We're flying in/out of Houston(IAH) and will be visiting family in Crystal Beach. Will be staying in Houston area on a Sunday nite and flying out Mon. may do Museum of Natural Sci on Sun or Mon. Suggestions of where to stay...downtown? east side of town? Near the museum Just getting confused w/ all of the areas - Help! Not leaving until afternoon on a Monday so we have time to get out of the city if need to.

Downtown Houston is a great place to stay these days. I really like the Magnolia hotel --very nice and convenient to many restaurants. The Museum of Natural Science is great, as is the Fine Arts museum.

Leah, I posted a message for you about the spa in Weaversville. Do you recommend a particular facial or esthetician? Thanks...back to Houston....

The Museum District is quite nice, especially if you're going to the HMNS anyway. You could also go to the Rice Village, which is a large pedestrian area of stores and restaurants.

Downtown is neat, too, but it might be kind of quiet on a Sunday night. It probably depends on if there are plays and things running. I would not stay on the east side of town.

Is there a particular hotel you're looking at? I can only think of one in the Museum District and it's not open yet.

There are a number of hotels downtown that are quite nice. Hotel Icon, Magnolia, Hotel Alden, Hilton of the Americas. Unfortunately, directly in the museum area the only hotel is still under remodeling. That will be the Hotel ZaZa, but not sure when you are coming so give their Dallas property a call. Not too far away is the La Columbe d'Or hotel. In the medical center, also close to the museums, there are a number of national chains, including I believe a pretty nice Marriot.

Courtyard and Residence Inn occupy the old Humble Oil (now Exxon)HQ building. I will bet you can get a great weekend rate at either of these locations. You can be sure downtown Houston will be dead as a doornail on a Sunday night. You probably can get good weekend rates out westbelt, 610 at Sheraton Suites, Hampton, Courtyard. You would have Galleria mall in walking distance and a hundred restaurants to choose from.

we ended up staying near Lake Houston. Had planned on doing a walk around the park near the Lake but the weather turned cold and nasty.