Technological advances are often crucial for event planners to have a marketing edge. Here are new and recently renovated Houston venues that have stayed on top of upgrades and improved offerings for tech-savvy guests. The hotels, conference centers, restaurants, private rooms, and other spaces can accommodate groups large or small for private and corporate events, conferences, meetings, weddings, business dinners, teambuilding activities, cocktail parties, and more.
Hilton Houston Post Oak in the Galleria area completed its multimillion dollar renovation in September. The renovation included new color palettes and upgraded bedding to the hotel's 448 guest rooms, as well as new tech features such as Hilton HHonors app's Digital Key lock system that allows Hilton HHonors members to check in remotely, choose their rooms in advance, and use their phone as a door key. More revamps to the hotel's 29,740-square-feet of flexible meeting and event space—which can accommodate as many as 1,000 for receptions—are expected to be completed later this year. The hotel also has digital door signage in the lobby and event space that allows for visual customization.
Marriott Marquis Houston is slated to open downtown in January. The 29-floor hotel will have 960 rooms and 40 suites, and offer dining concepts including American restaurant Biggio's and tapas wine bar Cueva. For meetings and special events, the hotel has 153,303 square feet of space comprised of 52 rooms—the largest of which will be the 39,000-square-foot Texan Ballroom that can hold 2,800 banquet-style and 4,000 reception-style. The hotel, which has features including lazy river in the shape of Texas, will offer mobile check-in for meetings.
Casual Southern Italian restaurant chain Maggiano's Little Italy opened its third Houston-area location at Memorial City Mall in August. The restaurant serves family-style portions at tables covered in classic red-checkered tablecloths. The 8,864-square-foot restaurant seats 294 in the main dining area and patio, and has two banquet rooms available for private events that each seat 24. For corporate events, Maggiano's has event service packages that include audiovisual equipment and HD broadcast capabilities. Food orders can be placed online at the restaurant's website.
Bowling alley and restaurant Bowl & Barrel, from Dallas-based hospitality company FreeRange Concepts, opened its first Houston location at CityCentre in August. The venue—which offers standard American fare along with beer, wine, and cocktails—has 14 bowling lanes equipped with TVs, a PA sound system, QubicaAMF equipment, and a high-tech automated scorer. The 11,000-square-foot space can hold 300 reception-style, and is available for events including birthday parties, teambuilding sessions, fund-raisers, and bar mitzvahs. The venue also offers a custom menu for events. Gift cards for CityCentre can be purchased online at the websites Treat Gift Cards, Gift Rocket, and Giftly.
Open since August, Fairfield Inn & Suites Houston Northwest/Willowbrook, located near Heron Lakes Golf Course, is a four-story hotel that has 84 rooms. Guest rooms include 40-inch LED televisions that have the ability to stream Netflix and Hulu. The hotel has a 1,192-square-foot meeting room that seats 30 theater-style, and offers mobile check-in for meetings.
Holiday Inn Houston NE—Bush Airport Area opened in August. The 142-room hotel from InterContinental Hotels Group has an IHG Mobile app for check-in that can be used by IHG Rewards Club members, and offers a FlyteBoard flight information display in the lobby to give guests real-time airline updates. For meetings and events, the hotel has 2,400 square feet of meeting space that can seat 80 classroom-style and 180 theater-style. Built-in audiovisual equipment includes a LCD television and projector, modem lines, and a microphone.
Open since September, Residence Inn Houston Pasadena is a 104-suite hotel in Pasadena, which is about 18 miles from downtown Houston. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi, mobile check-in, and grocery-delivery service. For meetings and events, the hotel has a 542-square-foot room that can hold as many as 50 for receptions. Audiovisual equipment and on-site catering are available.
Modern nail salon Polish Parker and Roe opened in September at Sawyer Yards, a cultural arts district in Houston. Offering exposed brick walls and sleek seating, the 3,000-square-foot venue has 16 manicure and pedicure stations in a main room, eight in a semiprivate room, and one in a private room. Polish Parker and Roe has state-of-the-art equipment with tools that go through a "medical-grade sanitation process," according to the venue. The salon is available for special events including birthdays, bridal showers, and bachelorette parties for as many as 100 standing. The space also has an outdoor patio offering views of the city skyline.
As part of the Four Seasons Hotel Houston's major renovations, Bayou & Bottle is slated to open in January as a lobby bar and restaurant concept. Helmed by chef Richard Sandoval, the restaurant's cuisine has yet to be announced, but it will specialize in whiskey and offer guests whiskey lockers to store expensive bottles. The 3,700-square-foot space will seat 47 and have a private dining room that will seat 16. Four Seasons guests can use the Four Seasons app to make reservations at the restaurant or place orders.
Open since August at CityCentre, the General Public is a FreeRange Concepts-owned gastropub that serves Southwestern-inspired fare. The 5,000-square-foot space, which seats 150, has a horseshoe-shaped bar and an air-conditioned patio. The restaurant, which has Wi-Fi service and several HDTVs, also has an extensive beer, wine, and cocktail menu. Gift cards for CityCentre can be purchased online at the websites Treat Gift Cards, Gift Rocket, and Giftly.
