 Hotel Derek - Hotel ReviewBig
City Digs Designed for Urban Cowboys
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Superior room at Hotel Derek in Houston, Texas |
In
a city known for corporate meetings run by cowboy boot-clad
executives — as well as for an opulent style dictated
by Enron-esque incomes — Hotel Derek stands out. First,
there is the premise. Designer Dayna Lee, of Sting concert
and Kevin Costner film fame, fashioned the hotel's style
out of the whims and tastes of a fictitious, aging rock
star: Derek.
The hotel is an homage to Derek's supposed lifestyle. It is the sort of place he might retire to, were he to need a place to host his fabulous friends while paying his respects to local dictates at the same time. Case in point: the lobby. Accented with cowhide rugs, the curved, caramel-colored sofas face a blazing fire. Sounds like a typical Texas scene, doesn't it? It would be, were it not for the fact that the fireplace is actually a large-screen plasma TV depicting flickering flames. Despite the rock star motif, the accommodations are not the kind you'd feel comfortable trashing after a raucous night out on the town. They are classy and tasteful, and are more likely to inspire you to stay in and unwind. Among the 314 guestrooms are 16 studios and ten suites, all of which strive for an urban loft feel — those cool places that are carved out of warehouses in up-and-coming neighborhoods in New York and London. The suites, in particular, promote this feeling, with their five-and-a-half foot walls that separate the living areas from the bedrooms. The décor shows off a clean minimalism often associated with Scandinavian design, and it is a credit to Lee that this slightly utilitarian look manages to be comfy and welcoming.
While
these rooms can hold their own against the trendy W and
Schraeger digs found around the country, they also reflect
Houston's standing as a city where people come to get
business done. Pin-striped bedding shows a solidarity
with the many suits who make Hotel Derek their home away
from home. As well, amenities include numerous executive
savvy perks, such as complimentary high-speed Internet
access, private voice mail, enormous glass desks and Fed
Ex supplies tucked into the closets. With their business
alcoves, fax machines and printers, the Studios are most
popular with the corporate crowd.
Among Hotel Derek's other facilities and services are a small pool area that would feel right at home on the Riviera and the Derek Mobile, a chauffeured stretch SUV that transports guests to destinations within three miles of the property. As well, all the basics are covered-valet, 24/7 room service, concierge and twice-daily maid service. Were Derek to exist as other than a figment of the imagination, he would surely be satisfied with the savvy style and attention to detail offered in his namesake hotel.
(Updated: 10/27/11 CT) |
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