GreenStreet: Mixed-Use Development At 1201 Fannin St.

[swtsig]

Source, please. I don't see anything in their marketing materials that say they intend this hotel to be more luxurious than Sorella, the other luxury hotel they operate.

 

 

 

 

Nor does anything here in their materials indicate that this hotel will be considered a "true 5-star hotel" outside of Houston.

 

how about instead of wasting my time trying to demonstrate to you why this hotel will likely be a step above every other hotel in the city (beyond the painfully obvious), we skip the charade and you just tell us what your beef is with this project.

[kbates2]

Source, please. I don't see anything in their marketing materials that say they intend this hotel to be more luxurious than Sorella, the other luxury hotel they operate.

 

 

 

 

Nor does anything here in their materials indicate that this hotel will be considered a "true 5-star hotel" outside of Houston.

 

I don't really need them to spell it out in the marketing materials.  This hotel will be much higher, have a retractable roof, a rooftop lobby/bar/restaurant, and is going to cost a lot more to build.  Sounds more luxurious to me.

[kylejack]

Hotel Sorella is not a 5 star.  

 

Icon is not a 5 star.

 

I don't mean this by my perceived quality, they just aren't rated 5 star.  

 

Well, there isn't really one main credible source for star ratings in the US, anyway. Regardless, does Alessandra intend to seek 5 star rating? A retractable roof definitely isn't in the standard rating criteria.

Edited May 16, 2014 by kylejack

[Montrose1100]

Hotels aren't built as "5 star" or "4 star"  these are ratings that they earn.

I always thought they earned them with the amenities list (ala Burj Al Arab was slated as a 7 Star Hotel while U/C). I could be wrong.

 

Anywho, this Hotel does look to be higher end then anything the Houston market has seen since the 80's. Our grand "luxurious" hotels are starting to show their age. Didn't Bill Gates invest/buy the Four Seasons with hints of a renovation?

[arche_757]

No such thing as 7 stars.

 

Hotels and resorts have to be awarded ratings by outside agencies.  I'm sure some of the companies are more generous with certain brands than others...?  Quite frankly, who cares?  We just want infill, and whether this is a 3, 4, 5 star hotel does not matter.

[arche_757]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_rating

[BigFootsSocks]

Source, please. I don't see anything in their marketing materials that say they intend this hotel to be more luxurious than Sorella, the other luxury hotel they operate.

Nor does anything here in their materials indicate that this hotel will be considered a "true 5-star hotel" outside of Houston.

Dude look at any other major city that is known for it's high end luxury upper class people. New York San Francisco whatever, that's how it works. This isn't a debatable topic, that's literally how actual luxury hotels operate. The new supertall in LA follows this same route. It's just how it works. Houston's "luxury" hotels aren't all that special compared to everywhere else and that's just a simple fact.

[arche_757]

^Hotels are rated based on exemplary performance of its staff and the services they provide to guests.  It has nothing to do with gimmicky trick doors, and rotating restaurants.  Those are neat, and might make a place more unique to the traveler, but have little to do with making the hotel a truly outstanding place to stay.

 

Houston's luxury hotels are fine.  They may not be "cutting edge" but they are plenty nice.  At the end of the day I don't care if a hotel offers me a 23rd floor check-in desk, rotating restaurant I may or may not visit, or a world class spa... I want a great bed, comfortable and well appointed restroom and enough space in said room that I don't feel claustrophobic.

[kylejack]

[kylejack]

 

[kbates2]

Retractable roof is gonna be sick.

[monarch]

i have had the foremost privilege of spending two nights at the very posh BURJ AL ARAB (BURJ KHALIFA) dubai, uae.  at that time, (for whatever apparent reason) there was plenty of talk about this prestigious hotel becoming a (7 star) rated project.  actually, this is one of the very reasons that i ventured over to stay at this particular hotel.. i wanted to see just what a (7 star) rated hotel felt like.  

 

the (7 star) rating was never officially clarified.  but let me please tell you this..  definitely a (5 star) upon my opinion!  BURJ KHALIFA, shall afford it's high end guest every luxury imaginable to mankind.  there is even a 3 minute mini submarine ride to it's main underwater restaurant AL MAHARA.  beautiful, luxurious, posh, expensive, magnificent.. just to throw out a few adjectives here and there.  heck, you cannot even wear shorts or sneakers throughout this profound edifice.  please trust me upon this impromptu review.. for i shall fully recommend for anyone to go..  NO, I'M BEGGING YOU TO GO!

 

 

Edited May 16, 2014 by monarch

[Triton]

Calling yourself 7 star is just good marketing.

[BaderJF]

I would say the reason why houston doesn't have luxurious 5 star hotels is basically because houston is a business city and the hotels are made for business travelers.

[OkieEric]

i have had the foremost privilege of spending two nights at the very posh BURJ AL ARAB (BURJ KHALIFA) dubai, uae.  at that time, (for whatever apparent reason) there was plenty of talk about this prestigious hotel becoming a (7 star) rated project.  actually, this is one of the very reasons that i ventured over to stay at this particular hotel.. i wanted to see just what a (7 star) rated hotel felt like.  

 

the (7 star) rating was never officially clarified.  but let me please tell you this..  definitely a (5 star) upon my opinion!  BURJ KHALIFA, shall afford it's high end guest every luxury imaginable to mankind.  there is even a 3 minute mini submarine ride to it's main underwater restaurant AL MAHARA.  beautiful, luxurious, posh, expensive, magnificent.. just to throw out a few adjectives here and there.  heck, you cannot even wear shorts or sneakers throughout this profound edifice.  please trust me upon this impromptu review.. for i shall fully recommend for anyone to go..  NO, I'M BEGGING YOU TO GO!

 

7star hotel in Dubai.jpeg

 

The Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa are 2 different buildings.  Burj Khalifa (previously Burj Dubai) is the tallest building in the world, the Burj Al Arab is the 7 star hotel

 

Burj Al Arab was out of my price range but we did eat dinner at the Al Muntaha on the top floor.  I can't speak to the experience in the rooms (which I am sure is top notch) but to be honest I was expecting more with the entrance and lobby for "7 stars".  I guess if you spend enough time over there you wind up seeing countless fancy hotel lobbies

[monarch]

ah yes my pal okieEric, you are indeed correct in regards to there actually being two buildings.  i have actually been inside both of them.  as per my employer, fluor daniel government group.. i have been journeying back and forth to dubai, uae, since (2005) respectively.  dubai, just so happens to be my employer's (port of entry) into the illustrious confines of afghanistan.  normally, whenever i take a mini leave... i shall lodge at either (hotel kempinski - mall of the emirates) or head right back down sheikh zayed highway, to venture over to (the address hotel tower - dubai mall).  incidentally, where the world's tallest building resides.

 

therefore, as per my account, you can see that i was privileged to be there in the middle east.. to actually watch the BURJ DUBAI under construction.  the names of both of these world class edifices are the mystery.  even upon today, the mystery is still a bit unresolved.  before the BURJ DUBAI actually opened for business.. BURJ KHALIFA, actually shared both names.  at first, it was quite confusing to us, but throughout the years there.. we just got used to it.  i just returned home a couple of month's ago.. and people there are still referring to the hotel under both names.  i was once told by some pals over there, that it had something to do with the overall quality, taste, class, and culture of the facilities.. that they can share names.  yes, just like i said.. confusing.

 

The Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa are 2 different buildings.  Burj Khalifa (previously Burj Dubai) is the tallest building in the world, the Burj Al Arab is the 7 star hotel

 

Burj Al Arab was out of my price range but we did eat dinner at the Al Muntaha on the top floor.  I can't speak to the experience in the rooms (which I am sure is top notch) but to be honest I was expecting more with the entrance and lobby for "7 stars".  I guess if you spend enough time over there you wind up seeing countless fancy hotel lobbies

 

[BigFootsSocks]

^Hotels are rated based on exemplary performance of its staff and the services they provide to guests. It has nothing to do with gimmicky trick doors, and rotating restaurants. Those are neat, and might make a place more unique to the traveler, but have little to do with making the hotel a truly outstanding place to stay.

Houston's luxury hotels are fine. They may not be "cutting edge" but they are plenty nice. At the end of the day I don't care if a hotel offers me a 23rd floor check-in desk, rotating restaurant I may or may not visit, or a world class spa... I want a great bed, comfortable and well appointed restroom and enough space in said room that I don't feel claustrophobic.

Not disagreeing with you on Houston's hotels, but my point still stands. The cities that attract high social class individuals appeal to them with this type of luxury I'm talking about. Is most of it frivolous and pretty useless? Definitely. But it's still considered luxury. Edited May 17, 2014 by BigFootsSocks

[swtsig]

^Hotels are rated based on exemplary performance of its staff and the services they provide to guests. It has nothing to do with gimmicky trick doors, and rotating restaurants. Those are neat, and might make a place more unique to the traveler, but have little to do with making the hotel a truly outstanding place to stay.

Houston's luxury hotels are fine. They may not be "cutting edge" but they are plenty nice. At the end of the day I don't care if a hotel offers me a 23rd floor check-in desk, rotating restaurant I may or may not visit, or a world class spa... I want a great bed, comfortable and well appointed restroom and enough space in said room that I don't feel claustrophobic.

You know not of what you speak if you think Houston's luxury hotels are "fine". It is a market EXTREMELY underserved in a metropolis of 6.5M people with a heavy influx of international visitors and is the reason flags such as Alessandra, the W, ritz and others will be setting up shop soon.

[HoustonIsHome]

Houston has luxury hotels?

[arche_757]

You know not of what you speak if you think Houston's luxury hotels are "fine". It is a market EXTREMELY underserved in a metropolis of 6.5M people with a heavy influx of international visitors and is the reason flags such as Alessandra, the W, ritz and others will be setting up shop soon.

Only reason I said that was I had a friend who worked with the "VIP" section at Four Seasons... apparently based on what was said by VIP guests that hotel was considered quite nice and "up to snuff"

 

Other than that I don't stay in Houston hotels so I wouldn't know how they compare to other cities, but I would think they are ok.  Do we need more for the population?  You bet!  Glad more are on the way.

[jt16]

The st Regis would be considered luxurious. The W, which always comes up in these types if conversations are not luxury hotels.

[ArchFan]

I feel that Houston is underserved in the high-end luxury hotel market.  Which seems strange.  I mentioned this to a developer I know (who does other stuff here) who is active in Houston and he agreed.  The St. Regis here is nice; although I have not stayed in one of the rooms, people have told me it is nice.  Frankly, I think the other hotels in the Galleria area -- mostly from the 80s -- seem a bit run down and not up to snuff.  A friend from NYC stayed at the Four Seasons downtown a few years ago and was not impressed, either.  So ... I think there ought to be an opportunity here for investors who want to fund a state-of-the-art high-end hotel.

[Luminare]

Well lets be honest here the hotels that were built here in the early to mid 1980's weren't really setting the architecture world on fire and at that time hotel industry in general was really going through some up and downs.

[DNAguy]

I feel that Houston is underserved in the high-end luxury hotel market.  Which seems strange.  I mentioned this to a developer I know (who does other stuff here) who is active in Houston and he agreed.  The St. Regis here is nice; although I have not stayed in one of the rooms, people have told me it is nice.  Frankly, I think the other hotels in the Galleria area -- mostly from the 80s -- seem a bit run down and not up to snuff.  A friend from NYC stayed at the Four Seasons downtown a few years ago and was not impressed, either.  So ... I think there ought to be an opportunity here for investors who want to fund a state-of-the-art high-end hotel.

 

The St. Regis is very nice. However, the location sucks. 

[ArchFan]

The St. Regis is very nice. However, the location sucks. 

Yeah, one wouldn't expect an expensive hotel to be built so close to the RR tracks.  But ... despite that, the quiet-zone program seems to work pretty well in that neighborhood.  The main problem is the traffic stack-ups when the freight trains roll through.

[fernz]

The Houstonioan is another very nice luxury hotel.

[H-Town Man]

ah yes my pal okieEric, you are indeed correct in regards to there actually being two buildings. i have actually been inside both of them. as per my employer, fluor daniel government group.. i have been journeying back and forth to dubai, uae, since (2005) respectively. dubai, just so happens to be my employer's (port of entry) into the illustrious confines of afghanistan. normally, whenever i take a mini leave... i shall lodge at either (hotel kempinski - mall of the emirates) or head right back down sheikh zayed highway, to venture over to (the address hotel tower - dubai mall). incidentally, where the world's tallest building resides.

therefore, as per my account, you can see that i was privileged to be there in the middle east.. to actually watch the BURJ DUBAI under construction. the names of both of these world class edifices are the mystery. even upon today, the mystery is still a bit unresolved. before the BURJ DUBAI actually opened for business.. BURJ KHALIFA, actually shared both names. at first, it was quite confusing to us, but throughout the years there.. we just got used to it. i just returned home a couple of month's ago.. and people there are still referring to the hotel under both names. i was once told by some pals over there, that it had something to do with the overall quality, taste, class, and culture of the facilities.. that they can share names. yes, just like i said.. confusing.

Are you saying that the Burj al Khalifa was also named the Burj Dubai (which it was previously), or are you saying that the name Burj al Khalifa was also used for the Burj al Arab?

[monarch]

the second half of your query is indeed correct.  i had it correct upon my initial posting.  a bit unique, as well as confusing to us americans.  i  shall be venturing back pretty soon, i shall try and acquire a bit more history upon this "naming" situation. 

 

Are you saying that the Burj al Khalifa was also named the Burj Dubai (which it was previously), or are you saying that the name Burj al Khalifa was also used for the Burj al Arab?

 

 

[Triton]

You are now entering GreenStreet!

 

2014-06-07 16.12.23 by marclongoria, on Flickr

Edited June 8, 2014 by Triton

[monarch]

wonderful!  i cannot wait to finally see some decent retail enter this establishment.  the new moniker GREENSTREET, is nothing fancy.  in fact, it is a very generic sounding name.  one can only assume that it is derived as per DISCOVERY GREEN.  however, it is clean and easy, and it flows well with this particular downtown establishment.