Hotel Review: Hotel ICON Houston, Autograph Collection
I enjoy staying at Autograph Collection hotels because they usually have unique characters and rich histories that separate them from bland, cookie-cutter hotels. Taking an overall stay experience beyond sleeping is essential; I want to feel connected to the hotel and its branding. Hotel ICON once was the Union National Bank of Houston, and its original traits were still predominantly apparent in the lobby and beyond. Hotel ICON was not afraid to express its Texan roots and stayed true to its past. Unfortunately, the hotel's design and architectural elements remained the same, leading my lodging experience to a slight letdown. Here is what it was like to stay at Hotel ICON Houston, Autograph Collection:
Hotel ICON is located at 220 Main St, Houston, TX 77002.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and a free night certificate redeemable up to 85,000 points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The elevated sign-up bonus ends on 5/18/2021, so apply sooner than later to secure the bonus! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities.
The Bonvoy Brilliant Card does come with a hefty $450 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, the mid-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
$300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit that can be applied towards your room rate
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Access to Priority Pass lounges
15 Elite Night Credits that can prove helpful for chasing Bonvoy status
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee.
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Bonvoy Brilliant Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSMaWs?xl=cp01
I have another Marriott Bonvoy credit card: the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The elevated sign-up bonus ends on 5/18/2021, so apply sooner than later to secure the bonus! Considering that the annual membership costs $125, you get paid to have the card! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The Bonvoy Business Card’s annual fee is $125 and offers decent benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is the only Marriott business card on the market.
As you can see the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual free night certificate perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSvom4?XLINK=MYCP
Lobby & Check-in Review
I drove from Austin and arrived later than I expected. Choosing valet parking for a night set me back $40, but since I arrived close to midnight, it was worth it for the time being. The lobby was striking, with glossy columns and chandeliers gleaming from the top. The overall aesthetics of the hall reminded me of the Candler Hotel in Atlanta and the Hotel Emery in Minneapolis.
The chandeliers and glossy columns made the lobby luxurious.
The bar was located in the middle of the lobby, and the octagonal bar top only offered 14 seats. However, with plenty of seating options in the lobby, the drinking scene could easily extend beyond the bar while being socially distanced.
There were no seats around the bar, but the hall had plenty of seating options for guests.
The lobby was more than big chandeliers. Since many Autograph Collection hotels are historic hotels, Hotel ICON was no exception. The property used to be a bank, and the hotel displayed artifacts from the past to introduce the history to guests.
It’s always interesting to see the past through well-preserved artifacts.
I checked in using the app before my arrival, and the hotel upgraded my standard room to a room with a whirlpool. However, the front desk representative didn't go over either the location of the gym or breakfast hours. Only after I inquired regarding the hotel's breakfast policy, she offered me a breakfast voucher, thanks to my Titanium Elite status.
The vault door behind the front desk reminded me that Hotel ICON used to be a bank.
After receiving extra bottled water and the breakfast voucher, I went up to my room on the ninth floor.
Bedroom Review
As soon as I entered the room, I found a mini-fridge and a marble countertop with a Keurig coffee machine.
Unfortunately, the mini-fridge didn’t keep my beverages cold.
The space opened up after passing straight through an arched doorway, with the king bed being a centerpiece.
The leather headboard accentuated the room’s subtle Texan design elements in the room.
The bed was comfortable, and there was only one nightstand, but the work desk on the right could function as a nightstand if needed.
I worked comfortably, thanks to the deep work desk.
Both sides were equipped with reading lights, but I wish there were more charging ports, especially USB-C connections. The work desk was deeper than normal work desks at hotels, and it featured a navy blue leather pad that made any handwriting needs effortless.
It was so satisfying to write on paper using the leather writing pad.
The work desk's legs were cheerfully shaped as longhorn's feet – the perfect detail for a Texan hotel.
The room was full of creative details that connected hotel guests to the hotel’s Texan heritage.
Across from the bed, a 32-inch TV was sitting on top of a dresser with additional seats by the corner.
The archway added elegance to the room, but the TV needs to be updated.
Even though the TV wasn’t a Smart TV, the lounge chairs were comfortable and made the bedroom more lively with bright colors.
The burnt orange color added vibrancy to the room.
The burnt orange color of the chairs immediately made me think of the University of Texas at Austin, and art drawings of cows and longhorns on the wall implied my initial impression was perhaps intended.
I loved these cattle drawings; the vintage look matched the brand identity of an Autograph Collection hotel.
The furniture and the carpeting of the bedroom showed signs of age. However, I enjoyed seeing artistic touches that celebrate local sources of pride, and those deliberate design elements elevated my lodging experience.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom was more than spacious for me. Though it featured a single vanity, there was a lot of countertop space for any personal belongings.
It would’ve been great to see a double vanity sink since the countertop had ample countertop space.
The marble vanity and baseboards gave the bathroom a modern impression, but the sink faucet and other finishes made the room appear outdated. Also, I noticed both faucet handles were labeled hot when the right handle was obviously supposed to be labeled cold. They functioned as expected, but I was shocked that the hotel had not corrected it.
I’m certain most people turn the right knob for cold water, but the hotel should correct it.
The bathroom had a walk-in shower with a standard showerhead and a whirlpool.
The water pressure was excellent, but the yellow piano tiles made the bathroom appear antiquated.
The shower had excellent water pressure, and so did the whirlpool. However, the whirlpool seemed a bit old-fashioned since some previously white plastic covers now faded to yellowish, off-white color.
The wooden shutter could be closed for privacy or open, depending on your mood.
One quirky aspect of the tub was that it had a wooden shutter that connected the bathroom to the bedroom so that one could open the shutter from either side. I am not sure what the purpose was since you couldn't even watch TV from the tub.
If the yellow piano tiles and the tub were updated, the bathroom could be a significant selling point to those looking for a staycation.
The toiletry was by Gilchrist & Soames, and while the scent was pleasant, it dried out my hair after one use.
The toiletries came in healthy sizes, but it was difficult to squeeze out the content because the bottles were sturdy.
The bathroom reminded me that I am in Texas with drawings of longhorn steers and a longhorn steer towel hook.
I loved this longhorn towel hook; it was the perfect detail to showcase the hotel’s Texan roots.
The toilet was tucked in the corner, and an arch mirror was wall-mounted, makings the space appear bigger.
The heritage of the hotel was consistently reminded by artistic cattle drawings on the wall.
Similar to the bedroom, the bathroom also displayed design elements that celebrated the Texan roots of the hotel. The bathroom was spacious, but it was due for an upgrade. The faucet desperately needed to be replaced with the correct label, and the yellow piano tiles could be renovated to make the space more contemporary.
Gym Review
The gym was on the lower level, and the in-house spa center, Beauty and Beyond Skin Care & Spa shared the space.
I fully expected to see exercise equipment when I opened the door to the gym, but this is what I encountered.
However, the layout of the area was odd and confusing. The spa was by the entrance, and the gym was located at the end of the room. Therefore, when I entered the space, the check-in counter for the spa welcomed me without any signs of the gym. I can't imagine how often the spa receptionist gets asked where the gym is. After walking to the end of the room, I was finally at the gym. The fitness center was compact, but it was furnished with basically everything you needed. The first half was cardio-focused—lined with treadmills and ellipticals.
The cardio machines were in decent shape, but soon they will need to be replaced with newer models.
The other half was made up of standard dumbbells with two adjustable benches, a Smith machine, and an all-in-one workout machine.
More guests could work out together with two sets of standard dumbbells.
The location of the fitness center is not ideal; I almost turned back because I thought I was at the wrong place. The hotel needs to implement clear signage to guide guests to the gym without getting lost or confused.
Breakfast Review—Line & Lariat
The breakfast was served at Line and Lariat, the in-house, classic American restaurant located on the first floor. I was seated immediately, and thanks to my Titanium Elite status, I redeemed the breakfast voucher I received upon check-in. Sometimes hotels can be strict and only offer continental breakfast, but I was happy to find out that I could choose any entrée and a drink from the menu.
Hotels should offer Elite members more than typical continental breakfast.
The breakfast menu featured both savory and sweet options, and I chose the Meat Lover Three Egg Omelette with a cup of coffee. The food came out pretty fast. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. The omelet had a significant portion size, but it was pretty greasy.
The omelet was quite oily, but the portion size was satisfactory.
I personally wouldn't pay for breakfast at Line and Lariat, but other items may be better than what I experienced. Those who either don't have the Platinum Elite status and up or don't want breakfast can grab complimentary coffee in the lobby.
You can grab free coffee in the lobby but don’t expect it to be smooth.
I wasn’t a big fan of the omelet, but I appreciated that I could choose anything on the menu. Many hotels offer continental breakfast as the only option regardless of your hotel status, and sometimes you find out when you are seated. In addition, more often than not, continental breakfast is worse than receiving Marriott Bonvoy points at check-in. I applaud Hotel ICON for allowing Elite members to choose an item among many options.
Summary
Hotel ICON is a historic hotel located in downtown Houston. It used to be the Union National Bank of Houston, and grand columns and chandeliers in the lobby indicated its luxury days in the past. My room was decorated with drawings of longhorns, and whenever I found subtle design elements that expressed the hotel's proud Texan roots, I appreciated the hotel more and more. However, my room showed signs of age; the whirlpool in my bathroom was outdated and no longer embodied the same color it once had, and there was an old-fashioned wooden shutter that felt out of place. Moreover, the hotel needed an overall renovation to abridge the design and architectural gap. The bathroom vanity faucets were both labeled hot, and the gym's location was very confusing since you had to go through the spa to reach it. Hotel ICON is not a modern hotel, but if you appreciate history, Hotel ICON could be an exciting property for you.
