Escapade in The Woodlands

The Woodlands continues to expand its hospitality offerings to the Greater Houston area with the opening of The Westin At The Woodlands Hotel. Nestled in the heart of the Waterway Square district, this latest Starwood Hotels and Resorts property offers business and casual travelers a relaxing and memorable destination. This is Starwood’s 50th hotel in Texas and its first in the Woodlands area. Mike Speicher is General Manager of the Westin, and with 30 years of hospitality experience, he brings a wealth of knowledge and understanding that helps raise the hotel up a notch above the competition.

Photo Credit: Julie Soefer

Lobby Bar

The Westin at The Woodlands – SideBar terrace

Night Exterior

The Westin at The Woodlands – CURRENT night

The hotel boasts over 300 rooms and suites. Business clients will appreciate the black-out shades and the plethora of USB charging ports, while casual guests will find the rooms adorned with stylish accents and high-end finishes, including Westin’s renowned Heavenly® Bed and Bath collection and rainforest shower heads in the spacious stone tiled showers.

There is a 1,200 square-foot WestinWORKOUT® studio and the hotel offers the Run Concierge and Gear Lending program that features clothing, New Balance® shoes and new socks. Guests can enjoy a dip in the infinity pool overlooking the Woodland waterway and square, while sipping cocktails at the well-appointed SideBar. The hotel also features a 15,000 square-foot waterfront meetings and events level as well as the 6,000 square-foot Edgewater Ballroom. A full-service Starbucks can be found in the hotel lobby for those guests that need their “fix”.

Nathan Friend is Chef de Cuisine of Westin’s CURRENT restaurant. A Texas native, Friend has a long history of working with a number of notable establishments including Del Frisco’s Steak House, The Grand Hyatt DFW, Hotel InterContinental Dallas, and Nordstrom. The Chef has brought his years of experience to the Westin where he has developed a world class menu. Unlike other hotel-based restaurants, CURRENT keeps its menu limited to a simple set of complimenting selections. We were amazed by the entrees, but what really surprised us were the side dishes. They were given as much care and preparation as the main dishes and should not be missed. All of the items are regionally sourced when possible. CURRENT can seat 150 guests and has two private dining areas for more intimate parties.

The Westin sits adjacent to the Waterway Square which features live music performances and a number of trendy eateries, bars, and night life as well as many shopping options. LCA Houston Travel Diaries continues to explore new restaurants, cities and countries. The Westin At the Woodlands is the perfect staycation for busy folks in Houston city looking for a fun getaway. For more information visit www.westinthewoodlands.com.