Treat Yo’self to a weekend getaway in Houston!
As a survival mechanism during the pandemic I kept a “Treat Yo’self” journal filled with all of the adventures I would embark on as soon as it was safe to return to the world.
On that list were things I enjoyed most, including: the joy of meandering leisurely through museums, fine dining, staying in nice hotels with great service and high thread count sheets, being pampered at a spa, and mostly experiencing all of this in the company of those friends I had sorely missed. Beyond choosing the right members of the group,the secret to the best getaway ever is to ask what the members want to do and choose the perfect spot to accommodate those experiences. One of our criteria was to be able to park upon arrival and not get back into the car until departure.
With a group of friends who wanted to make up for those lost months, the newly renovated Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa beckoned and the Treat Yo’self weekend was on.
Choose a ‘Home Away From Home’.
With a mixture of happy memories created over 40 years and the desire to provide an updated, modern environment, the Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa embarked on a 23.5 million dollar renovation plan in 2020 and we reaped the benefits.
Upon entry the traditional paneled lobby was immediately familiar and welcoming. Modern comfort was everywhere in the renovated guest rooms, with everything from floor to ceiling windows with views of the surrounding woods, luxurious linens, marble showers and huge soaker tubs, and beautifully designed spaces to sleep, relax, and entertain. Since the small things make for the best memories, the welcome bottle of champagne and Chocolate Chip cookies made from the recipe of former first lady Barbara Bush added a charming touch. When the group asked for the paint colors, the fabric choices, and the manufacturers of the light fixtures and furniture, I’d say we had found our home away from home.
Eat, drink, and be merry!
Any girlfriend getaway called for a celebration and what better way to celebrate than a little indulgent merry making that included food we loved but wouldn’t attempt to make for ourselves and wine pairings that not only complimented each meal but sent us into spasms of laughter with each story we had missed in the last 14 months.
A special treat was a meal prepared by Chef Neal Cox and Sommelier Dat Le. The cuisine was described as “Tex-Lex”, meaning a combination of favorite recipes passed down from Texas, Louisiana and Mexico. The menu included wood-fired Gulf oysters, bacon-wrapped quail with mezcal glaze, mushroom empanadas with avocado crema, snapper pontchartrain with crawfish sauce and tres leches all with selected wine pairings.
From room service breakfasts to healthy spa lunches to an all out crawfish boil to late night cocktails at the bar, we tasted, laughed and toasted to being together again. Insider’s note on of one of Houston’s best kept secrets – The Wine Room at Tribute is amazing. We all agreed that the ultimate romantic dinner date would be to enjoy a specially prepared menu dining under a waterfall of 4,000 bottles of wine with a private sommelier for the evening. The very intimate setting only accommodates 4 guests, is kept at 57 degrees and take-home pashminas are provided for the ladies. Sounded unforgettable to us.
Play around and learn something new.
One way to keep a group happy is to include a variety of ways to spend time together and separately. No problem. The property is located in town on the edge of Memorial Park and includes 27 acres so there were trails for running and walking and even birdwatching. The Club has 3 pools, indoor and outdoor tennis courts and offers over 160 fitness classes – something to satisfy everyone in the group from the most active fitness warriors to the leisurely active members of our group. The entire group took an introduction to pickleball lesson and was immediately taken by our instructor Bobbie Phoumy, who was on her way to compete in the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships – who knew there was a U.S. Open pickleball championship? Lots to learn in the midst of lots of laughter at our missed shots.
Pamper yourself.
After months of cutting our own hair, struggling with home mani-pedis and missing out on the relaxation of a massage or facial, everyone was ready to head back to the spa for the essence of ‘treat yo’self’. It doesn’t get any better than Trellis, the only Forbes four-star spa in Houston. Recently reimagined with new spa services, healthy cuisine and covid safety protocols, the spa was a little slice of heaven for our group. Of all the things we missed spa services were at the top of the list. Our day at the spa retreat consisted of a champagne toast outside in the hot pool, treatments ranging from make-up lessons to anti-fatigue facials to body wraps and massages.
Adventurous members checked out the MLX Dome which uses state of the art technology and infrared light to “detox, reduce inflammation, increase metabolism and energy, and rejuvenate your face”. Not certain that we were reborn but we were certainly relaxed and happy as we recounted our experiences at dinner.
Venture out.
In addition to amenities, service and food, one of the things on the list when choosing a spot for a girlfriends’ getaway is location. Lucky for us the Houstonian is centrally located close to shopping at the Galleria, and Houston’s wonderful Museum District. Bonus points for providing complimentary transportation to locations within a 3-mile radius of the hotel. We are a group of art lovers and the Museum of Fine Arts Monet to Matisse exhibit and the newly opened Nancy and Rich Kinder Building provided a cultural field trip for those of us who had sorely missed the inspiration of wandering among masterpieces in museums.
The recipe for creating the best girlfriends’ getaway ever leaving whatever destination you choose with loads of laughs, renewed friendships and memories to last a lifetime. As Donna and Tom of Parks and Recreation fame would say, “Go Ahead. Treat Yo’self.”
Written and photography by Deborah Hamilton-Lynne
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