5 New Venues in Houston for Spring 2024 Meetings and Events

Luxury hotel Thompson Houston opened in February. This modern tower is situated right near Buffalo Bayou Park, offering rare unobstructed views of downtown Houston’s skyline—and the park's beautiful greenery. The 172-room hotel even boasts its own helipad. The glass and exposed steel building is designed by HOK, while interiors from Houston-based architecture and design firm Abel Design Group bring in earthy colors and organic materials as a nod to the 160-acre park in the hotel's backyard. Thompson Houston also offers one of the city’s largest outdoor rooftops, featuring a custom-tiled infinity pool surrounded by cabanas and a 2,500-square-foot green space.

The hotel's event space spans more than 17,000 square feet, and each breakout room includes floor-to-ceiling glass walls for natural light and great views, and many rooms include outdoor terraces. The 8,050-square-foot Vesper ballroom is decorated with mesh chandeliers, brass accents, a private terrace, and a private entrance for large groups. It can accommodate 805 guests for receptions or 670 guests for classroom-style events and can be divided into three spaces. The 3,060-square-foot Capella room (pictured) includes floor-to-ceiling windows, a wraparound terrace, and statement chandeliers. Capella can accommodate up to 240 for receptions or 120 for classroom-style events and can be divided into three spaces. The elegant 594-square-foot Celeste boardroom and the 540-square-foot Altair boardroom with glass walls each seat 16. Thompson Houston's 2,509-square-foot all-day cafe Sol 7 can accommodate up to 250 for receptions. A French brasserie called Chardon, a Mexican steakhouse called Toca Madera, a supper club known as Buck 40, and Mediterranean spot Meduza Mediterrania are all slated to open in the hotel later this year

In Galveston, a former 1960s-style beachfront motor court is now modernized and reborn as the hip Hotel Lucine. The 61-room boutique hotel looks out toward the Gulf of Mexico, and the renovation courtesy of Austin-based Kartwheel Studio retains the former Treasure Isle Motel's midcentury charm while incorporating updated, beachy materials like bleached white oak. Event spaces include The Lanai, a 525-square-foot multipurpose space located off the communal courtyard patio that can accommodate 15 seated or 25 standing guests. For indoor-outdoor events, The Lanai can be used in conjunction with the pool and courtyard patio, which includes a covered pergola and dining tables and chairs. The pool and courtyard patio spans 4,000 square feet and can host up to 100 guests. Featuring 180-degree ocean views, Hotel Lucine's rooftop bar (pictured) is touted as the largest beachfront bar in Galveston, offering 180-degree ocean views, cocktails, and light bites with room for live entertainment. The 3,500-square-foot rooftop includes an enclosed bar area with both covered and uncovered seating areas and can host up to 125 guests. Hotel Lucine's restaurant The Fancy is led by executive chef Leila Ortiz, who has cooked at hot spots like Houston's Bludorn. Her creative, French-inspired menu includes roasted Gulf snapper wrapped in crispy potato scales and served "animal style" with paprika soubise sauce a la In-N-Out Burger. The 3,500-square restaurant is available for full buyouts for 50 to 60 guests.

Chicken N Pickle is a new outpost in Houston if you're looking to get active. This complex in Webster opened in February complete with pickleball courts, a restaurant and sports bar, and plenty of outdoor space for lawn games. As the fourth location of the chain in Texas, the Chicken N Pickle in Webster spans 70,000 square feet on two and a half acres. Pickleball fans can play on six indoor courts and two covered outdoor courts. The indoor-outdoor space can host events of any size, up to 1,700 people. Event spaces within the Webster location include a covered beer garden with a view of the outdoor pickleball courts, an indoor rooftop bar and outdoor terrace, a private dining room called the West Wing Room, and the semiprivate Red Roost dining room. The approachable menu offers all sorts of chicken dishes (like smoked and then flash-fried wings, fried chicken sandwiches, and rotisserie chicken) as well as burgers, weekend brunch dishes, and craft cocktails.

For an event with a competitive edge, The Decoy in Houston's Spring Branch neighborhood is set up with three world-class volleyball courts and multiple cornhole lanes available for rentals. The 10,500-square-foot neighborhood watering hole boasts massive televisions inside and outside, a four-sided indoor-outdoor bar, and several different indoor and outdoor seating arrangements. The drink menu ranges from specialty cocktails and mocktails to beer or mimosa towers, shareable punch bowls, and VIP bottle service. The catering menu for events brings in comfort food from local restaurants, like loaded tater tots from Wild Oats, fried chicken wings and garlic butter fries from Roostar, and wagyu burgers from Underbelly Burger. The Decoy is available for full buyouts and can host up to 600 guests.

The Cannon, a company devoted to coworking spaces, will add a new location in Houston's Memorial City this spring. The Cannon Memorial is located on a full floor encompassing 21,960 square feet within the Two Memorial City Plaza development. The Cannon Memorial will offer 38 private office spaces as well as room for more than 60 flex users. Seven conference rooms will be outfitted with full AV capabilities. These meeting spaces seat between six and 10 attendees. The coworking space also includes a kitchen for meal prep and complimentary coffee from Houston's Boomtown Coffee. The Cannon Memorial's decor leans toward the classic clean lines of a startup, with polished concrete floors and colorful seating in the common areas. The company plans to host events, workshops, and networking sessions.