool bar, and a grab-and-go juice bar — as well as a spa, a fitness center, and two resort-style pools.

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