The Omni Houston is a luxury hotel located near the iconic Houston Galleria.
Booking and Check-In
Upon entering the Omni Houston, guests are greeted by an opulent lobby. The Omni’s focus is on grandeur, evidenced by mahogany wood accents, marble floors and walls, and a luxury goods store near the concierge desk.
Check-in was a smooth process. Although we arrived several hours before the designated check-in time, 9:30am, the concierge gracefully gave my boyfriend and I an early check-in and a complimentary room upgrade to a Premier Corner Room.
Room and Amenities
At 450 square feet in size, the Premier Corner Room was incredibly spacious. In the center of the room stood a large king bed, flanked by a comfortable chair, a desk with a built-in charging station, and a combination media center/dresser.
In-room amenities included a spacious closet, ironing board, luggage rack, safe, mini-fridge, and a Keurig with complimentary coffee pods.
The most luxurious part of the Premium Corner Room was the marble bathroom. Upon entering, I was greeted with decadent wallpaper, marble counters and floors, and wall-to-wall mirrors. The bathroom even had a wall-mounted makeup mirror!
Much like the makeup vanity, our shower/bathtub combo was spacious. It even contained a nice ledge which came in handy to store the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash we brought on our trip.
Another pleasant surprise was that our bathroom had a bidet. It’s rare for American hotel rooms to contain bidets, but it was much appreciated.
Dining
The Omni Houston has four onsite restaurants: Birdies Cafe, a hybrid bar/cafe/lunch spot, La Reserve Whiskey Lounge, Moonshot, the pool bar, and Black Swan, a swanky nightclub.
Birdies provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 7am-10pm. In addition to their breakfast and all-day menus, they have a full coffee bar that serves Stance coffee. While we didn’t order any food from Birdies due to their small menu, we thoroughly enjoyed our daily vanilla lattes!
In contrast to the light, airy interior decor of Birdies, the La Reserve Whiskey Lounge is dark and brooding. Almost every surface is coated in mahogany, creating an old-school feel.
The La Reserve Whiskey Lounge doesn’t only serve whiskey drinks; it also has a selection of cocktails made with alternative alcohols and a limited selection of appetizers and entrees.
Unfortunately, Moonshot, Waterside Bar was not open during our visit, nor did we make it to Black Swan due to its late night operating hours.
Amenities
One of the most stunning parts of the Omni Houston is its expansive, modern pool.
The Omni Houston is also a popular local wedding venue. During our two-night stay, our boyfriend and I saw the hotel host three separate wedding receptions in a single weekend! The hotel ballrooms can also be converted into a conference center to host professional events.
In addition to the pool, fitness center and spa, the Omni Houston also provides a complimentary shuttle bus service. Available on call, the shuttle will take guests anywhere within a 3-mile radius. We used this service several times during our stay!
Overall Impressions
Pros:
- Shuttle bus – As stated before, we used the complimentary shuttle a number of times during our stay at the Omni Houston. It was very convenient to avoid Uber fees for short trips!
- Luxurious bathroom – Our marble bathroom and vanity was unmatched. It’s also rare to find bidets in hotel bathrooms in the United States.
- Beautiful pool – While we didn’t get to use the pool during our stay due to cold weather, it was beautiful. If we were to return to the hotel during the summer, it would be difficult to leave!
- Comfortable bed and pillows – I’m very judgmental when it comes to hotel beds. No matter how luxurious the hotel, if it doesn’t have a comfortable bed, I’m out! Thankfully, the Omni Houston bed and pillows were comfortable and I got a great night’s sleep.
- Location – The Omni Houston’s proximity to the Galleria allows easy access to a wide variety of restaurants and entertainment.
Cons:
- Lack of menu options – As a gift for booking our reservation through American Express, I was granted $100 to spend at any of the Omni Houston’s on-site restaurants. However, each of their restaurants had limited menu options, prompting me to dine at other restaurants. I tried to use my $100 towards daily coffees and cocktails at La Reserve, but checked out with over $60 remaining.
