Houston Hotels Win Travel + Leisure’s 2024 World’s Best Awards

The annual World’s Best Awards ask Travel + Leisure readers to determine the ultimate travel experiences around the world, which include the best hotels, resorts, cities and more. The 2024 survey received more than 186,000 responses T+L readers with over 700,000 votes across 8,700 destinations and accommodations.

In T+L In the “Readers’ Top 5 Favorite Resorts in Texas for 2024” ranking, The Woodlands Resort came in at number two, and The Houstonian Hotel came in at number four.

Notable amenities that set The Woodlands Resort apart from others in Texas include its two championship golf courses, fitness center, luxurious spa, Forest Oasis pool complex and more. T+L readers also praised the resort’s family-friendly programming.

“The heart of the Woodlands Resort excitement is the Forest Oasis Waterpark, a sprawling poolside water park surrounded by three luxurious guestroom buildings with easy-access pool access, the Panther Trail™ Golf Course and the towering pines of the lush forest,” the resort’s website states. “In the fall and winter, the waterfall pool and double-helix waterslide/pool are heated to over 85 degrees, and you can relax on the pool deck with s’mores and grilled beverages.”

The lazy river meanders through the Woodlands Resort.

Photo courtesy of The Woodlands Resort

Meanwhile, The Houstonian thrives with a myriad of members and guests who take advantage of the hotel’s top-notch fitness and wellness offerings, family-oriented membership, and elite status, if you know you know. One reader praised The Houstonian as “a true oasis in the middle of the city.”

“The 27-acre complex offers easy access to Houston’s iconic Memorial Park and vibrant downtown, while still managing to feel like a well-kept secret,” the report said.

The complete list of the best Texas beach resorts, in order, is as follows:

• No. 1 – Omni PGA Frisco Resort, Frisco
• No. 2 – The Woodlands Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, The Woodlands
• No. 3 – The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas, Irving
• No. 4 – The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa, Houston
• No. 5 – Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection, Austin

Top 5 Hotels in Houston
There’s plenty of snaps and applause for the historic, luxurious Lancaster Hotel, which has been crowned Houston’s best hotel of 2024.

Every remarkable hotel in T+L The top hotel rankings are evaluated based on their rooms and facilities, location, guest services, food and overall value for money. This is the first year Lancaster has been ranked number one in the city.

Many readers appreciated the hotel’s proximity to some of Houston’s premier performance venues—Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts, Jones Hall for the Performing Arts and the Alley Theatre—as well as the hotel’s staff’s top-notch customer service and attention to detail in its decor.

“Amazing luxury hotel next to the theatre,” said one reader. “The staff were some of the best. Friendly, efficient and always willing to help.”

Guests loved the classic afternoon tea service at the Lancaster Hotel.

Photography by Teresa Rafidi

Guests also praised the Lancaster’s many amenities, including the complimentary gourmet breakfast, complimentary in-room snacks and afternoon tea service.

The Lancaster Hotel is also ranked #2 in T+L “Readers’ Top 15 Urban Hotels in the Americas for 2024.”

The full list of winning Houston hotels, in order, is as follows:

• No. 1 – Lancaster Hotel
• No. 2 – Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District
• No. 3 – Downtown Moran
• #4 – The Post Oak Hotel in Uptown Houston
• #5 – Four Seasons Hotel Houston

“For nearly three decades, our World’s Best Awards have set the standard for travel excellence, as chosen by our dedicated and discerning readers,” said Jacqui Gifford, editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisurein a statement. “The 2024 results highlight a mix of long-standing favorites and emerging destinations, reflecting the diverse interests of today’s travelers. We are excited to celebrate these exceptional places and experiences that inspire our audiences to explore the world.”