From left to right: Nick Kellock, chief operating officer, Concord Hospitality Enterprises; Shawn Todd, managing partner and CEO, Todd Interests; Tara Howard, director, Todd Interests; Pat Pacious, president and CEO, Choice Hotels International; Janis Cannon, SVP of upscale brands, Choice Hotels International; Scott Oaksmith, SVP of finance and chief accounting officer, Choice Hotels International; and David Bush, executive director, Preservation Houston. Photo credit: www.pwlstudio.com. — Photo by Choice

Cambria Hotels marked its official arrival to Texas' largest city with the grand opening of the Cambria Hotel Houston Downtown Convention Center. Representatives from the upscale brand's franchisor Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), along with local dignitaries, were present to commemorate the occasion.

Inspiration for the 21-story, 226-room hotel – an adaptive reuse of the iconic Great Southwest Building, originally known as the Petroleum Building – and the grand opening event was drawn from Houston's unique history and rich culture. Following a ribbon cutting ceremony, guests were invited to tour the hotel and take note of the property's Art Deco details, including stone carvings from the original 1920s building; custom artwork highlighting the city's oil industry roots, storied cowboy culture and NASA influence; and sophisticated, modern furnishings.

Speakers at the event included Executive Director of Preservation Houston David Bush and Choice Hotels Senior Vice President of Upscale Brands Janis Cannon, along with Chief Operating Officer of Concord Hotels Nick Kellock, who all expressed excitement for Houston's first Cambria hotel. Additionally, a $7,000 check was presented by Cambria to Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, which provides highly specialized and rigorous training in creative writing, dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, to Houston students.

The Cambria Hotel Houston Downtown Convention Center features several modern amenities, including:

  • Contemporary and sophisticated guest rooms, complete with modern fixtures, abundant lighting and plush bedding
  • Stylish interior design and décor celebrating the city's "collected history"
  • Onsite dining featuring freshly made food, local craft beer on tap, wine, specialty cocktails and small bites. Guests may enjoy discounted bites and seasonal local pours during happy hour from 5-7 p.m. on weeknights
  • Multi-function meeting and event space with sweeping views of the city
  • Immersive, spa-like bathrooms with Bluetooth mirrors
  • State-of-the-art fitness center

Located in the heart of the central business district at 1314 Texas Ave., the Cambria Hotel Houston Downtown Convention Center is a short walk to the George R. Brown Convention Center and Minute Maid Park, the home stadium of the city's professional baseball team. The hotel is also conveniently near many of the city's major corporations and the region's largest employers, including Chevron Corp., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and United Airlines, as well as many entertainment, dining, culture, history and performing arts offerings.

The Cambria Hotel Houston Downtown Convention Center is sister property to the Cambria Hotel Downtown Dallas, an adaptive reuse of Dallas' own Tower Petroleum Building built within years of the Houston Petroleum Tower, and joins Cambria hotels in several other key markets throughout the Lone Star State, including Plano, McAllen, and Southlake. The upscale hotel brand, also located in other popular U.S. cities, like Chicago; Los Angeles; Nashville, Tenn.; New York; Phoenix; and Washington D.C., is on pace to break its openings record for the second straight year and is fast-approaching 50 open Cambria hotels.

For more information on Cambria Hotels, visit https://www.choicehotels.com/cambria.

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