Can anyone recommend an upscale resort along the Gulf Coast that's not too far from Houston?

Hoppy,
How far is too far? If possible, I would keep driving until I got to the Florida Panhandle...Destin, Navarre, Seaside.

Run a serach on Padre Island, I don't know of anything upscale there, but I also really don't know the area.

If New Orleans qualifies, there are two Ritz-Carltons, the Ritz-Carlton New Orelans and the Ritz-Carlton Maison Orleans. Go to ritzcarlton.com

If Alabama is not too far, there is a nice Marriott hotel and golf resort in Point Clear/Mobile Bay. Its called the Grand Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa. go the marriott.com.

Do a search on hotels for SPI. There was one there called the Bahia something(I forget the second word...I suffer from CRS)and it looked like a really nice place.

Bahia Mar. It used to be nice. It may be past its prime now, if it hasn't had a recent renovation. There is a main hotel, and nearby condos. It's at the end of the developed part of SPI, so it's a little quieter, but you can't walk to other attractions easily.

I don't think of anything on the Gulf Coast as upscale, unfortunately.

It's not on the coast, but it isn't too far from Houston: YO Ranch in the Hill Country.