Any feedback about LaQuinta Houston Hobby airport location?

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

We are booked into this hotel and have heard this is a bad area and a bad hotel.

 

It looks fine on the internet but any feedback would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[Rancher Dave]

We are booked into this hotel and have heard this is a bad area and a bad hotel.

 

It looks fine on the internet but any feedback would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

Around Hobby can be rough. If you are coming in, going straight to the room, breakfast in the hotel and to the ship, you are probably ok. I wouldn't suggest walking around the area to sight see, especially after dark. That all speaks to the Hobby area in general, not specifically just that hotel.

 

Living here I haven't had the need to spend the night in a hotel around here lately.

[traveler/]

We are booked into this hotel and have heard this is a bad area and a bad hotel.

 

It looks fine on the internet but any feedback would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Check the hotel on Tripadvisor for feedback.

When we stayed at Hobby area, we were at the Marriott, and it was fine.

[Don Pedro]

We've stayed at the Hobby Hilton a couple times and thought it was fine, but as Dave suggested it is not a good idea wander around outside the hotel.

 

We've stayed at several different hotels when cruising out of Galveston and without any doubt our favorite is the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston. We thought everything about the hotel was superb. Especially the staff who were all friendly and extremely helpful.

 

There is a nice restaurant called the Terrace that is open for breakfast lunch and dinner. Plus they have a great upscale restaurant, up on the ninth floor, called Shern's. Shern's is our favorite Galveston restuarant. From the hotel it only a short walk across the parking lot to the pyramids.

 

The first of the pyramids holds the visitor's center, IMAX theater and a tropical rainforest. The second pyramid is wonderful aquarium. The third pyramid is the discovery pyramid. When we were there last month they showed the Titantic exhibit. You need to allow at least half a day for visiting the pyramids.

[pmfan]

Have stayed in other LaQuintas and have always found them to be o.k. Enjoy your cruise.:)

[lovesublime]

Dave is right. Although Hobby is off to itself; it is surrounded by some really rough neighborhoods and apartments. I used to work with a girl who lived right over by the airport-she was car jacked at gun point in her own driveway. Be careful and don't wonder around the area. The hotel should be fine.

[margaritaville4me]

I've lived in the Houston area for 29 years and wouldn't stay in a hotel anywhere near hobby airport. It's a very bad area at night. I would suggest staying in Kemah, it's between Hobby and Galveston. It's a nice place with lots of things to do and it's safe. Go to http://www.kemah.net/lodging/lodging.html for info about Kemah.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!!

[clearlakecruisers]

Sorry to have to disagree but I have lived in the southeast/Clear Lake/NASA area of Houston for over 40 years and I really don't understand some of these remarks about the area near Hobby Airport. Admittedly, it isn't the garden spot of Houston but to me it seems fairly typical of the areas I have seen around urban airports in other cities. Although I have been known to write to the city council about "spiffing up" that area, it doesn't strike me as scary or dangerous. There are several newish chain motels in the area and several more under construction so someone isn't "down" on the area.The chief drawback I would see is that there is very little to do and very few restaurant choices in that area.

 

If you want to get away from the airport and stay somewhere between Houston and Galveston, there is, as someone mentioned, Kemah which has a great Boardwalk area (but has a very limited amount of lodging). There are motels of almost every chain in my area of Clear Lake or in Webster or League City. All of those areas are right on I-45 between Hobby and Galveston. Closer to Galveston, Texas City and Dickinson also have chain locations.

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

Thanks for the input everyone.....thinking of making a change to LaQuinta Kingwood

[clearlakecruisers]

Do you know that Kingwood is +/-50 miles north of Hobby Airport and in the far northeast side of Houston? If you are only looking for a different LaQuinta, there is one at 520 W. Bay Area Blvd. in Webster, Texas, that is MUCH more convenient to Galveston.

[lovesublime]

Sorry to have to disagree but I have lived in the southeast/Clear Lake/NASA area of Houston for over 40 years and I really don't understand some of these remarks about the area near Hobby Airport. Admittedly, it isn't the garden spot of Houston but to me it seems fairly typical of the areas I have seen around urban airports in other cities. Although I have been known to write to the city council about "spiffing up" that area, it doesn't strike me as scary or dangerous. There are several newish chain motels in the area and several more under construction so someone isn't "down" on the area.The chief drawback I would see is that there is very little to do and very few restaurant choices in that area.

 

If you want to get away from the airport and stay somewhere between Houston and Galveston, there is, as someone mentioned, Kemah which has a great Boardwalk area (but has a very limited amount of lodging). There are motels of almost every chain in my area of Clear Lake or in Webster or League City. All of those areas are right on I-45 between Hobby and Galveston. Closer to Galveston, Texas City and Dickinson also have chain locations.

 

Wow! Have you driven down Broadway, Bellfort or Telephone recently? It's ghetto scary. It's common knowledge that there is a lot of crime in that area. I'm just really surprised you would state that it's an okay area. I personally wouldn't go driving in that area at night. And honestly, the Clear Lake area really doesn't qualify as being in the vicinity of Hobby. Clear Lake/Nasa is affluent and far away from Hobby.

[IlliniCruiser88]

We just stayed at the Holiday Inn Express near Hobby prior to our cruise, which is close to the La Quinta (as did a number of other cruisers). The most difficult thing I found was that there really isn't anything around there. There is only one restaurant we saw, PaPas BBQ. Luckily, the Holiday Inn Express had a shuttle that would take you to restaurants, etc. We used their shuttle extensively.

 

I never felt unsafe around the hotel. The area didn't look great, but I didn't feel unsafe. My wife and I went to the nearby mall (Almeda Mall - there's a Macy's there). We were the only ones of our ethnicity at the mall, but we didn't feel unsafe.

 

Honestly, though, if I could do it again I wouldn't stay near Hobby. I would stay in Galveston. Not for safety reasons, but because there just isn't anything to do in that area around Hobby and there is certainly nothing to see.

 

The locals who have posted previously in this thread indicated this is an unsafe area, so I might have been lucky (and probably stupid for going to the mall?).

[hylasgirl]

Try the Trip Advisor for hotels... www.tripadvisor.com and put in the hotel in the search column off to the left... VERY useful site for reviews! I always go by the Trip Advisor.

[lovesublime]

We just stayed at the Holiday Inn Express near Hobby prior to our cruise, which is close to the La Quinta (as did a number of other cruisers). The most difficult thing I found was that there really isn't anything around there. There is only one restaurant we saw, PaPas BBQ. Luckily, the Holiday Inn Express had a shuttle that would take you to restaurants, etc. We used their shuttle extensively.

 

I never felt unsafe around the hotel. The area didn't look great, but I didn't feel unsafe. My wife and I went to the nearby mall (Almeda Mall - there's a Macy's there). We were the only ones of our ethnicity at the mall, but we didn't feel unsafe.

 

Honestly, though, if I could do it again I wouldn't stay near Hobby. I would stay in Galveston. Not for safety reasons, but because there just isn't anything to do in that area around Hobby and there is certainly nothing to see.

 

The locals who have posted previously in this thread indicated this is an unsafe area, so I might have been lucky (and probably stupid for going to the mall?).

 

You were very brave to venture into Almeda "mall". Years ago my sister's brand new Audi 5000 was stolen out of that parking lot. And that was back when the place was still halfway decent.

 

For those of you who are flying into Hobby-good advice has been given by 'clearlakecruisers'. If you leave the airport and travel further south on I-45 you'll find yourselves in the Clear Lake/ Bay Area. In fact, there are numerous NICE hotels on Bay Area Blvd which are walking distance to numerous good restauants and shopping venues. You can take a taxi for a very short ride to Baybrook Mall (I-45 and Bay Area Blvd). I'll bet that most of the hotels in the area even provide a shuttle. The whole area is a lot nicer with a lot more stuff to do and it's right on your way to Galveston.

 

There are also a lot of hotels on Nasa Parkway which is the next exit down from Bay Area Blvd. I don't readily recommend places on Nasa just because of the ongoing road and freeway construction in the area. Of course staying in Galveston is a good option as well.

[CGBCruiser]

I totally agree with lovesublime. We've lived here for 30 years and I wouldn't go to Almeda Mall for ANYTHING!!! :eek: It's a very high crime area and you shouldn't have felt safe there at all. If you're going to stay at an airport hotel and just stay there and not wander out at night then you would be OK. Of course, if you're driving a vehicle you might not want to park it in the parking lot unless they have 24 hour security! The advice to drive south for a few miles and stay in the Clear Lake/Webster area is sound advice.

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

I really appreciate the advice so far.

 

I have tried Trip Advisor and the problem is there was only one post about this hotel and it was awful but I am experienced enough to know that I need more than one post opinion to formulate an opinion on a place.

 

I have looked at the Kingwood area LaQuinta and it is of course more pricey but does sound very nice and any posts I find about it indicate that it is wonderful!

 

Please keep your idea coming. I am trying to keep in convenient for my brother who is driving from Longview to see us so going south really isn't an option, any other ideas?

[clearlakecruisers]

If your brother is driving in from Longview and you don't mind being FAR from the port, Kingwood is a good choice. If he doesn't mind driving a bit (+/-15 minutes)farther than your original LaQuinta, my recommendation of the LaQuinta on Bay Area Blvd. still stands.

 

Just as an aside on my comments about the Hobby Airport area, I am a residential real estate appraiser and, over the past 25 years, have personally inspected properties throughout the Greater Houston area, usually traveling alone. Like most large cities, there are a few areas of Houston in which I feel unsafe and where I am very cautious - the area around Hobby is NOT one of them.

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

Checking out Kingwood, the price is nearly double what we are paying at Hobby, wondering if the area is worth twice the price?

 

Just wish I knew someone who has stayed at the Hobby La Quinta....want to know if it's clean etc. as the only review on trip advisor says the bedspreads in the room they had, had very large stains on it:eek:

 

I just want clean, safe and reasonable. I guess that's too much to ask;)

[lovesublime]

Checking out Kingwood, the price is nearly double what we are paying at Hobby, wondering if the area is worth twice the price?

 

Just wish I knew someone who has stayed at the Hobby La Quinta....want to know if it's clean etc. as the only review on trip advisor says the bedspreads in the room they had, had very large stains on it:eek:

 

I just want clean, safe and reasonable. I guess that's too much to ask;)

 

I'm a little confused. Are you flying into Hobby or IAH? I don't understand why you would stay in Kingwood :confused: If you're flying into IAH; there are numerous really nice places to stay right around there. Also, curious as to why it needs to be La Quinta-or does it? There is a nice La Quinta on Bay Area Blvd which is on the way to Galveston. Please clarify.

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

Thanks for trying to help me.

 

I am already booked in LaQuinta Hobby Airport location but have learned that it might be less than satisfactory, people are saying the area is unsafe and the only details on trip advisor say it's dirty.

 

The reason we were looking at Kingwood as an alternate is that my brother is coming down to see us from Longview, just trying to make his drive shorter.

 

We are renting a car so we can go just about anywhere. We are flying into Hobby airport, that why we originally picked La Quinta Hobby.

 

We are willing to go anywhere, that's clean, nice and affordable. We would prefer to keep the drive less for my brother though so I don't want to head closer to Galveston.

 

Thanks again for all the help I'm getting here!