This will be our first trip to Houston. We arrive after 11 pm at Hobby, and I'd like to stay very near Rice, since we'll be visiting in the morning. Since we're arriving late and only staying in that location one night, I'm hoping to find something about $80 or less.

I've never used Priceline, and thought I'd give it a try, but then I read that it's only guaranteed for double occupancy (we're traveling with 2 children). Is this correct?

http://explore.rice.edu/explore/Hotel.asp

Does this help you at all?

Hi, don't think you will need to bother with Priceline. Houston has many hotels-motels and all price ranges. Here is website that will help.
http://www.hotels-rates.com/hotels/l...ns/Houston/TX/
usa/1620
Hope this helps!

Welcome to Texas! When are you coming?

Yes, it's correct that Priceline is only guaranteed for double occupancy.

Have you been to betterbidding.com or biddingfortravel.com? They're both really good resources for Priceline or Hotwire bidding.

Good luck.

http://www.ricevillageonline.com/dining.php

There are lots of great restaurants in the area around the university. I really like tapas at Mi Luna and the lunch special at D'Amico's is a delicious bargain.

We're coming in June. Thanks for all the suggestions - I'll check them out. We're also going to stay in the Woodlands and then visit Austin. It's our first trip to Texas and we're looking forward to it.

Are you going to The Woodlands to be close to a concert or relatives? I definitely don't consider it to be a tourist destination.

It's definitely suburbia. I would increase your stay near Rice by a day instead as it is much more centrally located.

I know that there's a Holiday Inn Express that's not too far from Rice. That may work for your family.

Eat at Goode Co. BBQ in Rice Village!

I know The Woodlands is "suburbia", but that's one of our main reasons for coming and staying there for a while to get a feel for it. We're looking for a place to relocate in a couple of years (especially if my daughter is accepted to Rice). That's also why we're visiting Austin - to see how we like it.

We're looking for a university with an excellent music program. Any other suggestions besides Rice?

In Austin and surrounding areas, which cities/neighborhoods are considered to have the best school districts?

We're looking for family communities with everything from good schools to an active retirement community. The Woodlands seems to fit that criteria.

I can't wait to try the restaurants! I have heard about Mi Luna, and I definitely want to try some good barbecue! The only Texas BBQ I've had is at the airport in Dallas (but it was still good).

I found the Best Western Reliant Park Inn & Suites at 2364 South Loop W for $60. Is this an ok area?

When we visited Rice about three years ago, we stayed at a very vanilla Comfort Inn (I think it was Comfort Inn, or another similar cheap chain.) just a mile or so up the road from Rice. It served a very standard breakfast, the rooms were very plain, but it was only about $70/night for a double.

Yes, I see a Comfort Inn Greenway Plaza that is close - $65. Thanks, that sounds fine. We're only going to be there to sleep - I don't want to pay for extra amenities. We don't mind doing that for our remaining nights in Texas. We're at the Residence Inn in the Woodlands, which will be convenient with the extra space for the kids. I'm still not sure where to stay in Austin, though.

It's a relatively short drive from the Best Western Reliant Park to Rice, up Main Street. That area is okay, on the feeder road of a big freeway, with a lot of car dealerships and plenty of restaurants nearby. Across from the freeway was the site of the now-closed Astroworld.

Now, having said that, do you really want just one room? Because for not much more, you can probably bid for 2 rooms, 2.5* or 3* in the Medical Center/Reliant Center zone. Few reports of this zone on biddingfortravel.com, but maybe you can get two rooms at the Marriott or the Crowne Plaza for not much more than $60.

This is going to sound like a dumb question, but not having used Priceline before, strange things go through your mind when you're about to press the Buy button. If I bid on 2 rooms, they will be two rooms at the same hotel, correct? We're looking at doing this in Houston as the last poster suggested, and perhaps in downtown Austin as well.

I feel your pain and know what knots your stomach must be in!

But yes, if you bid on 2 rooms and are a winner, they will be at the same hotel.

Good luck!

Comfort Inn Greenway Plaza isn't that close -- there are closer places in the medical center area