New hotels in Downtown Houston

Downtown Houston is the city's high-rise core, a grid of towers and restored early-20th-century buildings along Main Street, built up around Market Square Park, the Theater District and the George R. Brown Convention Center. Two hotels we track sit inside its historic core: Moxy Houston Downtown, open since December 2023 on Main Street, and Canopy by Hilton Houston Downtown, confirmed for summer 2027 inside the landmark Scanlan Building a block away.

What to do in downtown Houston

For a weekend

Walk Main Street's restored historic blocks through the Main Street Market Square Historic District, then spend an evening on what locals call bar row, the strip of bars and restaurants around Market Square Park a short walk from Moxy Houston Downtown. Minute Maid Park and the Houston Aquarium are both within walking distance, and the METRORail Red Line, which runs directly past the hotel, connects downtown to the Museum District, the Houston Zoo and NRG Stadium without a car — an unusual proposition in a famously car-dependent city.

For a longer stay

With more time, Discovery Green and the Theater District's performing-arts venues sit a few blocks north of Market Square, and the Museum District's cluster of museums is a short METRORail ride south. Buffalo Bayou Park's trails, threading past the Fourth Ward and Sam Houston Park's historic homes, are an easy walk or bike ride west.

Where to stay in downtown Houston

Main Street & Market Square

Moxy Houston Downtown opened at 412 Main Street in December 2023, inside the Main Street Market Square Historic District and directly on the METRORail Red Line, on a stretch locals call bar row for its density of bars, restaurants and live-music venues — Market Square Park is a two-minute walk.

The Scanlan Building

Canopy by Hilton Houston Downtown, confirmed for summer 2027, will open inside the Scanlan Building at 405 Main Street, on downtown's Main Street Promenade — a stretch of seven blocks the city is converting into a permanent pedestrian corridor. Built in 1909 on the site once occupied by the residence of the first president of the Republic of Texas, the eleven-story building was Houston's tallest at completion and later housed office space before its restoration into a hotel.

Which hotel in downtown Houston for your trip

Travelers who want downtown's only open hotel

Moxy Houston Downtown is currently the one hotel we track already open inside downtown's historic core, putting Market Square's bars and the METRORail within a couple of minutes' walk.

Travelers waiting on the Main Street Promenade

Canopy by Hilton Houston Downtown, confirmed for summer 2027 inside the restored Scanlan Building, will add a second downtown address a block from Moxy Houston Downtown once the pedestrian promenade project is complete.

Frequently asked questions

What is the only hotel currently open in downtown Houston?

Moxy Houston Downtown, which opened at 412 Main Street in December 2023.

What hotel is coming to downtown Houston next?

Canopy by Hilton Houston Downtown, confirmed for summer 2027 inside the historic Scanlan Building at 405 Main Street.

Is downtown Houston walkable without a car?

Yes — the Main Street Market Square district and the METRORail Red Line, which stops directly by Moxy Houston Downtown, connect downtown to the Museum District, the Houston Zoo and NRG Stadium without driving.

What was the Scanlan Building before it became a hotel?

An eleven-story office building completed in 1909, Houston's tallest at the time, built on the site of the first president of the Republic of Texas's residence — later used as coworking space before its restoration.

How far is downtown Houston from the Museum District?

A few minutes by METRORail Red Line, or about a 10-15 minute drive.