Hotel ICON, Autograph Collection

First time, I’ve booked a room, didn’t spend the night, but walked away very happy!
So my fiancée and I were looking for a space to take some engagement photos. We took our original pictures in Paris for our save the dates, so those are going to be remarkable, but we booked a wedding package and it came with an additional engagement shoot. Since, we already paid for it we wanted to take advantage of it. We should have taken these in the spring, but we were busy, so now it’s summer and only a few months out before our actual wedding, so we did NOT want an outdoor shoot. I had scouted some other hotels in town, but my fiancée found this one to be most like her style.
I called ahead of time and spoke to Hazel. She was wonderful and set the expectations ahead of time for me. We planned our visit to be on a Wednesday afternoon. Hoping for the least amount of guests. We took pictures around the lobby and some of the other areas around the hotel to take advantage of beautiful décor. After our pictures, we did take time to relax in the room for a little bit, but it didn’t make sense for us to stay the actual night. So we checked out early, but I was thoroughly with Hotel ICON from start to finish. Everyone was super friendly and the service was impeccable. Also, their complimentary lemonade in the lobby is delicious!

What a very beautiful hotel for a nice price. It is a 1911 bank that was turned into a nice hotel. The staff was very polite and very helpful. I will return to stay!!!

I really enjoyed my stay at this hotel over the holidays. The suite with the spa tub is a must and don’t forget to check out the gym. The service for the most part was above and beyond. The room service food was good too. They even were nice enough to let us have French Toast after breakfast time. Although one time they only gave us two pieces of toast and not four and we starved that night :(. However, the Mercedes van they have to dive you around town is pretty cool.

I stay here everytime I go to an event at the Toyota center. Very nice boutique hotel. I love the bar area. Very relaxing and I love the Texas décor. They still have the bank vault door from 1911 when the original building was built. Rooms are comfy and the bathroom is well stocked w towels and toiletries. I’ll be back soon

Beautiful hotel and restaurant with excellent service and staff. I will definitely be back! The rooms are decorated beautifully with the latest top amenities.
Jetted tub and spa like shower were incredible. The fitness center downstairs was star of the art. The bar at night in the stunning lobby area was perfect for entertaining guest or relaxing while watching a game. Every member of staff from the garage, front desk, room service, housekeeping, bartender and wait staff were the most kind, professional staff I’ve encountered. The design of the hotel takes you back to luxury enjoyed by the elite in the 1920’s. Absolute perfection.

I really wanted to like this hotel better. I have stayed at other Marriott Autograph Collection hotels. Some of them I have loved (The Algonquin is my fave) but others are a bit of a miss, including this one. They clearly did a beautiful update to the hotel not too long ago but it is already beginning to show signs of age. For example the wallpaper is beginning to peel in the otherwise very nice bathroom with an over-​sized tub.
The service is also not quite where it should be for a hotel at this price point. I have stayed at the JW Marriott down the street and it is a similar price point and far superior service.
Overall it is OK and could be great if they polished up their game it really is a beautiful old building.

I stayed at the Hotel Icon for one night on Saturday, March 27^th for my bachelorette weekend. I arrived at the hotel around 3:00 (before anyone else in my group) and got the keys to both hotels. The bellhop was wonderful, and everything looked nice at first.
Then, when one of my guests (in room 1002) was taking a shower, the entire bathroom floor flooded with water at no fault of her own. Then, the maintenance crew came up and cleaned it and inspected it and brushed off the issue as «our fault» and told me that they «should charge me for it, but won’t». Needless to say, we were all too weary to use the shower in that room so everyone showered in the other room I booked (1004).
Then, we ordered a cheese plate and a diet coke from room service. The cheese plate was terrible and smelled horrendous. I am an avid cheese and wine lover, but this was a sad excuse for an «artisan cheese plate» and was more like something that was thrown together. The grapes were half soft like they were past their prime and the pita bread was hard as a rock.
Then, we went out for a bit and came back for our dinner reservations at Line and Lariat. The entire restaurant was dead and we ended up being the only diners for a good bit — yet our food still came out after waiting over 45 minutes and everything was overcooked. The flat breads were burnt, my filet was VERY well done and I asked for a medium steak, and the overall meal was a swing and a miss. I was extremely disappointed not only in the food, but in the time it took for it to get to our table. It would be different if the restaurant was busy, but we were literally the only table in the place and it still took forever and then everything came out EXTRA burnt and well done! (Though, I must compliment the cheese risotto — that was very good).
Finally, the next day when we are trying to leave, we find that there are extra cars parked under my room’s tab that were not part of our group. THEN the valet tried to charge me another $ 31 for a car and said I could only pay cash for it… I was immediately skeptical because of the overage of cars already, and the desire to get paid in cash only — so I asked for a manager. He claimed to have spoken to me the night prior, but I had not spoken with him about the number of cars on my account. Then he tried to give us the keys to a Ford Explorer that wasn’t ours!
Overall, especially considering the amount of money spent, I was disappointed in not only Hotel Icon, but Line and Lariat as well. I will likely never stay there again, nor will I recommend it to anyone I know. You really need to step up your game and teach your employees how to properly treat guests. The front desk staff were nice, as was the waiter, but other than that — everyone else was extremely rude.

I cannot began to say enough nice things about his place. I just want you Hotel Icon to know that your staff made my stay.
I requested and early check in through my reservation as well as o the phone 3 weeks prior. I was greeted by Travis. Travis must be CEO of hospitality because he made me feel important as soon as I walked through the door. I live in Houston but travel alot for busines. I have been to one of the most prestige hotels in America however the customer service or should I say the VIP service here was unmatched.
Most importantly I was VIP the moment I walked in and not just another customer who needed a nights stay. My friends were impressed. The bell hop was great as well. I don’t remember his name but he was a tall mocha skin completed man with a very nice smile and accent. He was very helpful he waited for me and all my bags and gave me history about the hotel on my way up to the penthouse floor.
Everyone was so helpful but most of all I will never forget Travis, he needs a promotion or maybe you guys (Hotel Icon) could get suggestions from him on how guest should be treated.
I will do a staycation here very soon.
Thank you Travis for making my stay

Very nice hotel, real old style I would put it in the 1920s to 1930s. I think my favorite part of my room was the shower it was huge. Bed was comfortable, Bell hops were helpful, front desk people were nice, and valets didn’t take anything from my car. I will say valet is 30 bucks but whatever… hotels downtown I’d rather pay 30 bucks and spend 15 20 minutes looking for a place to park. Other than that didn’t spend much time in the hotel just checked in and went to a show and went out and partied got thowed, came back to hotel slept, woke up and went home.

So swanky! I love that Marriott now has a few boutique hotels. I’ve stayed at 3 of them. They are all very nice and have a very different feel from their standard hotels.
What I loved about this hotel. The staff was so nice and attentive. The room was spectacular, an awesome tub with a window into the room. Honestly, the whole bathroom was stunning. Oh yeah the food! I got in a bit late and decided to stay at the hotel. I got ceviche and a martini at the bar. Both were fabulous.
Enough of my gushing, beautiful hotel, you should stay here. :)

I stayed here with my girlfriend from November 24^th through November 29^th. We both loved the place. As some other reviewers have said, the shower head (and overall the entire bathroom) is amazing. The bathtub was pretty nice too.
The bedroom had two sofas and a chair, both really comfortable as well as the bed. There is a coffee maker and a mini fridge too which was nice. The décor was pleasant.
We stayed on the tenth floor and we never heard even one sound from outside, sleep quality was great.
The location is pretty good with several restaurants, bars and parks within walking distance (I recommend Batanga and the Honeymoon Café right across the street). There is also a metro train station two blocks down in case you want to visit the Museum District or the zoo.

What a beautiful hotel! My husband and I stayed here last night, and we had a really lovely time. The building is an old bank that was built in 1911, and I hear it was recently remodeled. Good job, remodelers! The place looks amazing.
Our room was very spacious, and the bathroom was superior to any of the historic hotels I have ever been to. I am really sad I didn’t have time to soak in the jacuzzi tub, but the standup shower was great. Our bed was firm and very comfy.
I wish I believed in ghosts because this place would definitely spook me if I did, and that would have been fun. It is beautifully haunting. I was on one of the upper floors too, which is rumored to be where the majority of the paranormal activity occurs. Oh well.
Some reviewers are not so enchanted by the history, and that’s a shame. If you don’t care for older hotels there are plenty of other options out there for you in the world. For the rest of you, trust me, you’re going to love Hotel Icon. Don’t forget to grab a drink at La Carafe just down the street when you stay here.

This is a beautiful, recently updated hotel. Location is the best you can get for downtown Houston, in an area walking distance from Market square park, bars and restaurants.
The service is pitiful. They have obviously hired individuals with little experience in the hospitality industry, what you would expect at a roadside Holiday Inn. The attitude I saw from the front desk was apathetic and unprofessional every time I interacted with them.
The room itself was nice, with the exception of a non-​functioning TV (which they had little interest in trying to fix) and a complete lack of mini-​bar (really?).
While I think this is a great area to stay, they have under valued what service means to a customer and I would not recommend this hotel.

So my honey & I are currently staying at the Icon right now. We arrived yesterday & we leave Sunday. We booked at ICON because of all the great things we hear. Ohh & I love that the bathtub opens up to the room. Honestly, I love love it so far. Travis in guest relations is so awesome! Very welcoming. We feel at home. The only problems so far though are, #1 last night we wanted to eat at the resturant down stairs. We stood at the podium and waitws. We looked around for any servers managers. The bar was full on busy with 1 bartender. We thought maybe if we just take a seat someone will serve us. That didnt happen. Thankfully 2 seats opened up for us at the bar. We wanted to dine but at that point I just wanted some food. Please not though that the food was amazing. I had the fish tacos. Super bomb. But could use some heat. My honey had the blue pig. He loved it.
We also had a problem with our jetted tub which was a mood kill since we had already added bubbles, got naked & lit candles. But
. They fixed it. This morning we ordered breakfast to the room. It was moderately good. I guess you could say its a good stay. We love the décor. & the floor staff is so sweet.

This hotel is old. If you like the vintage experience, then you will find it more charming than I did. I like modern hotels or give me a nice renovated one. Sadly Icon is full of worn and frayed edges.
Staff is very nice though. Restaurant food is lacking so do yourself some love and head across the street to The Honeymoon Café if you want a bite to eat or drink.

I am absolutely BLOWN AWAY by Hotel ICON. My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon, and I couldn’t begin to describe how perfect everything was! To start off, we didn’t check into the hotel till past midnight (which we had called ahead), and they patiently waited for us and allowed us to get into our room late. We were greeted with a chilled bottle of wine, and an INCREDIBLE room. The bedroom is extremely spacious, and I love the entire vibe and décor of the hotel. Very 40’s inspired with lots of pretty colors and patterns. We stayed in a king deluxe city view room on the ninth floor. The room had a HUGE bathroom with a window opening to the room, large shower, big mirrors, and a jetted tub. They also provided us with extra towels and some comfy bathrobes. The room was very spacious with the SOFTEST bed. It also had a nice sized tv, good closet, bar stocked with a Keuring and water, a mini-​fridge, a desk, free WIFI, and even a safe in the closet.
Everyone at the hotel was so kind. From the valet guys ($ 29 for overnight, NOT BAD) to the check-​in attendants, room service, and Line & Lariat waiters, we were treated so kindly. We ordered room service one night (drinks and desserts), and it was up to our room within 15 minutes. The hotel is extremely clean, and it felt as though our room was brand new. I requested extra towels and high floor (for the view), which they kindly provided us with both! The hotel is right in the middle of downtown, so it’s surrounded by some awesome bars and restaurants. It’s also just a short drive away from some of the best Houston locations.
I can’t quite explain enough how much we loved our stay. We will DEFINITELY be coming back. This place was gorgeous, from the cleanliness, décor, style, and everything in between. I honestly don’t have one complaint.

I was able to take a glorious, bubbled to the brim bath without California drought guilt AND watch TV at the same time! The «jetted tub, 1 king, city view room» clearly warrants a 5-​star review.
How was I able to watch TV while in the bathtub without getting electrocuted, you ask? Because there’s a French-​door-​like window set up just above the tub that opens into the room. You can close it for privacy or do just as I did and draw yourself a bath after a hot, humid day walking around Houston and treat yourself to a tub and a tube sesh!
The bed was super comfortable, the temp of the room just right, pump dispenser shower products set up (I have thing for those), and some serious dedicated real estate for bathroom counter space. The shampoo and conditioner weren’t particularly effective, but the shower gel and lotion were nice.
Staying in Downtown has its perks, as there are a ton of places to eat/​drink/​entertain yourself walking distance from the hotel steps.

Nice historic hotel that used to be a bank. Pretty good location. The rooms were nice and very comfortable. Heard rumblings about the upper floors being haunted…

PROS:
Great hotel
Great suites (Cipriani)
The management is excellent, upgraded my room for a fee, and handled any problems I had.
Clean rooms, great housekeeping
Espresso machine in my room
Awesome views
Fast WIFI
Easy access to downtown
Great historical feel to it
Non Busy /​Quiet
Cool Bar/​Bartenders
Awesome bathrooms
CONS:
Parking is $ 29 a night which sucks.
Hardest hotel to get to, if you have nothing to do downtown don’t stay.
Floors smell of mold, but adds to the historical effect
One hotel key didn’t work for an elevator
DO NOT EAT AT THE RESTAURANT (worst service, forgot an entrée, food was crap for the price and only 2 waiters on a Mothers day service)
If your downtown and want a cool experience of a historical feel and easy access to downtown establishments, this is a cool choice.

It saddens me to write such a poor review for this hotel. Hotel ICON definitely has all the tools it needs to be a high-​end hotel that it was intended to be: location, charm, looks. However, hotel ICON definitely failed to live up to my expectations (and really, I don’t have a very high expectation).
To start off, I obviously live in Houston. My staying at the hotel was really a decision to splurge and to treat myself because my friend was getting married and this hotel was where all the out-​of-​towners were staying. Therefore, he had a special rate going on for the hotel and I was able to stay here at more than half the going rate at the time. To stay two nights obviously still cost me a good amount of money since I could just stay home for free. But I wanted to see what Hotel Icon had to offer and plus, I’m a Marriott fan (yes, hotel ICON is part of the Marriott chain — category SEVEN!)
I arrived Friday night and the only available parking is valet parking at $ 29 + tax per night. If you’re staying Saturday night, you have the option to park on the street for free since the meters aren’t applicable Saturday night and on Sundays. Other than that, you’re SOL and valet is your only option.
Check in process was quick and breezy. I checked in through the Marriott app so they had already had my CC information on file. All they needed from me during check in was my ID. I was given a corner room on the 9^th floor. Sweet! I proceeded toward the elevators to see that they only had two to serve all 12 floors (plus lower level) and there are no indicators outside to show where the elevators are at any given point. So waiting for an elevator could actually take a while. If I weren’t staying up on the 9^th, I probably would have opted to take the stairs.
So I finally got to my room and I was in awe with the décor. The bed was firm but comfortable, the bathroom was huge — no bathtub in my room, but there’s a rainfall shower head and a regular shower head in the huge walk-​in shower. There’s a Keurig coffee machine and internet was surprisingly free. However, there the room felt kind of warm so I checked the thermostat and it was set at 75. Weird, at home when i set my thermostat to 75, I never feel warm. So I set the thermostat down to 58 to cool it down fast.
Since I had wedding stuff to do, I had to leave the hotel. I text the valet to retrieve my car and I got a respond pretty quickly saying that it would take at least six minutes for my car. I came to learn that the respond really doesn’t mean anything because sometimes it would take upward to 15 minutes to get my car even when it was supposed to be six minutes. Sometimes I didn’t get a notification at all because I guess they didn’t check their text messages? It’s faster to just give your ticket to the valet guy downstairs. Just poor execution.
When I came back to my room later that night, my rooms was still warm. The A/​C was still not working. But I was dead tired and when I laid my head to rest a little bit before going down to the receptionist desk, I fell asleep. I woke up the next morning with sweat dripping down my face, so I went down to notify them of the problem and I was ensured that someone was going to fix it. Well, Saturday was an all day wedding event for me so I didn’t come back to the hotel room until around midnight. And guess what? STILL WARM! I went back down to the receptionist and they immediately sent someone named Fred up to my room. He told me that he had reset the system for my room and it should be cooling soon. Again, I set the thermostat down to 58 in hope that it would freeze the room quickly so I can sleep in comfort. No dice! My room did cool down a little bit, but not to the level I wanted it to be. Just all around disappointing.
Fred did ask me if he could offer me free breakfast in the morning for my inconvenience. I appreciate the gesture, but paying what I was paying to stay here, I didn’t want a free breakfast. I wanted comfort. I wanted my money worth. If I had paid the full going rate at this hotel, I would have gone FULL BEAST MODE. The least they could have offered me was a different room, or even upgraded me to a mini suite or something, AND then offer me breakfast. In the end, I refused the breakfast offer since I was going to be leaving the hotel early morning and would have no use for the free breakfast anyway.
The next day, I woke up with some sweats on my body. I packed, I text to retrieve my car. Got my notification that my car would be ready in 5 minutes. I went down and waited and of course it didn’t show up until 15 minutes after I started waiting. I hopped in my car and drove away from the disappointment that is hotel ICON. I had a better stay at a Comfort Inn in Austin at a much cheaper rate. I should have kept my money and stayed home.
P. S. If any of the Marriott or hotel Icon management happens to read this review. The room in question is room 917. FIX THE A/​C

Despite a couple of not so great first impressions (see below for details on those**), I kept an open mind and ended up having a very pleasant experience during my two nights /​three days at the Hotel ICON.
The central downtown location of this newly renovated hotel worked was super convenient… and the hotel itself is charming, spacious and clean. The bathroom in my double room was one of the biggest I’ve had in any hotel ever, and who doesn’t love a huge full length mirror as well?
The set-​up of the room itself was great. There was a well-​lit desk, free wifi that worked, a comfy chair, and plenty of space to leave my suitcase. The thermostat was spot-​on too… (you’d be surprised how often I stay at hotels and am challenged to get the temperature just right). The hotel lobby is charming and while the fitness room is in the lower lobby and seems a bit like you’re in a dungeon, it has clean efficient equipment to get your work-​out in during your stay.
Good thing about the work-​out room because after dining at the L&L Bar on my second night, I had to work off some of the calories consumed from my delicious cheeseburger and sweet potato fries (washed down with a glass of wine)… it was totally worth it!
Room service for breakfast on day 1 was also delightful… the oatmeal was delivered quickly and served with all of the accompaniments one may desire (fresh berries, granola, brown sugar, butter, and raisins).
One thing that I would have liked was a robe in the room — I love robes! Other than that, and my first interactions, this place really is awesome.
**I almost had to cancel my trip several days before, but the hotel had already charged my card and after 40 minutes on the phone with customer service, they still wouldn’t budge… Good thing I was still able to go or that would have been $ 600 down the drain.
**When I arrived, there was only one person working the check-​in area… there was a line of about 6 others waiting to check-​in with no acknowledgement or welcome. Luckily, the woman working powered through, and just as I approached the front of the line, someone else came to help her out.
All of that being said, I’d totally stay here again… and score on the Marriott points!

This is my fisrt time here and I think the place looks great. I like the historical details left behind.
We had dinner at the place in the lobby. The food is however not very impressive. I got red snapper. It was breaded and fried up. There is also some very sweet jam on top. I feel it is a waste of the fish. Plus, the piece I got is tiny, maybe 4 oz at the most. I will recommend eating somewhere else. The stay is OK.