Need hotel advice for Houston port over XMAS break

We are a family of 4 with two teens. We've never been to the Houston area. We arrive the night before the cruise, so just need somewhere that night which is convenient transportation-wise for the Houston airport and for our Princess cruise the following day.

After the cruise, we'll have a few nights (between XMAS and New Years). Happy to rent a vehicle if needed.

Can someone please guide us in the right direction for hotels for before and after the cruise? We like hotels in the class of Hampton Inn or Embassy Suites. Also, if there are particular car rental companies you suggest after we disembark, we'd be much appreciative.

Thanks!!

I think we are going to need a bit more information to go on, first which airport are you flying into? Houston has 2 major airports, Bush / IAH on the north side and the older/ smaller Hobby / HOU on the south side. Assuming you are cruising out of the Houston cruise terminal in Laporte and not out of Galveston since you say cruising out of Houston the distance from Bush / IAH to the Houston cruise terminal is about 45 miles, and the distance from Hobby is about 20 miles. If you are flying into IAH and doing a cruise line transfer from the airport the next day then my suggestion is the Holiday Inn at the intersection of JFK and Sam Houston / Beltway 8, as unlike most of the other airport hotels it has a reasonably good restaurant on site (steakhouse style, that also serves full breakfast). It is a large older Holiday Inn, but well maintained, I have been staying there once every 2 or 3 years for the last dozen years or so when I attend a certification update seminar that is held annually in one of their meeting rooms. If you plan to stay closer to the cruise terminal I would suggest any of the hotels in the Kemah area (most are within walking distance of the Kemah boardwalk entertainment area) about 10 miles south of the port, or alternative just across the bridge in Seabrook a little closer to the port. The only down side to the Seabrook motel options is they tend to be more spread out with few dining or entertainment options within walking distance, the better ones will tend to be along NASA Rd 1 / NASA Blvd..

IF you are flying into Houston Hobby (HOU), I can tell you what we did when we did a Princess cruise last Christmas with our family.

Like you, we flew into Houston just the night before our cruise, so there wasn't any need to look for a hotel close to any attractions. We stayed at the SpringHill Suites Houston Hobby Airport. (I'm a big fan of the SpringHill Suites chain and the Hobby Airport hotel did not disappoint.) They have suites with 2 double beds and a sofa bed, so that should be enough beds for your family. They have a free shuttle service from the airport to the hotel. (I don't know if they still do it, but last year they would also shuttle you for free to any location within 5 miles of the hotel, so you could go to restaurants, Walmart, etc.) There's only a few places to eat within walking distance of the hotel, but we went to Taco Cabana which we always enjoy.

The next morning, after a good breakfast at the hotel, we booked a taxi with Pasadena Taxi (which had been recommended here on Cruise Critic) and they did a great job taking us to Bayport. (Since we were traveling with 4 adults and luggage, we asked them to send a vehicle large enough for us, which they did.) The fare on a Sunday morning was about $50 + tip.

I was advised not to stay at the Holiday Inn (someone told me area was not safe...input?).

Other suggestions?

Thanks!!

Was this the Holiday Inn at JFK and Sam Houston Parkway /Beltway 8? As I mentioned above I have stayed their 5 or 6 times over the last dozen years attending the certification update held in one of their meeting rooms, plus another 4 or 5 times on other business in the area over the years and have never had any safety concern there. Like with all such location there is potential for isolated incidents. I can see how some people may be concerned about being in the back parking lot at night as it is surrounded by a wooded area and not particularly well lit, but this should not be a concern if you are arriving by shuttle bus (it is a modern all interior corridor hotel). The surrounding area is mostly corporate office complexes, so not a bad area.

I was advised not to stay at the Holiday Inn (someone told me area was not safe...input?).

 

Other suggestions?

 

Thanks!!

Who told you that? It's simply not true. (FWIW, I have relatives who live in Houston and they would have told me if this were a dangerous area.)

The area around Hobby Airport is not River Oaks (the ritzy part of Houston), but you'll be perfectly safe there for the one night before your cruise. (Note: the SpringHill Suites where we stayed is just down the street from the Holiday Inn and I had no qualms about staying there.)

We are not flying in and out of Hobby. For now, I've tentatively booked near Kemah and will figure out if we'll stay there. :)

Thanks!!

Which place near Kemah have you found, I might be able to give advice on nearby dining, etc. I know the area fairly well, up until a couple of years ago I had business that took me there 4 or 5 times per year.

Stay in touch with your Cruise Critic friends. I will be reading along, and add anything I can think of. Kemah will be very nice. Keep researching. I like your comments, GradUT, but this family seems to be coming in at IAH. Still good to hear about the Hobby area.

We are doing a similar fly into IAH and taking a Christmas Princess the next day trip. We opted for the Marriott by the airport. It has a train that takes you to the hotel from the airport and then we can hop back on the next day to go back to the airport to catch the Princess transfer to the port. I will say that I have not stayed at this hotel previously, it just seemed the most convienent solution for our group. Hope this helps! :)

We are doing a similar fly into IAH and taking a Christmas Princess the next day trip. We opted for the Marriott by the airport. It has a train that takes you to the hotel from the airport and then we can hop back on the next day to go back to the airport to catch the Princess transfer to the port. I will say that I have not stayed at this hotel previously, it just seemed the most convienent solution for our group. Hope this helps! :)

Sounds like a good plan (and a wonderful holiday!)

Good idea re. Marriott and transfers. We get in to IAH in the evening before the cruise, so this option made sense.

Are you on the Caribbean Princess on the 20th?

:)

Yes we are! 43 days and counting!! :)

Glad I could help :)

Seems like a nice bunch. :)

We are a family of 4 with two teens. We've never been to the Houston area. We arrive the night before the cruise, so just need somewhere that night which is convenient transportation-wise for the Houston airport and for our Princess cruise the following day.

 

After the cruise, we'll have a few nights (between XMAS and New Years). Happy to rent a vehicle if needed.

 

Can someone please guide us in the right direction for hotels for before and after the cruise? We like hotels in the class of Hampton Inn or Embassy Suites. Also, if there are particular car rental companies you suggest after we disembark, we'd be much appreciative.

 

Thanks!!

If you're going to be in town for New Year's Eve, the downtown party sponsored by the mayor's office is free and has the B-52's playing live. http://www.houstontx.gov/nye/index.html

As for where to stay, try looking in Webster, Seabrook, and Kemah if you're going out of the port of Houston. Post-cruise you'll find more stuff to do around the Galleria.