Four Seasons Hotel Houston

Character and identity

A 30-story brick tower in the heart of downtown Houston, this 468-room property emerged from a five-year, multi-million-dollar renovation in 2022 with interiors by Rottet Studio (rooms, spa, gym) and Meyer Davis (lobby, restaurants). The look is warm Texan: cognac leather headboards, earth tones, equestrian black-and-whites, furniture by local designer Eric Brand. Richard Sandoval runs both the pan-Asian-meets-Latin Toro Toro and the bourbon-leaning Bayou & Bottle lounge, with a bookcase-hidden speakeasy, Bandista, tucked off the lobby. There's a rooftop pool framed in travertine, an Elemis spa, a 24-hour gym, and a Krigler perfumery and salon on site. Service runs on first-name, anticipatory Southern hospitality.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What sets this hotel apart is the depth of its on-property programme: Bandista (named among North America's 50 Best Bars), Toro Toro, the Krigler perfumery, the Vivrelle handbag library, Topgolf Swing Suites, and a genuinely warm service culture. Couples should book a renovated suite and plan an evening around Bandista; families do better in a one- or two-bedroom Residential Suite, ideally in summer with a Cabana Room added on.