Houston’s Hotel Sorella is the total package

Houston’s Hotel Sorella is the total package

Tons of our relatives live in Texas, which means we spend hours on the road and frequently find ourselves booking a hotel in Houston. One of our new favorite places to spend a night is Hotel Sorella. The property is on the West side of Houston or what locals refer to as the Memorial area. Located in CityCentre, the hotel sits amongst trendy lofts, upscale townhouses, restaurants and retail shops with open air plazas and green space.

On a Thursday afternoon, we drove outside the Loop and easily spotted CityCenter at I-10 West and Beltway 8. The lobby is on the second floor and can be accessed by a bank of elevators or by walking up the floating staircase.

Beside the front desk is the Monnalisa Bar that overlooks the outdoor courtyard with a rooftop infinity pool surrounded by draped cabanas. Many of the staff are multi-lingual and all of them were eager to describe the hotel’s amenities. Live music plays in the bar until 10 p.m. and a complimentary Continental breakfast is served in the same space every morning.

Our junior executive suite with 520 square feet was ideal for a family (just ask the staff for a roll-away bed). The room included a king-size bed, comfy couch, small conference table, 42” television, coffee set up, and an oversized bathroom. The European-inspired guest room with dark wood floors and white linens makes for a modern, minimalist environment in which to rejuvenate. The hotel has a small work out room or the intense athlete can opt for a $10 day pass to the Lifetime Athletic Club. Our favorite perk–complimentary WiFi is offered in the guest rooms and throughout the hotel. A simple Business Center has three computers and a printer.

One reason we enjoy Hotel Sorella is there is so much to do within walking distance.  A friend, who knows my husband loves to cook, suggested we visit Olive and Vine (www.oliveandvineshop.com), which displays more than 35 olive oils and balsamic vinegars from around the world. The tasting bar allows you to dip a tiny piece of bread into a sample before making a selection. The bottles are poured and sealed on the premises. Jim and I bought Smokey Chipotle Pepper extra virgin olive oil. It will make a great marinade for grilled vegetables.

All that tasting made us thirsty. Cyclone Anaya’s Happy Hour with 10 oz. margaritas for under $5 was a budget-pleasing libation. For dinner, we ordered chicken fajitas and tacos al carbon–both dishes satisfied our Tex Mex craving.

After our meal, we stopped at SWEET for red velvet cupcakes and Harry Potter butter beer. We checked the show times at Studio Movie Grill. The latest releases were out, but our son persuaded us to see the $1 classic offering, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” He loves the film and had never seen it on a big screen. I didn’t mind watching a much younger Harrison Ford.

When the movie ended, we returned to Hotel Sorella. Our entire evening of shopping, dining and entertainment had been spent within a two-block radius of the property–now that is what I call relaxing.

Disclaimer: Thanks to our host Hotel Sorella. The hotel offers a variety of promotions online. One we especially like is for the upcoming holidays (Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas). “Stay 2 Nights and Receive the 3rd Night Free” starts at $169.00 per night.

Hotel Sorella CityCentre
800 West Sam Houston Parkway N.
Houston, TX 77024
(713) 973-1600
www.hotelsorella-citycentre.com