Travel + Leisure Readers’ 5 Favorite Hotels in Houston of 2023

Of Texas’s many notable cities, Houston — the state’s biggest — may be the hardest to define. A true melting pot, it is home to a wildly diverse population of 2.3 million, something that’s reflected in its culinary scene (you’re just as likely to find world-class pho or dim sum as you are good ol’ Texas BBQ), as well as its culture scene, which boasts more than 150 museums, ranging from the Menil art campus to the Space Center. Yet the tie that binds everything together is Texas pride, something you’re guaranteed to encounter whether kayaking Buffalo Bayou, loading up on brisket, whooping it up at the world’s largest rodeo, or staying in one of Travel + Leisure readers’ favorite Houston hotels.

How Voting Works

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:

Rooms/facilities
Location
Service
Food
Value

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

What Readers Loved

For the second edition of the Houston hotels list in the World’s Best Awards, T+L readers showed overwhelming support for the city’s local and boutique properties, praising the 93-room Lancaster Hotel (No. 2) for its contemporary art collection and the Italianate, residential-style Hotel Granduca (No. 4) for its exceptional service. “Every time I stay here,” one reader says of the Granduca, “it’s consistently the very best quality in everything.” Of the Lancaster, another voter enthusiastically stated, “Hands down best hotel, best service, great location, great food. Cannot go wrong staying here.”

But of the many well-appointed hotels in Houston, The Post Oak Hotel far and away impressed T+L readers the most, taking the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row. Read on to find out why — and to see the full list of H-Town’s favorites.

The Winner

The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston: Houston, Texas

Fertitta Entertainment/Courtesy of Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston.

Houston businessman and billionaire Tilman Fertitta poured his heart and soul into the making of the 250-room Post Oak Hotel, filling it with hundreds of original works of art and perfecting every detail, from the logo-emblazoned flip-flops at the swimming pool to the handmade chocolates at turndown. T+L readers took notice. “It is by far the most beautiful hotel I’ve visited,” one raved, while another called it “the finest in luxury living.” Still, it was the “first-class” service that garnered the greatest praise among readers. “From the moment you walk in, you are treated like a VIP guest,” one said. Still another recounted the kind of “unforgettable experience” that only five-star hospitality can provide: “They upgraded my room at no additional charge — and service was above and beyond my expectations.”