Can anyone recommend a good Marriott property in Houston? I'm not set on any one particular area and anything from a Courtyard to the JW will do.

Houston is pretty big and can easily take over an hour if your trying to go to Baytown to Katy on a weekday or weekend w/ construction. Id narrow your area down a little.

Go with the JW, as long as you are happy being near the Galleria. Whatever you do, avoid the Marriott West Loop, which also is near the Galleria.

duplicate

Depends on what you plan on doing in Houston.

If you want to be near downtown and the museum district, the Springhill Suites may be the best bet: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...-reliant-park/

Or there is the Courtyard near the Galleria: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...-the-galleria/ which is a 5-10 minute drive from downtown though it's fairly busy there.

The Courtyard is about 10 minutes from where I live... Sounds like a mini-DO is in order.

I think there is i courtyard downtown near ALCO's drinking establishments.
I always stay near the Galleria, but it is usually SPG properties.

Being near the Galleria would not be a problem. Have you stayed at that JW before? I've enjoyed the JWs I stayed at in the past but I read that the one in Houston is more like a FS Marriott and leaves much to be desired. Thoughts?

Mini Do in JNB ?

Both in Houston and JNB.

Depending on when I have to be in JNB, I am all for it.

Both sound good to me! ^:D

That is fairly accurate, IMO. The JW is not necessarily up to full JW standards and is more akin to a really nice regular Marriott, sort of like the JW Marriott in DC, but is still a nice property. I stayed at the Marriott West Loop last summer, however, and the rooms were not even renovated to the most current Marriott standards. The rooms still had that moldy, old green carpeting and musty Houston hotel smell. The staff there was really nice, for whatever that is worth. Not sure whether they have renovated the rooms yet or not. Those two properties, along with the airport Marriott, are the only IAH Marriotts at which I have stayed recently, so I am not sure about the Courtyards, Springhills, etc.

Argh! The credit for my 132nd beer didn't post at the Saucer. I called 1-800-IM-DRUNK. After some inchoherent shouting and a few choice expletives (from their end), they hung up. Still, the experience was marginally better than calling 1-800-WE-CARE2 ;)

did you PM SaucerInsider

Yes, but unfortunately SaucerInsider is in the office for the next few weeks, meaning there won't be any response to PMs whilst he attends to official duties. He only has time to respond when they drag him off the barstool for his monthly liver cleansing.

Be sure to request a drink voucher :D