St. Regis, Houston

A bit of convincing English pretension snugly situated on a wooded lot near the Galleria mall, the St. Regis is the suburban answer to downtown's Four Seasons. There's nothing terribly opulent about the hotel, but it's all first-rate, from the parking valets' energetic greetings to the discreet but attentive Signature Butler Service (available at a premium). This is the kind of insulated hotel where golden harps, reproductions of Regency furniture, and massive flower arrangements look right at home, even though Target and Dunkin Donuts are just down the street. Generally, the French-inspired rooms, with striped wallpaper, cherrywood furniture, standing lamps, and live orchids, are as plush as the luxurious terrycloth robes you find in the closet.

Room to Book: Any room or junior suite on the east side of the trapezoid-shaped hotel, for a view-framed by floor-to-ceiling windows-that shows the vastness of Houston, with the sun rising behind the faraway downtown skyline.