TheManofaThousandPlaces

I stayed at this property about a year ago and was not particularly impressed. The hotel itself was fine and the location was very good. However, our room had a musty/mildewy smell that wouldn't go away.

In retrospect, I should have asked for another room. Next time around (I don't mean next time I stay at this hotel, rather, next time I get a subpar room), I won't be bashful about asking for a new room.

salvoch

No upgrade, no lounge. The iron ruined my dress shirt because it was so corroded. The ironing board cover was one hot wrinkle and both of my towels had holes. Very kind mgr apologized, but I did not have time to file incident report (had to get a new shirt and make a meeting). All this for only 299/night.

Would honestly stay at a Motel 6 before I'd return here. Platinum appears to be worthless.

chrisdeaner

Just FYI, don't book the Westin Oaks (IIRC that's the name) on the other side of the mall. It's exactly the same except if you're lucky enough to get one of the top floor suites you'll have a giant ballroom size living room you won't use and a marble floor that gets wet from the A/C causing you to almost die when you slip on it.

If you can't tell I frequented these properties for some time. Stay at the new Westin by the hospital. I left just before it opened but have heard great things.

cur

Westin memorial is nice, but paid parking. But very very nice Westin. Great gym, bad pool.

Nfldflyer

I often stay at this property when i'm in Houston largely because of its location in the Galleria area. It's a fairly basic Westin but i find the staff friendly and the rooms clean and comfortable especially since the upgrades. I am disappointed that they have bolted the patio doors so you can no longer open them to go out on to the room patio to get some fresh air. Not that the patios were very spacious but to be able to open the patio door and go outside was an added perk to their rooms. They have done this supposedly to reduce air conditoning bills. My only real complaint about this property is the pool deck area. Often there are very few chair or loungers on the deck (or many of the ones that are there are in disrepair), the pool is often not very clean (pigeons hang out there) and bar service to the pool area is very slow. I complained last year to the front desk staff when i was staying there for a week to get more deck chairs as one day there was nowhere to sit on the deck as there were only 6 chairs there and they were occupied. Nothing happened so i then contacted SPG with my complaint and the next day 3 new chairs appeared.

controller1

Any updates or recent stays to share?

TTT

I stay there fairly often (once a month usually). It is an OK hotel. The rooms are somewhat worn but overall in decent shape. Bathrooms have been mostly clean but they appear more worn than the rest of the room.

The fitness center is nice but it is located in the mall (you have to walk across the mall corridor to get from the lobby to the fitness center - not an issue for me but something to be aware of). The pool and pool deck are pretty bad. Basically just a book with some pool chairs on the roof. No other ambiance (the FS and St Regis Houston have nicer pools).

The front desk staff has always been pleasant but I wouldn't call them warm. The valet and bell staff are less helpful/pleasant. There is free parking connected to the hotel so I have stopped using the valet there.

controller1

Thanks.

nonesuch flyer

Does anybody have any information on what the Platinum Breakfast is at this property?

ElevatorEnthusiast

I wanted to provide a quick update on breakfast - my parents who are Platinum are staying here. The lounge is closed on weekends, so vouchers are provided for the Daily Grill. Despite it saying continental breakfast, my parents received real entrees and said the breakfast sandwich with Texas toast was the best breakfast sandwich they have had - I saw a photo, so it must taste better than it looks :-)

Still, this is a good update - perhaps, I should return here and try it out for myself. I do miss staying here as I did so often throughout 2020 (when there was no breakfast).

flyme2

Wsy back in time, when AC had a major stake in CO, my wife and I spent a pleasant weekend here. This was the first Westin in which we had ever stayed. The rest, as they say, is history (to me).

ElevatorEnthusiast

Growing up, my parents and I spent many weekends at the West Loop Marriott, but I always thought staying in the mall would be so cool. Finally, during our Starwood days, we stayed here and then at the Westin Oaks the next time. We vastly preferred the Oaks for some reason and then stopped staying after the recent round of renovations. Then, come 2020, I started spending most of my weekends in Houston and stayed at the Oaks frequently until the Galleria reopened around October 2020. As the Galleria has better (though fewer) suites, I usually picked the Galleria until I started flying again post- vaccination in April 2021.

James Luckard

Based on the discussion, I thought people might enjoy seeing these from my collection:

The 400-room Houston Oaks Hotel opened in September 1971, soon after the opening of the first portion of the Galleria. The 500-room Galleria Plaza Hotel opened November 18, 1977, soon after the opening of Galleria II, the first major expansion to the mall. They were both managed by Western International Hotels, which didn't brand its properties with the chain's own name. That changed when Western International was renamed Westin in 1981, and the two hotels had the Westin name added in 1984. These brochures are both dated April 1978.

ElevatorEnthusiast

Those fonts are too good - thanks for sharing!

lsquare

Has anyone stayed here recently? What's the breakfast and elite recognition like? Is there a lounge with an evening food spread? I really want to visit the Galleria and this hotel seems perfect. If not here, where should I stay?