Hotel Alessandra, a luxury flagship hotel, opened in November and is the only design centric luxury hotel in Houston.

The interiors were designed by Houston’s Rottet Studio, where everything from the rugs and hand drawn wallpaper to the custom made lighting fixtures and linens were picked out with not only luxury, but quality in mind. The style of Alessandra is modern with pops of color from the furniture, rugs and artwork. The color scheme in the hotel is white, with accents of gold and jade green. Every location in the hotel is Instagram worthy, so get your phone ready. (No filters needed.)

Located in downtown Houston, Hotel Alessandra is minutes away from all the Downtown hotspots including sports arenas, Discovery Green, and the George R. Brown Convention Center. The location along the MetroRail line also gives visitors access to the Texas Medical Center, Rice University, University of Houston, NRG Stadium, and the Museum District. Just outside the hotel is Midway’s GreenStreet which is a walkable mixture of offices, shops and restaurants. If wining and dining are your thing, there are boundless opportunities nearby and if you’d like to take a ride, just call downstairs to have the hotel’s house car, a Maserati Quattroporte, pick you up and take you to your downtown destination.

Lucienne, located on the second floor of the hotel and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner is already a Houston foodie favorite. Executive Chef Jose Hernandez, a Mexico City native, who has had a career working in notable restaurants in Mexico, New York and Houston came to Lucienne from its sister restaurant, Radio Milano, located at Hotel Sorella. The menu at Lucienne is contemporary continental cuisine with a Mediterranean influence.

Before we get to the food however, let’s talk about the restaurant décor because it is a show-stopper. Views of downtown Houston from every seat in the restaurant, herringbone floors and the most beautiful mixture of steel, gold and mint green make for a wonderful atmosphere and dining experience. Everything from the plates to the cutlery was especially chosen for the restaurant and the attention to detail is evident.

A restaurant would be nothing without good food and Lucienne delivers in spades. The Lamb Tartare is an excellent way to start your meal; it is a delicate dish served with a quail egg, shallots, mustard and chives. Make sure to get a little bit of everything with each bite – the concentration of flavors is wonderful. One of the most popular dishes on the menu and already a restaurant staple is the Cheese Crepe Soufflé. A mixture of goat, ricotta, and Gruyere cheeses served with mornay sauce, this dish is decadent and delicious.

All of Chef Hernandez’s creations are as beautiful to look at as they are to eat – you simply can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. You’ll want to leave room for dessert, Chef Hernandez trained as a pastry chef in his early career and all of his desserts are divine. Chef Hernandez also oversees food service at the hotel’s bar, Bardot, as well as for room service. Bardot is located on the second floor where guests can get drinks and small bites while enjoying the great views of downtown Houston.

If you needed even more reasons to book your room at Hotel Alessandra, how about Spa Alessandra and a fully equipped workout facility with a rooftop pool? You don’t even have to worry about calling to book your services, because each room is streamlined with complimentary Wi-Fi and tablets to make arranging everything from room service to a massage easy. Yes, friends Hotel Alessandra has it all – book your vacation or staycation today and you’ll be in for a treat you won’t soon forget.

Gabi De la Rosa lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and three children. You can usually find her at a great local restaurant or out exploring HTX with her family. • Cover: A rooftop pool with skyline views is just one of them many amenities Hotel Alessandra has to offer its guests. Photo Shannon O’Hara