Red Room Chronicles

Identifying Information
Marriott Brand: Residence Inn
Location: Houston, TX
Property Web Page: Residence Inn Houston West Energy Corridor

Critique of the Property
Common Areas: A new approach for the Residence Inn brand. Built like a mini version of the standard Marriott brand hotels with brick facade and six stories. Large, open lobby with a stone floor. Adjacent breakfast area and meeting rooms. Small but serviceable exercise room. Small courtyard that contains a pool and jacuzzi.

Guest Rooms: Stayed in a one bedroom suite with kitchenette. Pretty standard for Residence Inn, except for wood floor in kitchen and marble vanity on the bathroom sink. Kitchen outfitted with dishwasher, refrigerator, two burner electric stove and microwave oven.

Other Amenities: Wired internet access in included with the cost of the room.

Things To Watch Out For: Ground floor rooms facing the parking lot are undesirable. The breakfast area gets really crowded after 8AM.

Staff: Very helpful and friendly front desk staff.

What’s Nearby?
The hotel is located very close to Conoco Philips and Citgo corporate headquarters. I-10 entrance is about a mile north of the hotel. Large shopping area about half a mile south includes fast food and supermarkets.

Restaurants: A number of small restaurants around the hotel, including a Kabob restaurant adjacent to the hotel. The area is a developing one so more amenities should be available locally in a few months time.

Other Marriotts: None
Other Hotels: Staybridge Suites

Tags: Marriott, Residence Inn

The Residence Inn Houston West/Energy Corridor is a brand spankin new hotel. In fact, the place has only been open for five days so I’m the first person to stay in my room!

As a veteran of Residence Inn’s I’ve come to expect certain things from this segment of the Marriott Brand. One of those things has been a style of building that involved walking up stairs and having doors that open to the outside. Thankfully, the newer design is more like a regular hotel but with all of the Residence Inn style amenities like kitchens, separate bedrooms and included breakfast.

Even better, I was able to score my room for $66 a night on the AAA rate. So far this is a good deal that’s only about ten minutes away from where I usually stay. My first full hotel review in a while is sure to follow.

Tags: Marriott, Residence Inn