3 Best Hotels in Houston, Houston and Galveston

With flashy, over-the-top decor, the party at the ZaZa never ends. Think taxidermy, chandeliers, prints on prints on prints, video walls, a pool area that rivals Vegas casinos, and lots of lacquer. It can come across as trying too hard, but there's nothing else like it in the city. Eight themed guest suites ("The Magnificent Seven") pay homage to the international jet set, rock stars, and Texas cowboys. The Monarch Restaurant and Lounge has some of the best food in town, but the bar clientele is not always as sophisticated as the diners. The hotel's location at the foot of Hermann Park means all rooms have gorgeous views.

This exclusive, European-style hotel, originally the W. W. Fondren mansion, has lost some exterior charm due to the addition of a banquet facility, but the rooms, lounge, and restaurant nevertheless draw the rich and famous (and discreet). Genuine antiques, usually of dark wood with luxe brocade, do much to complete the Montrose hotel's old-world charm. The tiny but warm bar and a small library are both perfect spots for a cozy drink.

Ideal for people on longer stays, this no-smoking, all-suites property is close to the Medical Center and 1½ mi from the Reliant Park complex, where the Houston Texans play. All suites have fully equipped kitchens.