Magnolia Hotel Houston

Stayed here for the Houston Marathon earlier this month. The service and hospitality were excellent. Cherry on top was the free breakfast set out on the morning of the marathon, specific for runners. I will definitely stay here again, for another marathon or not!

Great décor, very warm and comfy! Staff are friendly and accommodating for special requests, such as need for an early check in and a later check out time. Second time staying here, and we will plan to come again next year.
A major down side is difficulty with parking. It’s hard to get to the drive up area, and valet is both expensive and required.
As a girl with dietary restrictions (no dairy), I still found plenty to eat in their hot and cold breakfast options. The only real disappointment was in the lack of a nondairy choice at the evening cookie bar, but my husband appreciated the cookies and milk before bed.

This is a nice hotel. The décor is unique and the staff are polite. The room cost was reasonable, but they will find other ways to get your money. For example, the mini bar has electric sensors so if you even shuffle the contents around you will get charged, + tax and 21% gratuity. yikes! Valet parking is $ 24 +tax and tip. But the room is clean and the linens smell fresh.
The hotel is close to Minute Maid Park and main street. If you’re a guy, make sure you bring slacks because a lot of the places around here have dress codes.
Overall, it’s a nice hotel.

We’ve now stayed at the Magnolia twice for the Houston Marathon. They are an excellent hotel (the Dallas one is the bomb as well).
Why?
1. Great customer service. Late check out? No problem. Accidentally booked one room with a king sized bed and you have four people? No problem.
2. Warm cookies served at 8 p.m. Yes, please.
3. Happy hour. Two glasses per person, starting at 5:30 p.m. Choices are red or white wine or Bud. Or you can pay per glass for your choice from an impressive bar selection. The beer choices are pretty great and, in our opinion, reasonably priced (especially for a hotel bar).
4. Breakfast. There’s a nice breakfast bar set up starting at 7 a.m. For future travelers who are here for the Houston Marathon, a runner breakfast is set out at 5:30 a.m. Great options that runners want, with plenty of time for fueling and last-​minute bathroom runs.
What we don’t prefer:
1. The air freshener scent. It’s very (VERY) strong. I don’t have allergies or sensitivities, but even I think it’s a bit much.
2. Parking. Valet is the best bet and that just kind of sucks. Super expensive and no option really to self-​park in a safe place.
The downsides are minimal and that’s why Magnolia is our preferred place to stay in downtown — particularly for the marathon. (For Houston Marathon runners, the Magnolia is literally steps away from the start corrals. It’s an excellent choice!)

Stayed at this hotel for my birthday festivities. Everything was on point! Checked in and the lobby was beautifully decorated with a huge Christmas tree and presents.
The room was two queens so my friends could come and crash with me as well. There were two separate sections in the restroom area. One sink vanity and then the main restroom/​bath was sectioned off with a door. This was great so that we would have time to get ready in our own mirrors!
Tips:
Complimentary wine, beer or sofas from 5−6pm (I would doubly check the times).
Complimentary breakfast from 7am-​11am. Included coffee, oj, eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast, bagels and cereal!
I missed out on the «bedtime cookies» but I believe that’s every night from 8−10pm.
Overall enjoyed my stay and would definitely stay again!

Beautiful hotel in downtown Houston. Very friendly and helpful staff. Awesome buffet breakfast and cookies and milk in the evening. Large luxurious rooms. Free shuttle to venues in the area

We hosted our son’s rehearsal dinner at the Magnolia Hotel. The food was great! The wait staff was good. The hotel contact person for the dinner was not available the day of the event; however, we received many compliments on the meal and the accommodations of the dinner. We stayed at the hotel along with many other family members and wedding guests. Our rooms were nice and we did receive an upgrade as well as some other family members. The elevators ran very slow but probably due to the number of people staying in the hotel. The complimentary breakfast was not the best. The food supply for the breakfast was very low, cold, and slow. The parking fees were very high.

Overall nice stay. The only downside was the $ 33 valet parking. I decided not to do valet and parked in a garage myself to save money. But somehow still had the charge magically appear. From what I gathered talking with the front desk, one of the employees valeted their car under my room? Nice try!

Where do I start? Spent 10 minutes waiting for the valet to check us in. They weren’t checking in or out any other cars. We get to our suite and the carpet had a weird foot smell. The room was clean. So were the bathrooms and kitchen. Upon checking out, I noticed that one of the valet guys had stolen a bottle of Elizabeth and James Nirvana out of my center console that was just bought that day. Not to mention I tipped the guy 10 bucks. Not a savory experience. Would not recommend this hotel to anyone.

So, the hotel was expensive. Deluxe room was big, the bathroom was remodeled… But there was no mini-​bar and I called the front desk, never got back to me. There wasn’t a coffee maker either, called to get one, none delivered one… There’s construction and the noise started at 5am… The windows were filthy and the view was just rooftops and concrete… I’m not sure I will go back… service wasn’t good… and I didn’t want to be awaken at 5am by construction noise.

We stayed for one night to see a show at the Toyota Center. Our 15^th floor room, despite overlooking construction, was quiet, clean, and very comfortable. Staff was friendly and helpful.
I was tickled by the makeup removal towelette with the soaps in the bathroom, because darn straight I’m not bothering to fully wash my face before falling into bed. Hadn’t seen that at a hotel before (though granted, I don’t stay in hotels often). Contrariwise, the lack of non-​decaffeinated tea in the room was a bit disappointing, though the coffee was surprisingly good.
We didn’t get to partake of the happy hour or evening cookies, but found the breakfast pretty impressive. The hot line was just bacon, home fries, and scrambled eggs, but the eggs were real rather than powdered, bacon perfectly cooked, and home fries a small chop for a better soft to crispy ratio. Plenty of hot and cold cereal or bagels/​toast too.
We parked overnight for $ 25 in the Saks garage next door to save a few bucks on valet. It was less than a block walk to the hotel, and we felt it oir better option since we knew we wouldn’t be using the car again until the next day.
Magnolia is a little spendier than our usual hotel choices, but for special occasions and when I find a deal, I’d absolutely stay again.

Just stayed there for the second time. Both times i had the best rooms, comfy cozy and BIG! On my second stay there which was only 2 nights ago, i was put in this great room, that i was super excited about until it was time to sleep… With my white noise app cranking to its full potential i was still able to hear the construction that was going on right across the street… till 4AM!!! Yes you read that correctly, apparently in Texas you’re allowed to get permits to do these things till 4am! Then it stopped and picked right back up at around 6am… thanks for the 2 hours of sleep.
So with that being said… very nice hotel, staff friendly, place is clean but if there is still construction going on, i suggest you ask for a room far away from it.

After a honeymoon cruise out of Galveston, TX, my husband and I wanted to spend a night in Houston before returning home to New Orleans. My husband booked this hotel for us. We really liked it. The décor was modern and elegant. The room was spacious and comfy. The bathroom was huge. There’s a minibar. The view was amazing! There is a bar in the hotel. Everyone who checks in receives a complimentary beer or glass if wine. LOVE IT! The only complaint is that we had to pay $ 30 plus to have valet park our car. We couldn’t figure out anywhere else to park. The location is perfect. Once the car was parked (early afternoon) we didn’t get it out of parking until we left to go home. There was so much to do in walking distance. We enjoyed out stay!

I HIGHLY recommend this hotel. I travel a lot for work, this is my first time staying here but I would stay again in a heartbeat. All of the staff has been so helpful and nice. They have free happy hour, a milk & cookies dessert bar, and a free breakfast! I’ve walked everywhere so far and am very happy I chose Magnolia for my Houston trip!

Before I get into the hairy part: the hotel is overpriced, and I saw a homeless guy smoking crack about 50ft from the hotel in broad daylight. And the breakfast sucks. And the bathroom was dirty. And there was an oily face print on our window when we checked in.
Now to the good stuff!
My boyfriend and I stayed at the Magnolia Hotel from September 27−29^th. It was the worst experience I’ve ever had at a hotel.
On September 28^th, we attended a wedding reception in downtown Houston that lasted until 1:00am. When my boyfriend, two of his friends, and I arrived at the hotel, we decided to go hang out in the Lobby on the second floor for a little bit. We had been talking amongst ourselves for 5 minutes, when all of a sudden we heard somebody angrily screaming at us from the first floor. This man proceeded to come up the elevator with the night manager, get in our faces, and repeat «who said it?» about 100 times. Confused, we all repeatedly asked him what he thought we had said. He refused to answer.
A little description on the characters:
Me: 5’6″ 130lb female
Boyfriend and friends: all under 6′ and under 170lbs.
Angry man: probably 6’1″ 230lbs
Me, boyfriend, friends NEVER have these issues. Boyfriend’s never even been in a fight!
Anyways, as this guy continues to get in my friends’ faces, I step in the middle (assuming he wouldn’t hit a female) and try to calm the situation down. I politely told him that nobody said anything to him or about him and told him to go back to his room. He proceeds to reach over me, facepalm my friend, and throw him on the ground. What is the night manager doing during this time? Standing to the side and watching.
Scared for my own safety, I ask the night manager to please call security or ask the man to leave. He says «you must have said something to make him mad» and does nothing.
Finally, the guy takes me hard by the arm, throws me into the wall, and goes after my boyfriend. Of course, my boyfriend lost his mind and went after the guy, AND THEN the night manager finally told the guy to go upstairs.
As a manager, his job was to attempt to neutralize the situation. If anything, he egged it on. When my friend asked him again why he didn’t do anything, he said that the angry man had claimed that we said something nasty to his wife. I know my friends and I was right next to them the entire time– nobody ever said anything like that. Nor have I ever heard my friends say something disrespectful to a woman.
The next day as I was checking out, I mentioned the situation to the day manager. She said she would discount my stay, review the security tapes, and get back to me. I wasn’t bringing it up for a discount, I just wanted to bring the situation to her attention so maybe they could put new protocols into place or something. She never got back to me and we never received a discount.
Another odd point: the night manager and day manager both referred to the angry man by his first name. So I’m guessing it’s their friend or a regular guest?
Also, you can’t directly contact the corporate office. So apparently they aren’t kept apprised about what customers think regarding their stays at the hotels? Great customer service.
Bottom line: DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE. There are way too many other nice hotels in Houston that are more reasonably priced?

Chic boutique hotel conveniently located downtown. Décor is very nice: modern and inviting. Staff are variably friendly. At check in, the girl made no eye contact. All others were great. Room is very comfortable and roomy. Breakfast was disappointing. Valet parking only. Overall very nice.

First thing that happened is we got into a room and the AC wasn’t cooling properly we called for service and the guy came opened up the vents you could feel more air blowing just didn’t feel cool. Eventually we had to change rooms. This hotel identifies as a 3.5 on Unilocal but I think it is more like a 3 or less. The happy hour was nice we had a waiter named Andre who was very attentive before happy hour and then during even though it was very busy. The pool on the roof top was so blah and dirty looking. We attempted to have pool time to see if we could watch the fireworks from the rooftop pool. The pool area is so small. Suddenly an influx of kids came running in with it appears no parents with them. About 10 kids jumping in an out of the hot tub back and forth to and from the pool. Made it miserable so we left. The room was just Mediocre everything was basic not luxury. The elevator madness at check out omg super small elevators wait time was about 2 – 3 min leaving and another 15 before our guy was able to make it down with our luggage. Another 30 minutes for the car. This hotel lobby is very small no bar downstairs so we couldn’t even grab a drink while we waited. They should stagger the check out times so it’s not such a cluster fword. The menu was also extremely limited. Ordered a Cesar salad at the lounge area it wS just a joke for the price. My time at this Hotel was just ok. I wouldn’t recommend it if you are looking for luxury.

Terrible. This hotel might have been great for a decade ago, but they have not maintained it. The rooms are tiny, and not well appointed. The rooftop pool looks so luxurious in all the photos online but in reality is a cesspool. It had mold and algae in it and there are no amenities. The pool was one of the primary reasons we decided to stay here, but we were sadly disappointed. The «breakfast buffet», another factor in our decision, was a huge disappointment. I have never said I don’t like bacon before but the bacon was gross, watery scrambled eggs, and the worst hash browns I have ever had my entire life.
**Please do not consider this a viable hotel in HOUS

Excellent hotel at an affordable price. We stayed here for the Chevron Houston Marathon Weekend and couldn’t have picked a better spot. The starting line was only two blocks away and the walk back to the hotel after finishing the race on Sunday was the perfect distance. The room was very clean and spacious, and the staff was incredibly friendly. Very impressed with the service we received throughout the weekend.
Important notes:
–There is complimentary breakfast from 7 – 11, which includes: eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, cereal/​oatmeal, english muffins, bagels, and toast. Beverages also included are a variety of juices and coffee.
–Happy hour begins each night at 4:30pm in the lounge on the 2^nd floor. Each member of your party receives 2 free drinks. The beer was limited to Ziegenbock, but hey — free is free.
–Nightly cookies + milk. Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and macadamia nut were a few of the varieties we had throughout the weekend.
–Parking is expensive. It’s $ 24 – 28 per night, depending on the day of the week. There are a couple other parking garages within a one block radius that ranged from $ 5 – 20 and the rate was determined by how long you stayed. The Saks garage was $ 20 overnight, for reference, but you weren’t able to have access to your car during the wee hours of the night [understandably so]. My point being: shop around for parking. You aren’t limited to the hotel valet.

The closest hotel to our wedding venue the Crystal Ballroom, we chose Magnolia to house our wedding party via a «courtesy block» which helped us get $ 109/​night rates. (Pre-​some fairly hefty taxes and fees, and pricey parking)
They were easy to work with in the group sales process, and great to stay at once we arrived. The big Texas on the wall was perfect for welcoming out of state guests. They also upgraded me for free (without mentioning it, didn’t realize until I unlocked my door) to the suite with a full sized kitchen and a door between that and the living room and the bedroom. It was large and appreciated.
I didn’t get a chance to visit the free happy hour or free milk and cookies each night, but the free citrus/​fruit infused water up front is a nice touch, as was the café/​gelato restaurant downstairs. In room Voss water was $ 6, but room service was surprisingly well priced. I had a yummy chicken and prosciutto sandwich and sweet potato fries.
The bed was comfy, the room had great views, and I loved the deep soaking tub. The Magnolia also surprised us when we returned to our room on our wedding night with rose petals from the door to the bed and a heart made out of them on top of the comforter. Really great experience and I would definitely stay here again and recommend it to other wedding couples over any of the other nearby hotels. (Rooms at the Sam Houston were tiny.)