Montrose has gained a new saint. Long associated with luxuriously quaint boutique properties, the anxiously awaited expansion of Austin-based Bunkhouse Hotels to Houston has finally arrived. The undeniably chic Hotel Saint Augustine may be sparkly and new, but with the succinct efforts that went into the seamless introduction of its presence in the neighborhood, it’s purposefully difficult to notice.
Thankfully, Hotel Saint Augustine lacks what all Bunkhouse properties lack — the gaudiness and unapproachability typically associated with high profile luxury hotels. It’s comfy. Located near what is arguably one of the most serene and lauded museum parks in the country, The Menil Collection, Hotel Saint Augustine’s buildout is so successfully unassuming that the line of which property is an amenity to the other begins to blur — and that’s the goal.
"In the design of Hotel Saint Augustine, we were inspired by both the adjacent Menil Collection and the surrounding neighborhood. The architecture of the hotel references the gray palette of the Menil Collection and the low-rise, residential scale of Montrose,” Lake|Flato partner Chris Krajcer tells CultureMap. “Drawing inspiration from the early modernist houses of Louis Khan and Rudolph Schindler, the architecture is very quiet in spirit, balancing a composition of solids and voids. We crafted the site as a succession of buildings ordered around a series of courtyards, so that the guest experience is one of being immersed in an inviting garden."
Spread out over two acres, five buildings, and expertly curated green spaces, the utilization of muted brick, raw wood, and black steel, catwalk-style elevated walkways allows Hotel Saint Augustine to feel like an extension of its neighbors: The Menil Collection and The University of Saint Thomas.
Upon passing through the main entrance into the courtyard, visitors will notice fragrant Douglas Fir clads the underside of all overhead structures, permeating the air during any time spent on the property.
Notably, the courtyard and Augustine Lounge are open and accessible to the public — you don’t have to be a guest to show up and hang out. The aforementioned Augustine Lounge is comprised of a multitude of seated gathering areas, including an elongated common table with seating to match. This space, along with all others within the lounge, has been designed with an intention for actual utility—it is not for show.
Once engrossed in the space, one can feel the intention. Comfortably-upholstered vintage lounge furniture populates areas around work spaces, one-on-one seated table nooks, a walk-up lounge bar, and 70s-era seating beneath an ambiance-setting, reel-to-reel tape deck confirm that the Augustine Lounge is a legitimate “third place” for the neighborhood. The vibe is decidedly a good, old-fashioned throwback to the original Montrose mantra: show-up, get comfortable, stay awhile.
“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 says. “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.”
Bunkhouse enlisted architectural firm Lake|Flato for this project, accompanied by New York and Wyoming-based Post Company for interior design, with Ten Eyck taking charge of the landscaping. Award-winning Houston chef Aaron Bludorn is at the helm of the highly anticipated Perseid restaurant, which will be open all day, seven days a week beginning in January and also accommodate Augustine Lounge and in-room dining. While the hotel is mainly named in honor of the patron saint of printing and sits across the street from the Menil Drawing Institute, Perseid is aptly named after the annual meteor shower that peaks during — you guessed it — the month of August.
The architecture of Hotel Saint Augustine reflects principles of famed Houston architect Philip Johnson, who was the architect for The University of Saint Thomas, as well as the personal architect to John and Dominique De Menil, while the hotel’s interior is a very intentional nod to the De Menil’s personal interior designer Charles James. James and Johnson were famously as fond of one another as Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. Yet, here they are, paired once again.
Guests of the 71 room hotel may be delighted to learn that over 50 percent of the mostly courtyard-facing rooms and suites have either balcony or terrace spaces, complete with ceiling fans for Houston’s oftentimes stagnant summer days. Speaking of summer days, the quaint circular pool can be heated as well as cooled. Those who opt for a a dip in the pool will find it refreshingly cool.
Rooms and suites (starting at $429 per night) offer opulently-upholstered velvet beds with crisply-pressed and embroidered white linens. Whimsically-upholstered furnishings solidify the cozy atmosphere throughout the rest of the property. Bathrooms turn moody with the introduction of shiny, deep-green tiles, bullnosed marble, and glistening chrome hardware fixtures. Marquee-style vanity lighting intentionally mimics that of the primary bathroom of Dominique de Menil, while thoughtfully wall-hung shelving is provided for storing personal items. Elegantly subtle in scent, in-room spa products are by Los Angeles-based, woman-owned Klur. Aside from the furnishings and the seamlessly integrated minibar and fridge, guest rooms are noticeably stark in hopes of engaging a guest’s subconscious — go explore.
Perched above the future Perseid sits the treehouse-like ballroom. In addition to its 1,850 square feet, there is a 1,200-square-foot pre-event space as well as a 260-square-foot balcony. In total, the ballroom can accommodate 130 seated or 250 standing guests. The mostly glassed-in space offers courtyard views.
Landscape architects at Ten Eyck worked alongside Hempstead’s The John Fairey Garden for years cultivating mostly native plants that will provide lush views year round. No one should worry about the large pecan tree that vastly predates the hotel; it remains in what is now the courtyard and is poised to collect an entirely new generation of fans.
The well-curated retail and check-in space of Hotel Saint Augustine’s lobby is designed in juxtaposition to the other public-facing spaces. Bright red, high-gloss, cubist shelving encapsulates the expertly-mitered Calacatta Viola marble desk that is central to the room. Alongside the somewhat expected offerings of coffee table books and branded accoutrements lie gilded boxes of jewelry, interesting accessories and objets, as well as branded, bright blue tennis balls for any very-welcome four-legged hotel guests to enjoy.
Hotel Saint Augustine chose Louisville-based Miscellaneous Goods Company to provide “Grayhaven,” which will be the signature scent for the hotel. The incense is a combination of moss, pine, and saltwater scents that lend themselves to a decidedly “rich guy library” vibe. The best part about this very singular scent is that when greeting friends for a meal at Perseid, one won’t need to share that they’ve just strolled over from pre-drinks at Augustine Lounge — they’ll already know.
Blair Burton poses with the owner of Royers, a great place to replenish between browsing.Photo courtesy of Blair Burton
