DoubleTree by Hilton Houston – Greenway Plaza

The hotel adjacent to Houston former basketball arena and now Joel Osteen’s mega-​church has been one I have very often frequented over the last few decades. For most of these, it was under Marriott management. Its sole recommendation had been its convenient location for my business meetings. The hotel itself was nothing special.
Doubletree/​Hilton took it over several years ago and initially not much changed. But more recently Doubletree performed a re-​do of the facilities. On my visit this week I was noticeably impressed. The guest rooms were much more nicely furnished; the lobby area much more welcoming with work tables all around; the hotel personnel were extremely friendly and accommodating; and the breakfast was head and shoulders better than the old hotel offering smoked salmon, nice ripe fresh fruit (including red papaya which I love and hardly ever see), buttery croissants, and scrambled eggs that were not dried to the point of rubbery consistency which is all too common at hotel breakfast buffets. Also offered is a reasonably efficient shuttle service that will take guests anywhere within a 3 mile radius. This includes the Galleria shopping center to which there is a scheduled trip. Within the radius are several of my favorite Houston restaurants including Pappasitos Mexican, Goode Company BBQ and several eateries in and around Rice Village.
This especially pleasant stay was a surprise for me as my experience with Doubletree had been pretty dismal based on stays years ago at the Doubletree hotel in downtown Houston. That Doubletree was rundown and shabby, with frayed carpeting, torn upholstery, and dated furnishings. For the last decade and more I have avoided Doubletree hotels everywhere after the downtown experience. This has revised my opinion of the chain and, based on this experience, I will be more willing to stay at Doubletrees going forward.