Originally published September 18, 2017 on BritneyCrosson.com.
When my husband asked what I wanted to do for my 37th birthday recently, I said, “I’d love to stay the night at Hotel ZaZa” to which he replied, “Okay, well let’s check to see if they have a room available.” He didn’t know that I had already checked, and they did. In fact, they had a great offer that included valet parking, breakfast for two and two drink vouchers. I had it booked in 5 minutes.
We arrived on the eve of my birthday to this lovely pink-ish hotel in the heart of Houston’s beautiful Museum District, knowing that it would probably be a pretty quiet evening there, considering it was a Sunday. We have 2 young children, so a quiet Sunday evening at a beautiful hotel sounded like absolute heaven to us. The weather was unseasonably good for Houston – mild temperatures, less than normal humidity, an itty bitty breeze – perfect. We pulled up in the valet, hopped out, the staff grabbed our belongings for us, and we were basically already checked-in, due to my being a member of their Zip Loyalty Program. So off we went to our upgraded room (a wonderful birthday surprise), the West Indies suite, which is one of their many concept rooms. Others include, Houston We Have A Problem, An Affair to Remember and Villa Champagne. Our suite was spacious and clean and very handsome. We were looking forward to spending time on the balcony that night to watch the city lights while we sipped wine. And this room had two balconies – bedroom balcony and living room balcony – take your pick (FYI, we spent some time on both, just because we could). The mini bar was stocked, the turn-down service included two of my fave chocolates (how did they know?), and my Zip Loyalty membership meant we got two complimentary Fiji Waters.
After I took 472 pictures of the room so that I could share them with y’all on this blog post, we cruised down to the pool area to have a drink and a look around. ZaZa’s pool area is very Melrose Place meets Hollywood Roosevelt due to its cool vibe and the way the building frames the pool. In fact, the entire hotel reminded me of The Hollywood Roosevelt, but without the 24/7 noise of Hollywood Blvd, which is a very good thing. I love the Hollywood Roosevelt, but The Boulevard is loud. I mean, they provide ear plugs on your bedside table, for god’s sake. So if you like Hollywood decor and a see-and-be-seen vibe, but you also like sleep, ZaZa is for you. Anyway, back to the pool… Veuve Cliquot umbrellas surround it, greenery is all around, and there’s a wide variety of seating options, some shaded and some sun-soaked. It’s certainly a cool hang-out spot, but also comfortable and laid back. We loved it.
When we got back to our room we were greeted by a small birthday cake and a bottle of champagne. It was so very nice, and the cake was quite delicious (we devoured it later in the night after dinner and drinks…plenty of drinks).
The Houston Museum District has fewer dining options than most other parts of the city, so we had considered going outside of The District for dinner, especially considering that ZaZa offers complimentary shuttle rides within 5 miles of the hotel. But we ultimately decided to do dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Monarch. It was right there, and we already knew the food would be great. My husband, Ryan, had the wedge salad and a crab cake, both of which he absolutely loved. I had a wedge salad and the Hand Cut Pappardelle Pasta, which I also loved. In fact, I’m still dreaming about that pasta. Can’t wait to go back and have it again.
After dinner we headed back to the West Indies suite for drinks and balcony time. The view was beautiful, and the city noise was subtle. We talked for hours, drank wine, ate cake, and drank more wine. It was the best night I’d had in a really long time.
Monday morning, my official birthday, started with complimentary coffee from the Butler Pantry table out in the hallway and room service breakfast for two. Plus, my husband had flowers delivered for my birthday – the most gorgeous arrangement of roses you’ve ever seen. It was so sweet. Breakfast and coffee got us fueled up, so we headed out for a long morning walk. When you stay at ZaZa you absolutely must make time for a stroll around The Museum District. It’s so very lovely and well-groomed and full of interesting things and buildings to look at. Our walk even took us through a nearby residential area filled with lovely homes and huge trees. It was the perfect way to spend our morning. When we got back to the room, I ended my ZaZa stay with a soak in the bath tub, which was plenty long for my tall 5’10” body (whaaat?!).
I am so incredibly thankful for how the staff at ZaZa treated us. The food and drinks were all wonderful. Plus, the entire hotel – the lobby, the restaurant, the room – smelled good and was clean. You’re gonna love it.
Here’s what you need to do. Sign up for their Zip Loyalty Program and then GO. GO THERE. They have another Houston location opening soon (since original publication, the Memorial City location has opened) and an already open Dallas location. Plus, they’ve recently announced an Austin location opening in 2018.
