The past year brought dynamic new hospitality experiences to metro Houston—from immersive art installations like Meow Wolf and Art Club at the Post to new upscale hotel properties such as The Thompson and Saint Augustine. 2024 also saw the debut of The Michelin Guide in Texas, ushering in a new era of dining for Houston, while the city’s performing arts companies staged blockbuster seasons. The region welcomed tens of millions of leisure and business travelers in 2024 from around the country and abroad eager to experience what Space City has to offer. And in 2025, new developments and key events are set to make Houston an even more exciting destination. Check out some of the highlights.

The Fresh Boutique
Following on the heels of the recently opened Hotel Saint Augustine in Montrose, the team at Austin-based Bunkhouse Hospitality is set to debut Hotel Daphne in the Heights in the third quarter of 2025. The five-story boutique project in the 300-block of 20th Street will bring a hospitality option to the Heights, which has long lacked formal lodging outside of a few B&Bs. The 47-room hotel will include a restaurant, bar and lounge, pool and courtyard among other amenities. With 10 properties across Texas, Bunkhouse has developed a reputation for sophisticated yet understated luxury.

The Convention Catalyst
A convention being held early this year at the George R. Brown Convention Center is expected to help Houston secure many other meetings and events in the coming years. PCMA Convening Leaders is one of the most influential events in the global meetings industry, drawing more than 4,000 meeting planners, destination marketers and industry professionals. This marks the first time Houston has hosted the event, which is scheduled for January 12-15 with programming focused on advances in the meetings industry from tech to innovative content. For Houston and the destination marketing organization Houston First Corporation, it’s an opportunity to showcase the city as a convention destination to an audience responsible for booking meetings and events for domestic and international clients. Houston First hopes to secure significant new business for future years through hosting Convening Leaders.

The Cultural Nexus
Arguably the most compelling architectural and cultural project to debut in the city in several years, the Ismaili Center Houston is set to open sometime early next year with an international dedication ceremony. Overlooking Buffalo Bayou at the intersection of Montrose Boulevard and Allen Parkway, the Ismaili Center was commissioned by the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslim faith. With a focus on creating environments that encourage mutual understanding and sharing of perspectives from across diverse faiths, six Ismaili Centers operate in highly diverse cities around the world from Dubai to London. The Houston center will be the first in the U.S. and include elaborate gardens, giant light-filled atriums and numerous rooms dedicated to specific events.

The Lodging Duos
Two dual-branded hotel projects in Downtown Houston are set to open next year, adding close to 500 rooms to the central business district. PA Hospitality is nearing completion of the 221-room Home2 Suites by Hilton and Tru by Hilton project it’s developing in the 1500-block of Leeland near Toyota Center. That property is slated to open early in the year. Just a few blocks to the north, Sugar Land-based Neway Hospitality is building a 17-story Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites project. That 275-room hotel in the 1300-block of Texas Avenue is slated for a late 2025 opening.

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The Iconic Landmark
One of the most recognizable structures in the eclectic Montrose neighborhood will get a facelift and a new marquee tenant next year. The neon-lit Tower Theater on Westheimer just west of its intersection with Montrose has been home to a string of restaurant concepts in recent years, including the most recent Acme Oyster House. Last fall, Radom Capital, the newest owner of the theater space and the surrounding retail development, announced plans to transform the iconic piece of real estate, making it more attractive to retail and restaurant tenants. In October, Texas jazz club owner Doc Watkins revealed his plan to open a jazz club in the Tower Theater spot. Watkins told Houston Public Media the new club would likely accommodate 300 patrons and that he hoped to open this spring. Radom meanwhile is working to land an eclectic mix of other tenants for the spaces surrounding the Tower Theater.

The Gaming Con
A well-established gaming and anime convention is heading to Houston for the first time this spring. Set to take place May 30-June 1, Dream Con is expected to bring more than 20,000 attendees to town—many from outside of Texas. The event has been held in Austin in recent years, but organizers are moving the 2025 event due in part to construction at Austin’s convention center. As a black-owned organization, Dream Con says it aims to “showcase diverse talents, amplify underrepresented voices in mainstream spaces, and redefine the landscape of fandom events.” Dream Con joins another Houston pop culture event, Comicpalooza, slated this year for June 20-22.

The Maritime Legacy
Originally opened in 2000, the Houston Maritime Center & Museum chronicles the rich waterborne history of a city built on the banks of Buffalo Bayou. Through artifacts and exhibits, the museum delves into Houston’s development as a trading post to its current place as one of the nation’s largest import/export hubs. In June 2025, the museum will open its new facility in roughly 6,000 square feet at the emerging East River development. The new space provides the museum with a custom-built environment showcasing thematic exhibits on everything from naval warfare to the influence of lighthouses over the centuries. There will also be interactive exhibits such as Navigation Station that allows patrons to experience what it’s like to pilot a ship from a replica bridge.

The Nouveau Art Experience
A successful contemporary art fair that got its start on the sands of Miami Beach has selected Houston for its first expansion. Untitled Art’s inaugural event in Houston is set for Sept. 19 – 21 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The boutique invitational fair will feature a mix of local talent and participants from across the U.S. and abroad, including artists and galleries from Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, South Korea, and many more slated to be announced in the spring. Untitled Art’s Miami Art Week flagship fair is an annual showcase of emerging and established artists now in its 12th year with more than 170 exhibitors. Organizers say they chose to expand to Houston because of its cultural wealth, welcoming atmosphere, and proximity to Latin America among other factors. If successful, they hope to build Untitled Art into an annual event in Houston.

The Courtside Club
Two of the city’s fastest growing hospitality companies are partnering to create an expansive new hotspot in Midtown. Solarium—a project co-developed by Rex Hospitality and The Kirby Group—features a nearly one-acre site at the intersection of Holman and Travis streets that includes a 9,000-square-foot restaurant and lounge plus multiple pickleball and padel courts. The soon-to-open concept will be a day and night destination serving a variety of patrons, from a corporate function to a casual dinner and pickleball match among friends. Rex Hospitality is the group behind the rapidly expanding MAVEN Coffee brand while Kirby Group is responsible for concepts such as Verde Garden, Heights Biergarten and Pitch 25.

Written by A.J. Mistretta

Top right picture: Hotel Daphne (Bunkhouse)