Intimate neighbourhood hotels still come at a premium in Houston but Hotel Saint Augustine, the new property from Austin hospitality group Bunkhouse Hotels, is widening the field. Located in Montrose on the city’s Museum Row, adjacent to the Menil Collection, the 71-room hotel blends into the chic streetscape characterised by the Rothko Chapel and Cy Twombly Gallery while offering moments of artful surprise inside. The name comes from the abundance of Saint Augustine grass throughout Houston and the co-founder of the city itself, Augustus Chapman Allen.
Designed at an intimate, residential scale by Texas architects Lake Flato, the five hotel buildings are tied together by landscaped courtyards, open-air bridges and winding paths that allow multiple entry points for guests and the community. Elongated brick and combed wood siding complement the nearby galleries and overlook a circular courtyard pool. The low, two-storey volumes sit on 2.2 acres, partially obscured by mature heritage oaks.

Photography: Nicole Franzen

Photography: Julie Soefer

Lobby and retail store. Photography: Julie Soefer

Lobby and retail store. Photography: Julie Soefer

Lobby and retail store. Photography: Julie Soefer

Lobby and lounge. Photography: Nicole Franzen

Lobby and lounge. Photography: Nicole Franzen

Lobby and lounge. Photography: Nicole Franzen
‘The design team’s goal was to craft a succession of buildings ordered around four courtyards, so that the guest experience is one of being immersed in an inviting garden,’ says Lake Flato partner David Lake. ‘The architecture is very quiet in spirit, allowing nature to take center stage. Each space is designed to blend seamlessly with the landscape, fostering a sense of calm and connection for a truly restorative guest experience.’
Interior designers from Post Company, in collaboration with Bunkhouse Hotels, developed a saturated palette complemented by plush furnishings and mirrors — and a smattering of original art, to create the feeling of a collector’s private home. Inspired by John and Dominique Menil, the great collectors and philanthropists, they designed theatrical moments with hand-painted murals, onyx-tile flooring and sheer panels to separate rooms — plus a dramatic reception desk in burled walnut and Calacatta Viola marble. They reupholstered vintage Enzio Longhi Lato chairs in boucle and leather and installed a red-lacquered Cubist-style lightbox to display curated items for sale.

Surrounding the reception is an intimate all-day lounge and listening room, with a French bistro beside, sitting within ombré walls. Called Perseid, the restaurant serves Gallic cuisine through a Gulf Coast lens, cheffed by Houston veteran Aaron Bludorn.
Guest rooms — which start from $429 per night — and hallways are monochromatic, painted in blue, deep red or sage, with sculptural lighting and amoebic wall mirrors. And the gardens outdoors were planted by landscape architects Ten Eyck.




