
Hotels In Downtown Houston With Rooftop Pools – Summerhol has covered (and used) travel tips, rewards credit cards and loyalty programs for over a decade. She flew nearly a million miles, mostly on points and miles and with her family in tow.
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Hotels In Downtown Houston With Rooftop Pools
Who doesn’t love the idea of relaxing on a lazy river and then having almost instant access to all the activities and attractions of a big city? Generally, you cannot have both of these things at the same time. After all, this is Texas, and at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Houston, you can have a Texas-shaped rooftop lazy river just a step away from what Houston has to offer!
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We recently got the itch to get away, but it just wasn’t the right time for a long or crazy trip. Instead, it was the perfect time for an overnight family stay where we loaded up the car and drove less than an hour to Houston to reach this special destination.
The Marriott Marquis Houston opened just months before Houston hosted Super Bowl 51 in early 2017. This is a beautiful, large 1,000+ hotel room property that is just a stone’s throw from downtown attractions like Discovery Green and across the street. Throw out of the Astros baseball stadium.
Downtown Houston is great, but the star attraction of the trip for us was undoubtedly the Lone Star State-shaped river atop the sixth floor of the Marriott Marquis. To enter this one-of-a-kind lazy river, you must have a wristband… and yes, they check. To receive a wristband, you need to book a room and reserve up to four wristbands for the occupants of the room. Summer rates are easily $200-$300 per night, but thankfully you can also use up to 35,000 Marriott Rewards points per night to book a room for up to four people so you can stay without your Soak in the savings, sleep and swim.
We went on an early July weekend and the place was warm, sunny and packed. In fact, if you can avoid a weekend day, it will be in your favor.
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Alternatively, plan to head out to the river first thing in the morning when it’s easier to find a place to relax and enjoy, rather than waiting until things start at 11am.
While the adults sometimes felt a little cramped by the crowd, the kids didn’t seem to mind a bit. They grabbed a tube and walked lap after lap around the shape of Texas, taking short breaks to take in the view.
There is a shaded area you can camp under, which is important as there is little ‘natural’ shade along the lazy river in the heat of the day.
If you want something a little more private than the shared covered area, you can rent a small covered area or cabana for half a day from $110, which isn’t the worst idea. If you’re going to be out there for any length of time, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and shades are an absolute must.
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Be sure to also pack flip-flops or water shoes as the concrete reaches about 8 million degrees in the sun. The water itself was surprisingly cool, but the floor would burn your feet.
There is food and drink service by the pool that comes regularly, even on the busiest day. While the service was perfectly adequate, none of us particularly liked the poolside chicken quesadilla, fries, or chicken fingers. I recommend saving your appetite for some of Houston’s best dining options and just grabbing a cool drink by the pool.
The lazy river is open from 6 am to 10 pm and people were out every one of those minutes even at night.
In addition to the lazy river, there is also a nice hot tub and a beautiful infinity pool that is adults only after 6pm when they bribe the kids with free popsicles…which was great.
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In terms of booking a room at the Marriott Marcus in downtown Houston, I wouldn’t recommend paying extra for a lazy river view unless you have money to burn. We booked a lazy river view room to test it, but from our floor, you can’t really see the shape of Texas.
Not only that, but you can get a free bird’s eye view just by riding the elevator to the top floor and looking out the window near the elevators. Next time, I’ll save my money and book a standard room instead of worrying about crowding the lazy river. Otherwise, the room itself was very quiet, comfortable, and provided a good night’s sleep for our family of four.
Aside from Lazy River, the standout of the Marriott Marquis Houston was the M Lounge. Our Marriott Platinum status gave us free access and the lounge was not only large, but better stocked with food and drinks than average for a domestic club lounge.

Marriott Gold status will also get you access to the lounge, or you can pay a higher rate for inclusive club access. While the club access here was great and useful, since you are in the middle of the city with so many nearby options, it’s not really necessary at this property.
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What I liked about M Lounge was that there wasn’t just one or two hot items for breakfast, but many options. These included bacon, egg white vegetable scramble, breakfast potato casserole, pork in a blanket, scrambled eggs, and more. In addition to hot items, there was a wide spread of pastries, cereals, yogurt, cheese, meat and fruit.
We also appreciated that during the day we were able to pop in for sodas, water and snacks. If I had one recommendation, it would be to provide juice during the day, at least on demand. Our two year old really wanted some juice during the stay, but it was only available in the lounge during breakfast and not when we asked in the afternoon or evening.
If you’re traveling to the Marriott Marquis Downtown Houston with kids, I highly recommend taking yourself away from the lazy river for a bit and heading across the street to Discovery Green for a splash pad, kayak , kayak, climb, play and explore. Playground, walking around in open spaces, etc.
From the Marriott Marquis Houston, you’re also not far from Mint Med, the Toyota Center, the Underground Tunnels, the Downtown Aquarium, and the original Ninfa in Navigation, which in my opinion is worth a stop for some strong Tex-Mex. worth more than .
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Putting a lazy river on top of a downtown hotel is a Tucson thing, so it’s really fitting that the river is in its original form. If your travels bring you to Houston, or you live in the area and want a convenient place to stay, I recommend a night or two at the Marriott Marcus Houston with your family. The only real issue to deal with is how hot and busy weekend afternoons can get in the summer.
Otherwise, the benefits of the resort and the convenience of the town mean we are more likely to be returning guests. Culture / Travel Houston’s Top 10 Rooftop Pools – While basking in the sun, take you to a hidden basket of Texas-shaped wonders. Return by Annie Galli // 04.12.19
When it comes to relaxing in the sun, Houston has more fun months than most cities. There is only a short time when you don’t want to sit by the pool. The season is now long, and it’s time to enjoy your day al fresco.
Tanning by the pool or going for a swim is your best bet, as you can cool off while soaking up the sun. There are pools all over the city, but there are a few gems here and there that offer incredible views.
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Think sky-high pools, towers over the city. You can truly find a cozy hideaway in the heart of Houston’s housing.
These are the 10 best rooftop pools in Houston, from the Marriott’s Texas-shaped pool to Market Square Tower’s death-defying glass bottom pool, and beyond.
This lazy river in the shape of the Lone Star State might just be the most amazing pond in Texas, not just in Houston. It recently came second in the 2019 Best Hotel Pool competition, conducted by Travel Agent Central.
The paddling pool is literally the size of Texas, but if you decide you’d rather go for exercise than a lazy afternoon, you can always do your thing in the finger pool. They are open throughout the year.
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Another space city pool that is world famous. the market