The Westin Galleria Houston

The Westin Galleria Houston Hotel is a modern, upscale property that’s connected to the high-end Galleria mall in Uptown Houston and attracts mostly leisure tourists seeking to shop as well as travelers in town on business (the property has extensive conference facilities and meeting spaces). Classic furniture fills the large, contemporary lobby, which is cloaked in neutral hues and decor that is a bit bland and chainlike, albeit with a polished, upscale vibe. The hotel's Daily Grill features similarly sleek, black furnishings paired with a black-and-beige checkerboard floor and both booth and table seating as well as a long bar, which give it a pub-feel.

The hotel is located directly in Texas’ largest mall, the Galleria, which has hundreds of shops offering everything from the Gap to Cartier. The mall also has 50 restaurants, an arcade, a kids’ play area, a post office, banks, an ice skating rink, and beauty salons. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Holocaust Museum, and Houston Zoo are a 20-minute car trip. The Space Center Houston, with the mission control center, is a one-hour drive. Driving to the Minute Maid Park, NRG Park, and the Houston Toyota Center takes 30 minutes, while it’s a 40-minute drive to the William P. Hobby Airport. The George Bush International Airport is a 45-minute drive. Limousine service can be arranged through the hotel. 

Modern and simple interior designs create a pleasant, if bland, vibe in rooms and suites, which feature cherry wood details, neutral carpeting and wallpaper, as well as plush, white bedding. Features include flat-screen TVs, work desks with ergonomic chairs, mini-fridges, and coffeemakers with Starbucks coffee, however, sliding glass doors to balconies are bolted shut. WestinWorkout Rooms offer an in-room treadmill or stationary bicycle, while other added amenities in some of the luxury suites include separate living rooms, dining areas, and wet bars. Bathrooms are clean and simple, with ample vanity space and shower/tub combos with rainfall showerheads. Travelers should note that some guests complain of noise issues due to thin walls, and free in-room Wi-Fi is only available for Starwood Preferred Guests.

The hotel has a rooftop pool that provides Houston views and lounge chairs on a spacious sundeck, along with a wheelchair lift. A large fitness center is well-equipped with a flat-screen TV, cardio and weight equipment, free weights, chilled towels, a beverage vending machine, and a water cooler. Yoga classes are sometimes offered through the Galleria’s Lululemon Athletica shop. Nearby are three- and five-mile walking and running trails, and for a fee, New Balance offers guests brand new shoes, socks, and freshly laundered workout clothes to borrow.

The hotel is geared toward business travelers, with 94,708 square feet of meeting space on-site and at the hotel's sister property, Westin Oaks Houston, with a total of 36 meeting rooms that have modern audiovisual equipment and optional catering. The business center offers two Apple computers and two printers. Snacks, chilled beverages, ice cream, and sundries are available in a small market. The hotel's casual Daily Grill serves American classics for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus it offers a kids' menu. There's also a restaurant serving international dishes and a lobby bar at the hotel's sister property, as well as a myriad of options at the mall. Valet parking is available for a fee, or there are free mall parking spaces. Free Wi-Fi is available in the lobby, but in-room Wi-Fi is an additional fee -- unless guests are Starwood Preferred Guest members whose fees are waived; membership can be obtained on-site at no cost.