Wanderlust World Wanderlust World As the fourth largest shopping center in the United States, The Galleria in Houston, Texas, not only houses 375 restaurants and stores, but it also includes an ice skating rink, three office towers and two hotels. The Galleria welcomes almost 25 million visitors a year and has become increasingly popular as a tourist destination leading other hotel chains to establish their presence around the mall's perimeter as well.
Each of the Westin Galleria 487 rooms has a balcony where guests can step out and enjoy the views of downtown Houston. With 19 meeting spaces, the Westin Galleria regularly welcomes businessmen and businesswomen, and each guest room adds further accommodations with a full workspace with desk and ergonomic chair. The workout room is open 24 hours a day to accommodate busy or unusual schedules, and the hotel features two restaurants: the Daily Grill and Zucchinis Farm-to-Market. Guests at the Westin Galleria also receive a welcome package that includes a Passport to Shopping pass that offers discounts at 30 stores in the mall. Since the hotel is centrally located, it provides almost direct access to a number of different stores including Apple, Aldo Accessories, Bath and Body Works and many others.
The 18-story Westin Oaks Hotel features 406 rooms, which makes it a smaller than its sister hotel, the Westin Galleria, despite showcasing the same overall design and general accommodations. It houses Shuckers Sports Bar, which hosts "unwind(SM)" each night for guests of both Westin hotels who want to socialize with other guests. In addition to a traditional workout room, the hotel also features an outdoor jogging track. The Westin Oaks is located on the outer edge of the mall, near Neiman Marcus, which gives it additional privacy. Some of the closest stores include Billy Reid, Johnny Dang, Marc Ecko and Shuckers. There is even an outlet to the ice skating rink on the very bottom floor.
The 380-room Doubletree Guest Suites Houston by the Galleria sits across the street from the Macy's at The Galleria and provides easy access to the whole Galleria experience. All rooms come with full kitchens and king beds. The hotel's restaurant, McKinley's Bar & Grille, serves American fare, and there is also a mezzanine bar on-site. The hotel makes use of its outdoor space, offering a pool and spa and a private courtyard, which is used for weddings, receptions or general gatherings.
The Hotel Indigo Houston is smaller than many of its local counterparts with only 131 rooms. It is located a half a block away from the Galleria on Hidalgo Street and features spa-like decor that highlights touches such as replacing traditional carpet with hardwood flooring and adopting a color scheme of cool greens and blues. The Indigo offers seven special reservation packages that include additional accommodations like dinner at the hotel's Golden Bean Café and a movie in your room, pizza delivery or a pastry breakfast each morning. For business-minded guests, there is wireless access in the hotel and two computers in the lobby.