Hotel Review: Magnolia Hotel Houston, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio brand consists of boutique lifestyle hotels that focus on their individuality and reflect the surrounding community. Originating from the same team that brought the Autograph Collection brand to life, the Tribute Portfolio feels similar to Autograph Collection hotels. I’ve only stayed at one Tribute Portfolio hotel, Le Dokhan’s in Paris, France, which was fabulous. Recently, I had to spend a night in Houston, TX, and found Magnolia Hotel Houston, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel, in downtown Houston. I was immediately intrigued due to my positive experience in Paris and booked the hotel. However, my lodging experience at the Magnolia Hotel was disappointing, and the absence of individuality made me question the hotel’s brand identity as a Tribute Portfolio hotel. Here is my review of Magnolia Hotel Houston, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel:

• What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?

• Lobby & Check-In Review

• Bedroom Review

• Bathroom Review

• Gym & Pool Review

• Breakfast Review—Magnolia Lounge

• Summary

The Magnolia Hotel is located at 1100 Texas Ave, 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 currently offers a sign-up bonus of 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. 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 Marriott 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=cp19&mpt=v0

If you are looking for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card with a low annual fee, consider the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of five Free Night Awards after spending $5,000 in three months, each covering up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. I personally value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each, making the 250,000 points offer worth $2,000. This is the highest sign-up bonus we’ve seen for the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, and I highly recommend grabbing the card if you are under Chase 5/24. The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card earns 6X points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases every year on dining, grocery stores, and gas stations, and 2X points on all other purchases.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card’s annual fee is $95, and it offers useful perks to offset the cost:

• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem

• 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 (this cannot be combined with 15 Elite Night Credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card above)

Be aware that 15 elite night credits from the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card can’t be combined with 15 elite night credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.

Please note that you can only earn 15 elite night credits from a personal credit card and the other 15 elite night credits from a business credit card. Thus, if you own both AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, you would only earn 15 elite night credits.

If you’d like to apply for the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless 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!   https://www.referyourchasecard.com/252f/QJPU5UFB4R

The last Marriott Bonvoy credit card you could use would be the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. 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 Marriott Bonvoy Business card’s annual fee is $125, and it offers valuable 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/EDWARSN1lx?xl=cp19&mpt=v0

Lobby & Check-In Review

Because I had to leave early in the morning, I parked across from the hotel and used a parking meter to avoid paying $39 per night for valet parking. Upon entering the hotel, a beautiful magnolia patterned carpet was at the center of the lobby, and the open ceiling added another dimension to the reception area.

By opening up the ceiling, the lobby became bright and airy.

The lobby had many seating arrangements—from leather couches to velvet lounge chairs.

Don’t feel guilty taking up this caramel-colored couch by yourself because the lobby was full of other seating options.

I appreciated that each chair had a small side table next to it in case you needed to work or have a cup of coffee with you.

The dark gray velvet lounge chairs matched the Magnolia carpet in the lobby.

My favorite was a nook with a beautiful, glossy black marble table. While it felt out of sync with other interior design elements in the lobby, I ended up using the space to crank out a few emails after checking in.

Contemporary design elements of this nook matched my expectation of a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.

Tucked away from the check-in area, I found a collection of memorabilia from when the building used to be the Houston Post-Dispatch Building.

It would’ve been helpful if the hotel included a physical plaque, describing how the wooden table was utilized in the past.

It was neat to repurpose a historic building, but I wish there were more context or even a physical plaque describing the glorious days of the building. After browning more historic photos, I checked in, and the front desk agent was friendly and cheerful.

The check-in process was seamless, and the front desk agent kindly explained breakfast perks and gym hours in detail.

Although I stayed for one night and check in on a Tuesday night, I wasn’t upgraded even with my Titanium Elite status. I put aside my dispondency and went up to the 13th floor, where my room was located. 

I love interesting sculptures and artwork in the lobby, and I wish the hotel at least provided a name of the artist.

Bedroom Review

The first impression of the bedroom was “transitory”; some parts of the room were updated and renovated, but some antiquated design and tech elements were still present.

The headboard and accent wall behind added layers of dynamism to the bedroom.

The mattress was quite rigid, but the pillows were voluminous and plushy. The bed had a cognac-colored, faux leather headboard that spanned across the wall. Bedside lamps and charging ports for electric devices were seamlessly incorporated into the headboard, and the gray wall in the back contrasted nicely with the headboard’s color.

When bedside lamps are fully integrated to a headboard, the room becomes more minimalistic and aesthetically coherent.

However, across from the bed, the room quickly became antiquated. The work desk and media console showed age, especially the TV. I rarely watch TV when I stay at hotels, but I believe all boutique hotels should have smart TVs.

The media console detracted the vibrancy from the bed.

The work chair was stained, and the media console and work desk had scuff marks all over them.

The framed art piece on the wall didn’t add much value to the room. Why not have something more Texan or related to the building’s history?

The mini-fridge and a generic coffee maker were tucked away on the way to the bathroom. I opened the mini-fridge to store my water bottle, but it was broken.

The artwork could’ve been a connecting point between guests and the hotel.

I could’ve called the front desk to replace the fridge, but since it was a short overnight stay, I didn’t bother with it. It was such a letdown since I had high hopes for the hotel. As a Tribute Portfolio property, the Magnolia Hotel must captivate its audience with vibrant design elements that serve as connecting points between guests and local communities. I sadly didn’t experience that with my room and moved onto the bathroom, hoping for a different case.

Bathroom Review

The bathroom featured a single sink granite vanity, and extra light bars embedded in the vanity mirror provided an extra layer of light, brightening the room.

The sink was on the smaller side, but I appreciated how bright the bathroom was.

The step-in shower had a standard showerhead, and unfortunately, the water pressure was really weak.

The weak water pressure significantly diminish the shower experience.

The shower was equipped with communal toiletries from Lather, and the conditioner’s dispenser was broken. I soon realized that the bathroom featured a jumble of different toiletry brands - Pure by Gloss, Archive, and Lather- none of which were outstanding.

The conditioner bottler’s dispenser was damaged, and I wasn’t able to use it.

Because the Magnolia Hotel was part of the Tribute Portfolio brand, I was hoping that the hotel would partner with a local Houston or even Texan brand to highlight the surrounding community.  I don’t think having a hodgepodge selection of toiletry matches the hotel’s boutique brand identity, and my experience can certainly attest to that sentiment.

A hodgepodge of toiletry products usually fails to deliver a meaningful lodging experience.

Gym & Pool Review

The gym and pool deck were located on the hotel's highest floor. Not only was the gym small in size, but also it was bare in terms of a variety of equipment. There was only a handful of treadmills and other cardio machines, and while they were completely functional, they were outmoded. Moreover, the fitness center had dividers that didn’t seem to serve any purpose, and they wasted valuable real estate on the floor. 

The fitness center had dividers that only hindered the gym from fully utilizing its scarce real estate.

The gym had two adjustable benches and a standard set of dumbbells. The entire gym was padded, which protected the floor from strength training.

At least there were two benches so you wouldn’t have to wait for another guest to finish his or her workout.

The only other strength equipment was an all-in-one machine that was placed too close to an elliptical.

If the hotel were to increase its investment towards the gym, additional workout instruments could boost the overall gym experience.

Lastly, the fitness center had gym balls and medicine balls for full body exercises. I appreciated that there was a dedicated area for full body workouts, but the fitness center didn’t impress me with the bare minimum of dated gym equipment.

Medicine balls are versatile and portable tools that could be used for various full body workout routines.

Setting aside disappointment, I walked outside to check out the rooftop pool. Since the hotel was in Houston, the pool wasn’t heated and was embarrassingly small. I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable if I had to share the pool with another party.

The rooftop pool could’ve been the highlight of the property, but it only deepened my disappointment with the hotel.

The rooftop featured a hot tub adjacent to the pool, but unfortunately, it was under maintenance.

I hope the hotel would repair the hot tub soon so guests could unwind while enjoying the sunset.

The view from the top was decent, but the rooftop pool didn’t come with abundant seating options for guests to take advantage of the view. There were two small coffee tables with chairs, it certainly wasn’t enough for the hotel should more than four guests want to relish the view.

You can see the Harris County Courthouse from the hotel rooftop.

The “poolside cabanas” were desperate for outdoor cushions, and there was no sign of spare towels to be found anywhere by the pool. Moreover, because the pool was only accessible through the gym, I could imagine guests leaving a trail of water all over the gym as they exited the pool.

The “poolside cabanas” could benefit from renovation. Perhaps, the hotel could build a mini-bar here?

Needless to say, both the pool and the gym were dreadful and were as generic as they could be. The fitness center reminded me of the gym at Courtyard San Antonio Riverwalk, which was void of any individuality. The Tribute Portfolio brand should be full of character, and the Magnolia Hotel represented exactly the opposite of its brand values. 

Breakfast Review—Magnolia Lounge

The breakfast was served on the second floor at the Magnolia Lounge from 7 AM to 11 AM daily. The space was nicely curated, and its generous floor plan could accommodate many guests at once.

Whether you dine by yourself or with a group of friends, the Magnolia Lounge has you covered.

The Magnolia Lounge offered ample seating for those dining in a group, and these long couches would be perfect for large groups to converse over drinks.

Adding colors to the mix created a more inviting and welcoming dining atmosphere.

My breakfast was covered with my Titanium Elite status. The breakfast menu didn’t have anything extraordinary, so I reluctantly ordered Breakfast Tacos and a cup of coffee.

As a Titanium Elite, I could choose any entrée for free!

Even though I was the only guest at the moment, it took more than 20 minutes for my dish to come out. The “tacos” were rolled and grilled, and they were greasy and lukewarm inside. The best part of the dish was the previously frozen diced hash browns.

My “tacos” were comparable to mini breakfast burritos.

I asked for a check after eating only half of my dish. Even though I was the only one dining on the entire floor, it took the waitress more than 15 minutes to deliver the check. As I was leaving the restaurant, I saw a flood of guests, and I felt terrible for them because I could imagine the catastrophic dining experiences they would undergo.

Summary

I really wanted to like Magnolia Hotel Houston, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel. It was my second time staying at a Tribute Portfolio property, and I expected to enjoy a boutique lodging experience accompanied by strong branding moments. Unfortunately, my stay was far from my desire. Despite being a historic building, the hotel failed to connect the dots, and my room tried to marry traditional and modern design elements but failed miserably. The pool reminded me of a budget hotel, and the breakfast service at the Magnolia Lounge was slow and dreadful. A Tribute Portfolio hotel should be full of character and embody its brand identity as a lifestyle hotel. The Magnolia Hotel regrettably failed to represent its brand motto, and I don’t recommend this hotel to anyone visiting downtown Houston.