Olivette At The Houstonian

Relaxing décor overlooking a forest setting in Galleria area. Friendly, helpful and not overbearing serving staff. Tasty and varied menu. Great place for special occasions; the staff will wrote a message in the dessert for our celebrant.

Great service, definitely a nicer dining experience but be prepared for the time frame — we were there for about two hours. The bread basket has some great selections and the food was very good. They weren’t particularly crowded for lunch and they have a nice wall of windows that made for a very pleasant and relaxing meal.

Very fancy, great service. The rooms are huge and beautiful. Such a pretty hotel. It has three pools, spa, and a huge fitness club, a climbing wall, yoga studio, boxing room and so much more!!! They seriously have everything to offer. If you stay in the concierge, you get that VIP service and also open bar. It has access to food and coffee as well as other treats its definitely worth it for a special celebration! I will definitely recommend this hotel to all my friends and family!

Nice hotel, nice staff. My biggest comment is that the interior décor is a bit dated and looks like a lodge in the mountains.
Could use a makeover.

What a wonderful experience! My wife and I did a weekend stay for her birthday. Im not sure why this hotel is not 5 stars. Every staff member we encountered made an effort to greet us. Something as simple as that goes a long way. The room was very cozy and smelled nice every time we walked in. I will recommend this hotel to my friends, family and coworkers. The Houstonian Hotel is a great getaway in the middle of the city. We’ll be back!

Excellent pools and the Health Club lives up to its ratings as the best hotel club in America. Great ambiance, service and location.

My daughter and I stayed at the Houstonian for one night only on a buying trip to Houston. I wish we had a week to stay there. This hotel has it all!
We didn’t have time to enjoy the three pools or the fitness club or spa. I’ve been around the world and I have never seen a fitness club that is as complete and massive as this one. A rock climbing wall, outside area for kids, kiddie pool, boxing room, cycling room, yoga room, etc. And a full size air conditioned basketball court inside!
We did get to eat breakfast at the Olivette Restaurant as part of our bed and breakfast package. The service was outstanding.
The Houstonian is now my go-​to place for a little R&R. Four hours away from home is enough to consider it a little vacation but close enough to get to. We’ll be back!

Stayed here recently for our 1 year wedding anniversary. Minus the burnt rubber smell from the construction on the roof I believe, the trip was relaxing and wonderful. Spa onsite with beautiful facilities that have coed areas to hang out when not getting a service. 3 pools with waiters who come around to get drink orders (get the Hendricks one!). We took advantage of the onsite club, going to a ride class one day and a yoga class in the morning. The club facilities were the most beautiful gym facilities I’ve ever seen (which with the fees I’m told it costs, it better be!) hotel beds were luxurious and the facility and staff was very accommodating. Do the concierge floor. Seriously.

This is a 5 star hotel minus the half star they say.
Don’t let it fool you, this is one of the nicest hotels I’ve ever stayed in, up to standards of Vegas, the Wynn, and Four Seasons.
I could not find dust, or anything to make me go eww, it was pure eliteness. I wanted to pull a Howard Hughs and stay in my room for a month or more. The LED lit room service bulbs, and smell of fresh scent was amazing.
I stayed on the concierge floor which is EPIC for extra $ 50 night. I had had all day access to food, coffee, social people, and OPEN BAR DUDE!!! You slide your card, walk in, scoop some ice all out of pure silver, and fill it up! Cans of cranberry, coke, etc… and at nighttime they switch to dessert liquors. Also the chocolate on the spoon was amazing. We ate at the restaurant Olivette and it was decent nothing to rave about, but didn’t have to leave the hotel which is a bonus. Next time would chose different restaurant. Also got room service twice, was was sub par and I was hurting a couple days after I don’t think much is (gluten-​free) I should have asked. Otherwise this hotel is an amazing place and I will be back soon!
PROS:
Concierge Floor (Level 4) DO IT
Clean Hypo-​Allergic Sheets (gluten-​free as I say haha)
Bed’s are super comfortable
Views are all decent
In house restaurant and bar
Close to Galleria, shopping
Service is 5 star
Turn down service every time you leave your room with chocolates on pillow
CONS:
Small but clean bathrooms
Parking fee for valet, overnight $ 15-​$ 18
TV volume goes from quiet to LOUD (volume was up and down)
No dedicated USB charging stations for Android (screw iphone users already)
Fridge is filled with $$$ goods, and no room for actual leftovers.
Food Quality is eh.

My company hosted a meeting and luncheon here. Great staff who were very helpful when I got lost. So that’s the positive — the staff helps you when you get lost.
The negative is I got lost. The hotel and its grounds are rather large with lots of greenery masking the parking garage and other buildings. There are a few turn-​offs and few signs once you turn into the property. Luckily staff was located along the drive to point me back to the correct path. I’m not the only person this happened to in our group.
The other negative is location. Remember I’m reviewing this as somewhere a business meeting was held. I don’t think it’s good for that unless all of the meeting guests are staying here as well. Getting out of here after 4 p.m. was a total pain! It took some of my coworkers 2 hours to get home and they said 30 minutes of that was just getting to 610 — this is located a block away! They should invest in someone to direct traffic because I decided to take a left out of the compound and was terrified I was going to get hit. So why not turn right? The line!
So the staff here is great, the grounds are beautiful, but meetings? If they get out early in the work day, like before 3? Sure. Otherwise, no thanks.

Beyond doubt, the Houstonian is better than ALL the 5 stars in town. Having stayed here a few times it’s absolutely a no brainer that this is the place to come celebrate/​relax/​chill. We have always stayed at the concierge level and it is fantastic. The breakfast is excellent, the concierge is well educated, the alcohol is superb, free flowing. Well worth the extra $ to come stay at that level. They serve hard liquor and wines/​beer between 5:30 and 7:00pm and serve an array of desserts starting 8 pm along with cordials/​brandy. For those curious, they lay the bottles out and you just pour yourself a drink. Kinda like the the gold level «Honor bar» at the Fairmont’s but without the charge. It’s all included in the room price. Cordials have cognac, grand marnier, etc. you get the idea.
The pools are FANTASTIC. The water slide is the perfect place for kids and adults alike. They always have a lifeguard on duty so your kids are safe. The club house itself is such awesome sports fun. The courts are in great shape and the staff is very helpful.
The hotel grounds are EPIC. You feel like you’re living in a treehouse. Such bliss and calm in the middle of town. Love the place!

We stayed here for our 1 year anniversary «staycation» and it was one of the most fun things we did all year! It’s truly one of the most unique hotels I’ve ever been to and it’s right in our own backyard.
We arrived to the room and were greeted with a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, on the house. We got special treatment during our stay both at dinner and by the hotel staff. And speaking of dinner, the hotel restaurant was superb. It was everything I wanted in our 1 year anniversary.
Walking the grounds and playing in the many pools was also so much fun! The place is huge, so there are lots of beautiful things to explore.
Our room faced the trees so it felt like we were truly out of the city all together.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to experience the spa, as it was booked, but can’t wait to try it next anniversary!

Enjoying a mini spa day thanks to my love. Started with a facial with Ms. Cristina followed by a citrus pedicure with Ms. Chakeitha both ladies were awesome and attentive without being over bearing. The spa was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday morning so if you want to avoid the crowd come early. I will definitely return with my mom and boyfriend.
I didn’t give 5 stars because there is not an outdoor pool or lounging space where I could tan and relax.

Something for every sports and fitness enthusiast. Moder, spacious, and almost a pleasure to work out. Every possible convenience and emenity with superb service. Basketball, racquetball, ping pong, tennis, rock climbing, spin, yoga, 3 pools, you name it. Absolutely awesome place to stay.

Came for a summer wedding and this by far has been one of the best weddings I’ve been to. This hotel is beyond amazing — the facilities and staff are top notch. To begin this place is massive, with the hotel, Houstonian club, dining, and event space — I can say I was lost a few times but was able to quickly redirect myself. As a plus, there is also an outdoor running track that circles the hotel/​facilities. One quirk this hotel has is that there are life size gnomes throughout the hotel — they were definitely conversation starters for people at the wedding.
The hotel/​lobby — Upon arrival, my bf and I were given room keys immediately and did not need to wait until 3pm to check in (as per hotel policy) since there were rooms available. In addition to our keys, we were also handed gift baskets for our stay as a gift from the wedding party. The lobby is unique in that it feels extremely homey and cabin-​esque. There’s FREE WIFI for hotel guests! There is also a bar and restaurant located on the first floor of the hotel — few steps away from the front desk. Our room was standard with a king bed — we were on the first floor facing the inside so our view was of a garden that didn’t seem to be attended to (this area might’ve still been under construction).
The event space/​private event rooms are massive and really fit for all occasions. One room specifically was made available throughout the day to the wedding guests — and this room had never ending snacks (so awesome). The wedding ceremony and wedding party were also held at the hotel.
Now on to the best part — the Houstonian Club! The club is really state of the art and as a hotel guest, we had access to the club. The facilities are extremely new and also features a rock climbing wall. Other sporting activities that I saw were: basketball court, yoga classes, boxing, tennis courts, pools — this place has it all! If I lived in the area, I would most definitely be a member here.
There are 3 different pools — lap pool, heated pool, and the fun pool w/​a water slide! The service here is great as well with servers constantly coming up to you to ask if you need food or drinks. There is also an outdoor bar and grill close by with multiple tv screens for those avid sports fans.
The only one con that I can think of really is that there is really bad cell reception here.
I can’t say that I’ll definitely be back since I live in NY — but if the opportunity permits I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here if I visit Houston again.

We stayed on the concierge floor and were overly pleased with the drinks and snacks at the happy hour. The pool and hot tub were heated perfectly. The hotel shuttled our entire group of 6 to dinner and picked us up even though it was after the hours of service. Such a great experience here.

Great hotel! The setting is very nice– big entrance sitting on acres of land with padded running track around the property.
The rooms are good size and bed is amazingly comfortable. It has a turn down service and rooms are very well cleaned every day,
Hotel guests have a free access to the houstonian club gym which is a fantastic facility with loads of great fitness classes.
The dinning choice is rather limited — it has one bar and one main dinning. The breakfast is served only a la carte. Overall I found the food quality adequate.
Overall the hotel is comfortable with amazing fitness facility — I would definitely stay here.

Was here for the 2014 MS 150 Awards last night. This place is amazing! The style, the people, and the grounds are very nice.
Parking garage is pretty tight, so you may have to do some maneuvering if you have a large SUV, like me.

The Houstonian Hotel is by far one of Houston’s most tucked and preciously hidden gems (that description made it sound as if I were describing testicles. I’m not) With it’s oak and wood ladened walls and pillars. not to mention the deer head sticking out of the wall, the Houstonian screams «Texas» in my opinion.
It’s a bit older but is still breath taking. The best part is the drive in. As you round the corners and drive through the beautiful green terrain to the hotel is just gorgeous. So gorgeous that to this day I can’t tell you what the front of the hotel looks like.
I visited Olivette for HRW 2014 and the food was good. The staff and service were top notch. Was at an event this past week and the power went out. No one freaked, I honestly didn’t know the power went out until I went to the restroom and noticed neon green glow sticks everywhere. I just took one and walked back into the party!
The parking garage was pitch black too but we had glow sticks so we were fine. Smart and fast problem solving is what makes a business efficient. They know what they are doing at the Houstonian.

I did not stay at the hotel but helped someone set up for a conference there. After seeing the ground and meeting some of the people I will have to put it on my list to do though.
The room was spacious and very clean. The bed was extra high and comfy. It’s kind of crazy how the grounds are set up since it is so big. You’ll have to ask the front desk where everything is located to make sure you see it all and don’t get lost.
The staff was very helpful and efficient unloading all of the equipment we had. Two weddings were happing on the day we were there and still everything seemed to be running smoothly.
If I have to stay in a hotel in Houston for whatever reason I will have to try this place out since it seems so cool.

I’ve stayed at the Houstonian twice, once for the Houston Business Journal Top 25 Residential Real Estate Agents Awards ceremony in early 2013, and the other for their New Years Eve celebration 2012. I have also eaten at the Christmas Day Brunch 2 years in a row.
The Houstonian is nestled amongst the trees. The valet is courteous and generally quick, unless there is a major event going on like the HBJ Top 25 ceremony. Then it becomes chaotic and frustrating.
The hotel itself has a rustic, lodge feel to it. I love the big fireplace situated by check in! The hallways and the rooms smell of roses (IMO), which at times can be a bit much. Both times I have stayed, the rooms have been nice. Since I used my business Amex for the evening I stayed prior to the HBJ awards, I had a free bottle of wine and lovely cheese plate waiting for me upon arrival.
The rooms are clean and comfortable, so no complaints there. As my stay was very limited, I have no opinion of the rest of the hotel. I have not been to the spa, but I know it’s highly rated, so perhaps I’ll go some day.
As for Christmas Day Brunch, they have a lovely selection of food, bottomless mimosas, champagne, and even had hot cocoa this year (I didn’t partake in the latter). Be mindful of the 22% service charge that is added to your bill! Not a biggie, but not expected either!