Stephie M.
Yelp
Hotel: (4/5)
Hotel Lucine is a boutique hotel with a mix of high vs low: a blending of bougie and classy with a laid back beach-vibe energy. Keath (a Galveston local) and her husband Dave Jacoby are the owners and have clearly poured a lot of love and passion into this space. They have stayed true to the buildings origins with a historically relevant midcentury modern feel.
I had the pleasure of staying here within Hotel Lucines first month. In a lot of ways, it still felt in-progress. There wasn't art up in the rooms and though we liked the room design, it felt a little too cold, sterile, and the TV situation needed a lot of work. My favorite part of the room was the robes: they are comfortable, fit around larger bodies, and are perfect for the hot/humid weather.
The pool is eye catching, inviting, and it's got a delicious hue of blue. The pool area has an iconic feel to it: you can read the hotel name as it glimmers through the bottom of the pool, surrounded by the colorful arches of the courtyard and inviting lounge chairs.
Durring our stay, there were (very small) construction projects and various people installing things to improve the space, but we still had an excellent time. Even with the "dust and scuffs" (quoted from a sweet hand written note in our room), it's still on the top of my list for a staycation destination.
Rooftop bar: (3/5)
The view is just fabulous and it should not be missed. We came to this bar 3 times durring our stay because we adored it so much. The drinks were fairly well made and their liquor selection was extremely well curated. With the right bar team, this lounge could elevate to unmatchable heights. In the summer, I can imagine this space feeling like an elevated house party where new friends and connections are made.
The not so great: Service was slow, communication was sometimes impossible, and it felt a bit stingy. For example, the staff practically took a marker and made sure to refill the same amount of beer in a cup after a fly got into my friends beer (it wasn't even half empty). For a business only a month in, I would have expected the staff to be focused on wowing the customers. There were also huge communication barriers with the staff. Translators were needed for even the most simple questions or requests. We could not even order food or drink without getting a translator. If the space had been busy, the experience would suffer greatly and operation would be at risk.
The Den: (3/5)
For breakfast, we were not allowed to eat in The Den's space because they were taking photos. So, we had our breakfast on the rooftop.
The Den area was a great place to work from (once it re-opened) and the owners encouraged us to feel comfortable working there. We had a productive workday and ended it with some well curated wine selections.
The Den's Food: Breakfast (2/5)
- Griddled blueberry muffin with liver - not a good combo for me. I'm adventurous and love weird combos or unconventional things, but this was just all wrong.
- Egg sandwich - tasty, fluffy, and honestly deserved better bread. It could also be elevated with something like an everything bagel seasoning on top.
- Masala Overnight oats - interesting, but would not order again - it was too sweet for me.
- Breakfast Taco - was the best thing on the menu as an overall experience.
The Fancy - A Dining Destination: (5/5)
Chef Leila Ortiz is doing amazing things. No one in Houston or Galveston is doing what she is doing. Must try - it's worth a drive and worth a trip.