HOK-designed Thompson Houston takes over the city’s historic Fourth Ward

The spirit of old Texas, with a contemporary twist, is exactly what the Thompson Houston is offering guests. And the Bayou City has warmly welcomed this new kid, especially with its rare unobstructed views of downtown Houston's skyline and the 160-acre park right at its doorstep.

Check into the luxurious Thompson Houston

The newly built hotel – with 172 guestrooms, including 34 suites – is housed within a sleek glass and exposed-steel building that displays curved lines designed by award-winning architect HOK. ‘We used an innovative cladding system, never used before in the United States, that lends the retail pavilion and tower podium (where the hotel is) a cohesive, modern expression,’ say Roger Soto, HOK’s design principal, and Kathrin Brunner, HOK’s lead designer on the project. ‘In placing the tower on a podium, the design reduces the verticality of the building at street level, helping integrate it with nearby buildings and preserve the scale of the neighbourhood.’

The interiors, by Houston-based architecture and design firm Abel Design Group, sparkle with warm, earthy colours, organic materials, brass fixtures, marble vanities and custom wall treatments. Meanwhile, hardwood floors pay homage to the hotel’s natural setting of nearby Buffalo Bayou Park. ‘We aimed to capture the essence of Houston at the peak of the 1970s oil boom, envisioning the curated look of a midcentury modern oil baron's home,’ notes Grace Swart, project designer at Abel Design Group.

You can also visit Thompson Houston to feast at Sol 7, a signature all-day seasonal dining restaurant with rooftop seating. Two more restaurants are coming soon (both operated by TableOne Hospitality): Chardon, a French brasserie that will debut in the summer, and Buck 40, an upscale supper club slated to open in the fall. All three restaurants will be led by executive chef Alexandre Viriot, a Dallas native, who has worked alongside three of the world’s most admired French chefs – Guy Savoy, Joël Robuchon, and Alain Ducasse.

Furthermore, the property offers a whole floor dedicated to its spa experience, as well as a helipad, and a custom-tiled infinity pool on its one-acre rooftop. And if you’d like to explore the Fourth Ward neighbourhood and its many Unesco-recognised sites, hop one of the hotel’s Blue jay electric bikes. ‘With a unique design and stellar location beside the verdant Buffalo Bayou Park, we are excited to become a home for visitors and locals alike,’ says Ted Knighton, managing director of Thompson Houston.

thompsonhoustonhotel.com