Hotel Galvez At-a-Glance

THE GALVEZ EXPERIENCE

The Queen of the Gulf (1911)

A group of businessmen pulled their resources after the 1900 hurricane and opened the Hotel Galvez in 1911 as a symbol that Galveston Island had withstood the devastation of the Great Storm of 1900. This elegant beachfront hotel was immediately proclaimed “Queen of the Gulf” and within a year of opening, it was deemed the “best arranged and most richly furnished seaside hotel in America” by Hotel Monthly. The hotel has undergone several renovations, the latest of which has restored it to its original grandeur. It remains the only historic beachfront hotel in Galveston and is rated four diamonds by AAA, is a Wyndham Historic Hotel and National Trust Historic Hotel of America.

Hotel Galvez & Spa is owned by Galveston preservationists Cynthia and George Mitchell and part of Mitchell Historic Properties. The 224-room hotel includes six distinctive suites. All suites and sleeping rooms flaunt views of the Gulf of Mexico or the city. Guest rooms combine classic touches like marble bathrooms and hand-decorated walls with modern amenities and luxurious bedding. Meeting rooms have been renovated and feature Wyndham ClearAir™ allergy-friendly air purification. A tropical pool with swim-up bar and hot tub provides the perfect escape for relaxing, sunbathing or enjoying cocktails. New to the hotel is a 9,736 square foot, multi-million dollar luxury spa that opened in March 2008.

GRACIOUS GALVESTON

Galveston Island, Texas

Tucked away off the southeast corner of Texas, this island city is named after Bernardo de Gálvez, the Spanish Colonial governor who ordered the first survey of the Texas Gulf Coast in 1786.

The Port of Galveston and cotton brought the city its early prominence and wealth. On Sept. 8, 1900, a hurricane that still reigns as the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, struck the island, killing more than 6,000 people in Galveston alone and destroying many of the buildings in town. Following the tragedy, citizens showed an indomitable spirit of survival as they began to rebuild the island. Nearly every structure left standing in the city was raised and sand filled in beneath them raising the grade of the entire city. In addition, a 17-foot seawall was built to protect the island from future tidal surges.

HOTEL HISTORY

For nearly a century, this elegant hotel has been the choice of numerous famous guests including Howard Hughes, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. It served as a temporary White House for the staff of President Franklin D. Roosevelt during his 10-day fishing trip to the island and was the site for his first meeting with newly elected Congressman and future president, Lyndon B. Johnson. President Dwight D. Eisenhower also attended a reception at the hotel.

The hotel functioned as a working facility for the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II and in 1944 the hotel was awarded an “honorable discharge” from its duties.

In the early 1920s, families all across the country began flocking to Galveston’s original beachfront hotel. “Moving in” to Hotel Galvez for the summer was a common trend among wealthy families, many of whom spent from six weeks to six months in the hotel, paying a mere two dollars a day for luxurious accommodations. The hotel provided such amenities as a barbershop, laundry, writing room, tailor, etc., as well as easy access to the bathhouses and entertainment along the beachfront.

Between 1920 and 1932 Hotel Galvez served as headquarters for the Pageants of Pulchritude, the beauty pageants that were predecessors to the Miss American Pageant. The hotel was also the venue for many debutante balls, as well as social activities for the University of Texas Medical School fraternities throughout the 20s, 30s and 40s. Over the years, various entertainers who performed at the famed Balinese Room were frequent guests of the hotel.

GHOST OF HOTEL GALVEZ

The colorful and sometimes tragic history of Galveston Island makes it the permanent home of many ghosts and Hotel Galvez has its own ghost stories to add to the mystic. Several hotel guests have personal stories of encounters of the ghostly kind. Legend has it that the fiancé of a seaman checked in to Room 501 while her love was away at sea. While awaiting his return to marry her, she discovered that his ship had sunk. Legend has it she was so grief-stricken, she took her own life in desperation and her spirit haunts Hotel Galvez to this day. It is believed that her ghost roams the halls at night and can be seen dressed in white. The hotel concierge conducts ghost tours by appointment.

ENGAGING ACCOMMODATIONS

224 Rooms, Including Six Suites The 224 rooms, including six suites, serve guests with a combination of modern day luxuries and the grace and charm of yesteryear. The rooms are accented with regal golds and emerald greens. Cherry armoires and pillow top mattresses complete the ambiance. Other extras include full-length mirrors, coffeemakers, ironing boards, scales, hair dryers, cordless phones and high-speed Internet.

Grand Suites

Renovated suites on the seventh and eighth floors feature new furnishings, 42–inch, flat-screen televisions, new carpeting, Anichini bedding and soothing colors.

The hotel’s private party entertainment area on the seventh floor, available exclusively to suite guests, features new travertine floors, wet bar, pool table and renovated lounge with a 42-inch, flat-screen television, small library and sound system.

Spa Inspired Suites on Sixth Floor

Hotel Galvez unveiled new spa-inspired sleeping rooms on the sixth floor in February. These rooms are Wyndham ClearAir™ allergy friendly rooms. Following a system designed by New York-based PURE Solutions NA, the rooms undergo a multistep cleaning process designed to remove up to 98 percent of allergens using medical-grade air purification systems and treating all surfaces, carpeting and fabric with a microbial shield to make them resistant to bacteria and viruses. These spa inspired rooms feature a rain shower, Simmons® HealthSmart™ mattresses, Anichini bedding manufactured in Italy, 42-inch, flat-screen television, a personal refrigerator and special amenities including fruit-infused water and tea. Rooms are stocked with spa robes and slippers, books, and iHome radios compatible with iPod™ players.

GULF COAST CUISINE

Bernardo’s Restaurant

Bernardo’s, named for Bernardo de Gálvez, celebrates the Spanish, Cuban and Louisiana influences of Gálvez’s life, while continuing to feature local favorites such as fresh Gulf seafood. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On-line reservations are available at http://www.bernardosathotelgalvez.com/.

Bernardo’s is also known for its celebrated Champagne Sunday Brunch where guests can dine on omelets made-to-order, Belgian waffles, prime rib and other assorted delicacies while being entertained by the melodies of a nearby pianist. The brunch is available Sundays from 11a.m. - 2p.m.

MEMORABLE MEETINGS

13,000 Sq. Ft. of Function Space

A multitude of services make the hotel the optimum site for holding meetings and gatherings. State-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, catering capabilities and full-service meeting and catering staff allow for successful events in a historic setting.

* Music Hall (4,550 sq. ft.)

With welcoming grand arches and high ceilings, this open space seats up to 500, perfect for large receptions.

* East & West Parlors (2,624 sq. ft. total)

Ornate moldings make these rooms the perfect space for accommodating more intimate gatherings, each seating 60 guests.

Hosting various sized events, the hotel offers five additional conference rooms and ballrooms ranging from 300 to 2,501 square feet. Each of the meeting rooms is wired for high-speed Internet access.

WEDDINGS

The Hotel Galvez has a long-standing reputation as the premier wedding hotel in Galveston. Brides and grooms from the finest Texas families have celebrated their special days at the Galvez’s fine facilities paired with signature Wyndham amenities. The “Queen of the Gulf” invites couples to say “I do” on the beach or standing on the Veranda overlooking the Gulf, exotic pool and gardens. Guests can also select a specially created outdoor wedding in the Oleander Garden, complete with water wall, lush flowers and vegetations to complement any wedding décor. Receptions for 50 or 500 guests come to life in the hotel’s charming venues. Catering, including staff, is available on site.

AREA DIVERSIONS

32 miles of sparkling Gulf Coast beaches

Texas Seaport Museum, home to the 1877 Tall Ship Elissa

Galveston Harbor Tours Aboard the Seagull II

The Historic Downtown Strand District for shopping and dining

Postoffice Street Arts and Entertainment District

Four Historic House Museums

Lone Star Flight Museum

1894 Grand Opera House

Railroad Museum and Galveston County Historical Museum

Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum

Schlitterbahn Water Park

Moody Gardens

Year-round birding sites

TEMPERATURES

Average annual high 80-89˚F (summer averages)

Average annual low 50-58˚F (winter averages)

GETTING HERE

William P. Hobby Airport

45 Minutes Away

Daily service via AirTran, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest. Airport shuttle service begins at $35 per person.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport

75 Minutes Away

Daily service via AeroMexico, Air Canada, Air France, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Frontier, KLM Royal Dutch, Lufthansa, Northwest Airlines, Singapore Airlines, TACA Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways