Fireworks heralded the opening of the Blossom Hotel earlier this month, at 7118 Bertner Avenue in the Medical Center area of Houston, Texas. The pyrotechnics were inside the ballroom, on either side of the stage. It was a controlled sparkle that shot silver light upwards to the ceiling as a gasp of surprise erupted from the hundred or so invited dignitaries.
Gathered for the ceremonies were a host of Houstonites including the mayor, Sylvester Turner. Others taking turns at the podium were Bob Harvey, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership; Michael Heckman, president and CEO of Houston First; city, state, and federal elected representatives, tourism officials, and hotel management.
The finale for the opening ceremony? Participants were given beakers of golden sand to pour down over a blank canvas that gradually revealed the hotel’s name.
Media guests for the grand opening, including this reporter, were guests for two nights at the hotel, which is the first U.S. venture for the hotels division of Blossom Holding, based in Hangzhou, China.
The 267 guestrooms and suites feature spacious living areas with an abundance of natural light and are equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi, Samsung Smart TVs, Dyson hairdryers, Nespresso coffeemakers, Digital Newspapers with PressReader®, and desk.
Also provided: bathrobes, slippers, shoehorn, iron, mini-refrigerator, and in-room safe. The only surprise: bottles of Fiji water were labeled $8 each, but bottles of hotel-label water were complimentary.
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The well-lit marble bathrooms have rain showerheads, makeup mirrors, a scale, and Aqua Di Parma™ amenities plus a dental kit, sewing kit, shaving kit, and cotton balls.
The 16-story pet-friendly hotel offers more than 9,000 square feet of event space, including a meeting hall large enough to hold 250 guests, an outdoor rooftop swimming pool and lounge, a fitness center outfitted by Peloton™, a lobby lounge, and ten event venues of various sizes.
Conceived by Asia Rongyi Creative Company, Blossom Hotel Houston integrates lunar-inspired elements into its design and curated artwork collections. The color scheme is an interplay of shades of turquoise plus white and cream sparked with gold accents.
Blossom Hotel Houston has announced a partnership with Michelin-starred chefs Ho Chee Boon and Akira Back to open two distinct dining restaurants on property. Chef Boon will spearhead Duck House by Boon, a Cantonese-inspired dining experience with a focus on duck dishes, while Chef Back will bring his Asian sensibility to the property’s Japanese restaurant called AB Sushi. Details on Duck House by Boon and AB Sushi opening dates will be announced later.
Open now is a lobby lounge, the rendezVu, that offers culinary and beverage menus as well as in-room dining for guests offering both international and American fare.
With a nod to Houston’s nickname – Space City – the property’s sophisticated design includes a refined, minimalist style drawn from lunar inspiration, and features dramatic lighting fixtures, an abundance of Carrera marble, coffered ceilings, beech wood flooring, and luxurious textures throughout the property.
Signs of its Chinese origins are subtle, reflected in the sculptures arranged on decorative shelves in the lobby and the presence, in one of the private dining rooms, of the distinctive “lazy susan” layered design of the table for a dozen guests. The rotating level (counter-clockwise, of course) is operated by a remote control intended to be wielded by the host.
There are always some challenges when launching a new hotel in a new city. The hotel sent one of its black SUVs to pick up this reporter at the airport, but it was a comedy of errors to make the connection. Because the vehicle was not labeled as a hotel car, it couldn’t use the livery entrance. We finally tracked each other down when the driver pulled out a Blossom Hotel placard at the private car pickup door.
You can make a reservation on the hotel’s website, or via the usual booking sites such as Booking.com or Expedia.
(Text by Susan McKee, who was a guest of Blossom Hotel Houston for the grand opening.)
