Hotel Granduca Houston

The charm is in the medieval details at the Hotel Granduca, a luxury property in Uptown Houston that takes design inspiration from an Italian villa. The six-floor hotel was built by Milan-born real estate developer Giorgio Borlenghi to honor the Granduca of Monfallito, Adalberto Malatesta, who was a Savoian army soldier and aided Spain in defeating the French at the San Quintino battle in 1557. The rust- and yellow-painted building features green shutters and palatial entrance doors that lead into the lobby, where suits of armor stand at attention and medieval chandeliers hang overhead. Interior designs create an intimate and traditional Italian setting. Fresco paintings and faux marble details add Italian touches to the elevators. The hotel grounds feature lovely gardens and lush greenery, with plenty of outside seating including alfresco dining at the charming Veranda overlooking the pool.

Located in a high-end shopping district in Uptown Houston, the hotel is across the street from the Uptown Park mall that offers bars, shopping, and restaurants. The Galleria, with hundreds of shops and over 50 restaurants, is a 10-minute drive away. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo, and Downtown’s Theater District are a 15-minute car trip. Houston’s sporting events at Minute Maid Park, the Toyota Center, and the NRG Stadium are about 20 minutes from the hotel by car. The George Bush Intercontinental Airport is a 45-minute drive.

Infused with traditional Italian decor, rooms feature exposed wooden beams, wrought-iron chandeliers, classic furniture, and either kitchenettes or full kitchens with minibars, microwaves, four-burner stovetops, Keurig coffeemakers, and in some, dishwashers, laundry machines, and mini-fridges. There are a variety of rooms and suites available, which range from the smallest Deluxe Rooms (the only units without dining/sitting areas), to several different types of suites as well as a Three Bedroom Villa and the luxurious Residenza Imperatore suite, which has a private poolside entrance, veranda, an office, and is furnished with Italian antiques. All rooms include flat-screen TVs, DVD/CD players, iPod docks, fluffy bathrobes and slippers, writing desks, free Wi-Fi, and free bottled water and fresh fruit, plus views of either the gardens and pool or Uptown. Marble bathrooms have large walk-in showers (some have bathtubs as well) and offer Aqua Di Parma toiletries.

Ristorante Cavour provides Italian fine-dining in an elegantly furnished room with wooden ceiling beams. Fresh herbs from the hotel’s garden are often used in these tasty, Northern Italian dishes (though service gets mixed reviews). The Veranda offers alfresco dining on a stylish patio overlooking the garden and pool, while Bar Malatesta features traditional furnishings and a grand piano with occasional live entertainment. The library -- with coffee and cocktail service -- holds additional lounge space, while afternoon tea is available in the conservatory. There’s also the Sala Del Bigliardo, which has a pool table.

The hotel is surrounded by lovely, garden-filled grounds which include a beautiful outdoor pool surrounded by palm trees and a vine-covered wall, as well as cabanas and wooden lounge chairs on the sundeck. There’s also a hot tub by a Roman-style water fountain. The small fitness room is equipped with cardio machines, weight equipment, a scale, and towels. The hotel also has a small boutique selling women’s jewelry. Six elegant meeting spaces are available, as well as a business corner with two PC computers, a scanner, and a printer, plus free fax services. The hotel’s hybrid Mercedes shuttle provides transportation within a three-mile radius.