The Heights

Heights House Hotel

★★★★★

Heights House is the most characterful affordable stay in Houston and a great introduction to one of its best neighborhoods. In 2020, two local owners took a rundown motel at 100 West Cavalcade Street and transformed it into a design-forward boutique hotel and entertainment venue, keeping the classic motel layout of rooms facing a central courtyard and pool but adding bold color, retro touches and a sense of fun. The ground floor holds a restaurant and bar, and the courtyard hosts live performances and events, so the hotel feels more like a neighborhood hangout than a place to sleep. Rooms are generous — around 500 square feet — in four types: king or double-queen rooms facing either the lively pool side or the quieter back side. All have quality mattresses and sheets, coffee makers stocked with local coffee, Bluetooth speakers, a work desk, a flat-screen TV and a bathtub with shower. Packages add extras such as reserved poolside loungers with mimosas or a pet kit for traveling dogs, and the hotel books through the Ascend Collection of Choice Hotels. The Heights, Houston's historic streetcar suburb, is full of Victorian bungalows, vintage shops, coffee bars, restaurants and breweries, and the Heights hike-and-bike trail runs through it. Downtown is a short drive south. The trade-offs are the ones you would expect from a social, converted motel: pool-side rooms can be noisy on weekend evenings, and there are fewer services than at a full-service hotel.

Choose your room by mood: Live Scene rooms face the pool and the action, ideal for groups and anyone who wants to be part of the party, while Tranquil Scene rooms face away and are better for sleep. Double-queen rooms sleep four comfortably, which makes the hotel good value for friends travelling together.

Spend time exploring the Heights on foot or by bike. 19th Street is the classic strip of boutiques and cafes, the Heights Boulevard esplanade is lovely for a walk under the oaks, and the neighborhood's restaurant scene ranges from casual taquerias to some of the city's buzziest dining rooms. Weekend markets and live music add to the appeal.

Heights House suits couples, friends and younger travellers who want character and value over polish. Families can enjoy the pool, but should choose a Tranquil Scene room. For museums, NASA or the Galleria, you will need a car or rideshare. The bar and courtyard draw locals as well as guests, especially when there is live music, which gives the hotel a genuine neighborhood feel. Rooms have tubs, desks and good beds, and the hotel's packages make it easy to add a little celebration to a weekend stay. Rideshares are quick to most of the central city. The neighborhood's hike-and-bike trail and tree-lined boulevards make morning walks a pleasure, and the hotel is a short drive from downtown and Montrose for evening entertainment.