What's New at Hotel Galvez & Spa

Hotel Galvez completed an $11 million renovation in conjunction with the hotel’s 100^th anniversary in 2011. Hotel owners George Mitchell and the Mitchell family have updated all guest rooms with new décor and furnishings and have added operable, divided-light Gulf-facing windows reminiscent of the hotel’s original design. As part of this project, the third major renovation to the hotel since the Mitchells purchased the property in 1993, the north-facing lobby windows were restored to retain their original appearance and to match the south-facing lobby windows that were restored in 2005. The project also includes upgrades to the pool area, including outdoor cabanas and an eco-friendly, saline conditioning system. Additionally, the owners added a 9,763-square-foot spa in 2008.

 

Guests at the Hotel Galvez & Spa can enjoy a heated, eco-friendly saline-treated pool complete with swim-up bar, whirlpool spa, private cabanas and an enhanced pool menu featuring fresh seafood and regional fare. The pool features antique stone and mosaic glass Italian tiles, and a tile fountain. Most recently, the hotel added Brown Jordan pool chaise lounges to complete the look. Just this year, the owners invested another $178,500 in upgrades to the pool area.

 

In 2010, the owners added hand-woven furniture and cabanas from Spain. Each poolside cabana is furnished with two or four chaise lounges, sun-care products, daily newspaper, a deck of playing cards, assorted bottled water and a fresh fruit. Two-guest or four-guest cabanas may be rented for $175 to $300 depending on day of the week and season. Prices are subject to change.

 

The hotel now offers two outdoor venues for events – the Oleander Garden and the new Centennial Green. Centennial Green, a 9,800 sq. ft. outdoor venue, features a classic pergola and is bordered by four charming fountains and is available for wedding ceremonies, receptions and other outdoor events. Centennial Green can host ceremonies for up to 300 guests. In addition to its two outdoor venues, Hotel Galvez & Spa offers more than 13,000 square feet of interior meeting space consisting of nine meeting rooms.

 

Hotel Galvez & Spa invites guests to embark on exciting ghost hunts during the month of October. This “haunted” Texas hotel offers public ghost tours as part of a special three-course dinner on both Wednesdays and Thursdays in October. The hotel also offers special overnight ghost tour packages for guests in conjunction with the tour. The public ghost tour is only available as part of the dinner package priced at $35 per person. Galveston Island offers several special ghostly activities during the month of October including cemetery tours, haunted harbor tours and a year-round haunted house. Hotel Galvez’s ghosts have been featured on The Discovery Channel’s Ghost Lab, Travel Channel’s Ghost Stories and, recently, Travel Channel’s Ultimate Travel: Extreme Bathrooms.

 

Hotel Galvez & Spa will host its fifth annual City of Galveston Holiday Lighting Celebration on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012 from 6 to 7 p.m. This festive celebration, which kicks off with the lighting of the hotel’s 35-foot Christmas tree, is free for the public and features a special visit by Santa Claus; holiday entertainment by the Galveston Ballet, bagpipers and more. Celebrity guests include an appearance by Galveston’s Mayor and Dickens on The Strand’s Queen Victoria. Santa Claus is available for photos from 6 to 8 p.m. As part of the event, Hotel Galvez collects donations for The Salvation Army. Festivities are held on the front lawn of Hotel Galvez.

Galveston Island is Texas premier port and serves as a home port for Carnival Magic, Carnival Triumph, Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas, Disney Magic (coming in Sept. 2012), and Crown Princess (coming in Dec. 2012). As part of Hotel Galvez’s Park and Cruise Package, cruising guests receive free valet parking and round-trip transportation to the cruise ship terminal. Room rates from $154/night on weekdays and $199/night on weekends and are subject to availability. Guests booking through a third-party website, such as Expedia or Travelocity, can pay a one-time $15 valet fee and receive courtesy round-trip transportation.