The 15 Best City Hotels in Texas, According to Travel + Leisure Readers

It’s cliche but true: Everything really is bigger in Texas, including some great, big, stylish, and enormously luxurious hotels that are waiting to welcome you. And while there’s plenty of land to roam in Texas — 268,597 square miles, to be exact — its cities are cultural hubs that should not be missed. That includes Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and the state’s capital, Austin, where you’ll find world-class dining, festivals, and artistic talent that will leave you in awe by the time you depart. Better yet, examples of all of this can be found inside those very same larger-than-life hotels.

How Voting Works

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Over 186,000 T+L readers completed the 2024 survey. A total of more than 700,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:

• Rooms/facilities
• Location
• Service
• Food
• Value

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

What Readers Loved

A fun, funky spirit is what T+L readers were loving most in their favorite Texas city hotels. “Loved this small hotel. Great aesthetic and design,” one reader wrote about their favorite spot, Hotel San José, the No. 2 hotel winner for Austin. “Incredibly hip vibe, consistently excellent in all categories but especially their customer service which makes you feel that you are part of a cool family that you can’t wait to see again,” another wrote about Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District, the No. 2 winner for Houston. “Each room is different and a pleasant surprise, pet friendly and quiet. It is convenient to many other cool places — but you also don’t need to leave to have an awesome experience.”

And the three winning spots are no different, which include the Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin, the Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection, in Fort Worth, and the Lancaster Hotel in Houston.

Austin Winner 

Hotel Saint Cecilia

Hotel Saint Cecilia offers travelers a retreat inspired by rock and roll legends and literary greats, including Bill Burroughs, Anne Sexton, and Hunter S. Thompson. Each of its five suites, six poolside bungalows, and three studios come with distinctive design and vintage furnishings, along with Rega turntables and Geneva sound systems in each room so you can listen to your favorites all night long. The hotel also aims to keep things ultra cozy with Hästens beds, custom bathrobes, and access to its lush, private grounds, including its lap pool, which makes for quite the quiet oasis in the midst of Austin.

Austin Full List

1. Hotel Saint Cecilia

Reader Score: 96.25

2. Hotel San José

Reader Score: 94.67

3. Archer Hotel Austin

Reader Score: 91.64

4. JW Marriott Austin

Reader Score: 90.13

5. Austin Proper Hotel & Residences

Reader Score: 89.68

Dallas-Fort Worth Winner 

Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection

Travelers to the Dallas-Fort Worth area found one more cooler-than-cool spot to love when they checked into the Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection. “Cowboy Chic! The smell of leather is everywhere,” one reader wrote about the winning hotel. “Amazing decor everywhere. Very nice staff. The drinks from the bar are pricey but excellent. Perfect location in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Hotel stores and staff are wonderful.” Indeed, several readers noted the exceptional attention to detail throughout the hotel, both in the decor and by the staff. “Felt like the team invited me into their home and they took excellent care of everything we needed,” another reader noted.

Dallas-Fort Worth Full List

1. Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection, Fort Worth

Reader Score: 93.69

2. Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas

Reader Score: 93.29

3. Hotel Crescent Court, Dallas

Reader Score: 92.50

4. The Joule, Dallas

Reader Score: 91.76

5. The Adolphus, Dallas

Reader Score: 91.20

Houston Winner 

Lancaster Hotel

Readers also adored all there was to offer in Houston this year, including all the details within the city’s winning property, the Lancaster Hotel. “Superb luxury boutique hotel next to the theater,” one reader noted. “Staff was some of the best. Friendly, efficient and eager to help.” Another noted the same “superb service from check-in to check-out,” adding the rooms are “impeccable” and filled with “beautiful, classic details.” Not to mention the hotel’s amenities, including a complimentary gourmet breakfast, complimentary in-room snacks, and a delightful afternoon tea service, all ensuring guests leave feeling like they were the most important person to ever check in. 

Houston Full List

1. Lancaster Hotel

Reader Score: 97.64

2. Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District

Reader Score: 93.57

3. The Moran Citycentre

Reader Score: 89.87

4. The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston

Reader Score: 89.37

5. Four Seasons Hotel Houston

Reader Score: 86.84