Where to stay · Houston · United States
Where to stay in Houston
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Downtown. Skyscrapers, Discovery Green, the theatre district and ballpark. Best alternatives — nightlife: Montrose.
Key facts
- First visit
- Downtown
- Families
- Downtown
- Budget
- Downtown
- Nightlife
- Montrose
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Downtown | Skyscrapers, Discovery Green, the theatre district and ballpark |
| Families | Downtown | Skyscrapers, Discovery Green, the theatre district and ballpark |
| Couples | The Heights | Victorian cottages, 19th Street shops and a bike trail on an old railway |
| Budget | Downtown | Skyscrapers, Discovery Green, the theatre district and ballpark |
| Luxury | Uptown and the Galleria | Texas's largest mall, luxury hotels and the Waterwall |
| Nightlife | Montrose | Bungalows, the Menil campus, cocktail bars and Houston's LGBTQ+ heart |
| Food lovers | Montrose | Bungalows, the Menil campus, cocktail bars and Houston's LGBTQ+ heart |
| Solo travellers | Montrose | Bungalows, the Menil campus, cocktail bars and Houston's LGBTQ+ heart |
| Shopping | Uptown and the Galleria | Texas's largest mall, luxury hotels and the Waterwall |
| Quiet stays | Museum District | Museums, Hermann Park, the zoo and live oak-lined boulevards |
Houston neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and budget
Downtown
Downtown Houston holds the Theater District, Discovery Green park, the Astros' ballpark, the Toyota Center arena and the George R. Brown Convention Center on its eastern side. Offices empty out in the evenings, but hotels are plentiful, the METRORail Red Line starts here and Buffalo Bayou's trails run along its north-west edge.
- Good
- Large choice of hotels; Light rail to the Museum District; Theatres and arenas within walking distance
- Watch out
- Quiet on evenings without events; Convention weeks push prices up
- Nearby
- Discovery Green, Buffalo Bayou Park, Theater District, Toyota Center
$$$ · Best for families, culture, first-timers and quiet stays
Museum District
Around Hermann Park and the Mecom Fountain, the Museum District groups the Museum of Fine Arts, Natural Science museum, Children's Museum and Houston Zoo, with the Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel a short drive away. Rice University and the restaurants of Rice Village are next door, and the METRORail Red Line runs along Main Street.
- Good
- Walk to most museums; Leafy and calm; Light rail to downtown and the medical centre
- Watch out
- Few late-night options; Hotel choice is limited
- Nearby
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Hermann Park, Houston Zoo, Rice Village
$$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, culture and solo travellers
Montrose
Montrose is Houston's long-time bohemian neighbourhood, home to the Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel, tattoo parlours, vintage shops, coffee houses and many of the city's best bars and restaurants along Westheimer Road. It has been the centre of the city's LGBTQ+ community for decades.
- Good
- Walkable for Houston; Excellent food and bars; Free museums on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Mostly small hotels and rentals; Parking can be tight at weekends
- Nearby
- Menil Collection, Rothko Chapel, Westheimer Road, Buffalo Bayou Park
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers and quiet stays
The Heights
Houston Heights, north-west of downtown, was laid out in the 1890s and keeps Victorian and Craftsman houses on oak-shaded streets. 19th Street has independent shops and diners, White Oak Drive has bars and music venues, and the Heights Hike and Bike Trail runs along a former railway line.
- Good
- Neighbourhood feel with good restaurants; Leafy streets for walking; Independent shops
- Watch out
- No rail line; Few hotels
- Nearby
- 19th Street, White Oak Drive, Heights Hike and Bike Trail
$$$ · Best for shopping, luxury and families
Uptown and the Galleria
Uptown, around Post Oak Boulevard and Westheimer, is Houston's second downtown: high-rise hotels, the Galleria mall with its indoor ice rink and the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall. It suits shoppers and business travellers but is far from the Museum District and heavily car-oriented.
- Good
- Huge choice of hotels; Shopping on the doorstep; Close to Memorial Park
- Watch out
- Heavy traffic; Little street life outside the mall
- Nearby
- The Galleria, Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park, Memorial Park
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget and solo travellers
EaDo (East Downtown)
East of downtown, EaDo turned warehouses into breweries, bars and restaurants, with murals along its streets and Shell Energy Stadium for Houston Dynamo soccer. The original Chinatown was here, and the METRORail Green and Purple lines link it to downtown.
- Good
- Breweries and bars; Short ride to downtown; Lower prices
- Watch out
- Patchy, industrial streets; Few hotels
- Nearby
- Shell Energy Stadium, Discovery Green, Navigation Boulevard
$ · Best for food lovers and budget
Chinatown and Asiatown (Bellaire Boulevard)
In south-west Houston, Bellaire Boulevard and the streets around it form one of the largest Asian commercial districts in Texas, with miles of shopping centres holding pho shops, dim sum halls, Viet-Cajun crawfish restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets. It is a destination for eating rather than staying.
- Good
- Outstanding, inexpensive food; Asian supermarkets and bakeries; Late-opening restaurants
- Watch out
- Car essential; About 30 minutes from downtown
- Nearby
- Bellaire Boulevard, Hong Kong City Mall, Mahatma Gandhi District
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | $$$ | Discovery Green, Buffalo Bayou Park, Theater District, Toyota Center |
| Museum District | $$$ | Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Hermann Park, Houston Zoo, Rice Village |
| Montrose | $$$ | Menil Collection, Rothko Chapel, Westheimer Road, Buffalo Bayou Park |
| The Heights | $$$ | 19th Street, White Oak Drive, Heights Hike and Bike Trail |
| Uptown and the Galleria | $$$ | The Galleria, Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park, Memorial Park |
| EaDo (East Downtown) | $$ | Shell Energy Stadium, Discovery Green, Navigation Boulevard |
| Chinatown and Asiatown (Bellaire Boulevard) | $ | Bellaire Boulevard, Hong Kong City Mall, Mahatma Gandhi District |
Getting to your hotel
George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), the main international airport, is about 37 km north of downtown, 35–50 minutes by car. William P. Hobby (HOU), about 15 km south-east, handles mostly domestic and some Latin American flights and is 20–30 minutes by car. METRO buses link both airports with downtown for a low fare but take around an hour.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Houston for first-time visitors?
Downtown. Downtown Houston holds the Theater District, Discovery Green park, the Astros' ballpark, the Toyota Center arena and the George R.
+Where should families stay in Houston?
Downtown: Large choice of hotels.
+Which area of Houston is best for a budget stay?
Downtown ($$$): Skyscrapers, Discovery Green, the theatre district and ballpark.