How Business Travelers Can Make the Most of Houston's Offerings
Houston, Texas's largest city, is the energy capital with a growing tech sector. It offers diverse cuisine and various accommodations, workspaces, and eateries, but traffic and sprawl require careful planning.
Houston has long been known as the energy capital of America, if not the world, but tech is slowly gaining prominence, with over 230,000 of the metro area’s 7.9 million residents employed in the tech sector. Techies come to market services to oil, gas, healthcare, and logistics companies. Many travelers experience Houston only through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), but the city has a lot to offer, especially food. With about 13,000 restaurants representing 70 countries and regions, Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the US. However, humidity and traffic are reviled by locals, and public transportation is virtually nonexistent, so a cross-town drive can take an hour.
Accommodations Choosing a hotel depends largely on where your meetings are. Hotel ZaZa Galleria is a luxurious independent hotel near the Galleria mall, with an on-site spa and in-room dumbbells. Marriott Marquis is adjacent to the George R. Brown Convention Center, with 100,000 square feet of its own meeting space and the world's largest Texas-shaped lazy river on its roof. Sam Houston Hotel, a former Shell Oil headquarters, is a more affordable option with free cookies at bedtime. Hotel Saint Augustine in Montrose offers a boutique experience with 71 rooms. The Houstonian, on 27 acres, features the state's largest spa.
Workspaces Houston has hundreds of coworking spaces. POST, a former post office turned cultural center, offers workspace with day passes from $25. The Ion District, a 16-acre tech park, includes the largest climate and sustainable energy incubator in the US; day passes start at $60. Common Desk in the Heights offers day passes from $25 or monthly memberships from $359.
Coffee Blendin sources single-farm beans from places like Panama and Ethiopia. Blacksmith is a beloved local spot with a full menu, recommended for Vietnamese matcha or Golden Monkey tea paired with hearty brunch items. Common Bond has five locations, famous for pastries like croissants and kouign-amann, and a lunch sandwich menu.
Dining Uchiko offers top-tier sushi and tempura. Xochi, a James Beard-winning Oaxacan restaurant inside the Marriott Marquis, serves mole tasting menus. Caracol focuses on Mexican-style seafood and Sunday brunch with an oyster bar. Brennan's, a nearly 60-year-old institution, serves Cajun and Creole cuisine, known for turtle soup and 25-cent martinis (weekday lunch only). Ishtia in Kemah presents indigenous Choctaw cuisine with 9- or 18-course tasting menus. Bludorn in Montrose offers Texified French cuisine. March provides one of the most elegant dining experiences with seasonal Mediterranean tasting menus.
