Hotel Galvez & Spa, A Wyndham Grand Hotel

Beautiful building, perfect location, unfriendly staff and small rooms.
This is a beautiful and famous location in Galveston. I feel like it’s something right out of a movie. Inside and out its really amazing. The rooms are very small compared to newer hotels, but I imagine that was more customary for the time it was built.
Although the outdoor greeters and valet workers were really nice and courteous, the administrative staff were not. I interacted with several front desk personnel and each time it sort of left a bad feeling. We had a $ 25 disagreement about the dog fee. Instead of trusting me (the stay was not cheap and $ 25 is nothing in comparison) they insisted I was wrong. Flustered, I went back to my room, found the cheaper price and came back to show them. Instead of apologizing, or offering to provide a refund or credit, they said «ok, we’ll get that changed».
Anyway, it was nice, but we’ll be trying another hotel next time.

The Galvez is a hit or miss hotel.
It’s historic, which means that it’s beautiful, and swank, and elegant, and stunning and old, and prone to maintenance issues, small but frustrating, and of course small rooms, rough handicap access, and ghosts.
PETS: This hotel allows pets for a fee, we saw many, who were just grateful to find a hotel that took pets on Galveston. The up side is if you are allergic, they have a hypo-​allergenic floor, which is modernized with spa showers.
MODERNIZATION: The rooms are hit and miss. Most are small, and there are many odd shapes. But they are in various stages of modernization. Some are updated, and others are not. I saw maintenance working on issues every time I used the hallways during my two day stay. The AC in this hotel was great, the humidity was good, and the rooms have central air. Most notably the my wife and I never noticed any mildew or mold, and since I’m severely allergic to nearly every type of indoor and outdoor mold, I feel like I serve as a human mold barometer. This hotel has no odd smells, no stained carpets, and it feels regal. But, you might find some small water leaks.
SMALL ROOMS: The rooms are small, especially the older bathroom, and many are older. It’s easy to find maintenance issues. Tight narrow hallways– good luck with a wheelchair dealing with housekeeping carts.
LOCATION: WOW. It’s hard to get a better location. A block from the pleasure pier, restaurants nearby, and bike rentals at the hotel and on both sides. The hotel sits on the Seawall, and it’s just beautiful.
OCEAN VIEW: Yes the hotel is right on the ocean, behind a modest 115 year old sea wall. Yes, people do die in hurricanes on Galveston. Yes, it would suck and be horrible if you were there during a hurricane. Half the rooms have no ocean view. Plan your stay for good weather.
AMENITIES: The hotel has 4 major amenities: Good to modest food; Great outdoor pool and bar with modest food; Spa (did not use); and Ghosts (these are done with lasers to keep guests happy). The pool is great because you can sit at the bar in the pool and that just makes for a fun vacation.
OVERALL: Galveston is known for Moody Gardens and Schlitterbahn, and there are more kid friendly, and likely more expensive rooms at Moody Gardens for those who have families with small kids. Galvez is more swank but it’s cliental is more touristy, and 35+, mostly with older kids.

Watched a family give their toddler a diaper and let him change himself in the bushes by the pool… Never saw him come back out with the dirty one so I assume the parents let him leave it in the bushes. There were so many kids there you would have thought it was Disney World.
My room was small but quiet and comfortable, but it was kind of dirty. The walls were scuffed up and the room needed to be vacuumed. There were long black hairs in the bathroom left over from either another guest or the cleaning staff.
The hallways are another story! Old french fries left on the carpet and it clearly had not been vacuumed in quite some time.
Valet ignored me completely, opting instead to assist the old people arriving after me. Service in restaurant was slow to begin with but my waiter was nice and my steak was delicious. Bread pudding was amazing.

This hotel is antiquey but modern all at the same time. When you walk in, the lobby is impressive. To the left, you have a gorgeous, modern check-​in counter and to the front, you have an open bar where anyone can sit and sip with antique vaulted ceilings and to the right, you have the dining area, also with beautiful antiqued ceilings, meticulously restored. The big huge paned windows with the view of water and gardens are impressive.
The hotel itself is nice. The rooms are comfortable and cozy. Some are quite large and roomy. The hotel is also said to be haunted! For those who like those things.
So why the lower review score? Quite honestly, it’s their customer service. Go to the San Luis, and you will be fawned over-​they will treat you like royalty. Come here, and they’ll treat you like stepfamily. Well, maybe not quite that bad, guess it depends on your family.
Here’s the thing: We went for Sunday Brunch, and I think they had cleaning staff working to serve because of the larger than expected crowd. We were not given refills without hunting someone down. While they weren’t rude, the were not overly good at their jobs, and it seemed that they weren’t certain exactly what their jobs were.
The dessert table was nice as far as offerings, but some of the food was put right on the table, with no doily or paper or tray under it and it stained the tablecloths visibly. No one was manning the table, in a windowed hallway, and flys were all over the cupcakes and children were helping themselves to ice cream, because no one was observing, and some were using their hands! I had no ice cream, thanks! LOL
Also, I have to mention accessibility: When we pulled up, we went to where we were told to park, which is a small lot that is gated behind the restaurant area. Unfortunately, there is no sign discussing handicap parking. Once you get across the street in your wheelchair, you’ll notice there are ramps, but the ramps lead to five steps up on either side. There is no way to get into the restaurant from the back in a wheelchair. I was told when we called from the back to get back in our van and go to the front and they would valet park us for free. Well, that’s fine, if you knew that to begin with. There are no signs that talk about that or let you know and the ramps are misleading.
I instead took the wheelchair around the hotel to the other side, and to get there, i had to go all the way down toward the bottom of the street and then back up, and with my oxygen tank, I had to pass past the outdoor smoking area to get where I was going in the front door.
This lack of accessibility or information about parking started my day off negatively… i would like to see them put more informative signs about handicap parking.
Once inside, wheelchair accessibility is acceptable and I didn’t have much problem with that at all.
The food was really good. The Sunday Brunch was strong, with prime rib, fantastic oysters, decent crab legs, good shrimp, a nice spicy cocktail sauce, excellent horseradish sauce, cute little mini tacos, riblets, fantastic desserts, breads, salads, and a great soup. Really good food. I high recommend the restaurant for the brunch, IF good service isn’t a huge priority for you.
Overall, I’d stay here again. I’d also eat at the Sunday Brunch again. Both were good. I’d just like to see their customer service improve a little.

When we arrive to the hotel our reservations have been canceled we had to rebook our room well they didn’t have the room we booked so they booked a cheaper room for one night then the next night that we switch to the room we originally purchased. The next morning I woke up went down to the lobby to figure out what happened and what we’re gonna do about it the hotel said that
canceled the room when I asked what they was going to do to compensate me for the management told me they would give me for your breakfast which cost $ 18 what’s really been just pissed me off even worse. So I contacted
and they said that hotel Galvez cancel the room so I asked them to email me a copy of the confirmation that hotel gabby sent them for cancellation so they do it and hotel Galvez cancel my reservations which the whole time I was stay in there, they lied to me in my face. So if you going to book a room at this hotel just make sure you call the morning of and I will before you get there before to make sure they don’t cancel your room. The only reason I’ve given them two stars out of Five is because the hotel spa, The restaurant and the pool staff and quality was amazing. The only reason I would go back there is for them three qualities it’s definitely not for hotel Galvez management.

I am incredibly disappointed in with this hotel. A 4-​star hotel should at least be clean and well managed. The changing room in the pool area had dirty napkins and towels lying about, and the carpet leading to the pool area was stained.
The hotel refuses to let anyone check-​in before 4pm, but encourages you to check your baggage beforehand and «enjoy the amenities» while you wait, which translates into «spend money» while you wait. The largest problem, however, is that because of their strict check-​in policy, there is a backlog of people all lined up to check-​in at 4pm, and their baggage must be retrieved all at the same time. I was told that I would receive my baggage in approximately 10 minutes but an hour later, I have still not seen my luggage. You can get a much nicer room and a better experience for the same price at the San Luis. Do not stay here.

Staying at a historical place seemed like a good idea.
The staff was super courteous. From the BellHop to the folks behind the desk, I think that they are well suited for what they do.
Small rooms greeted us, much smaller than I had anticipated. The windows were screwed shut which gave me pause for several reasons. The beds were clean but firm which makes it tough for some of us to sleep peacefully. Cleanliness of the room was not paramount I am guessing. Had one given it the white glove treatment, it would have failed.
Part of the reason you go stay on the beach are the sea breezes. When you can’t open the windows, that seemed rather dubious and not well thought out. The second reason and perhaps more concerning is this: if there is a fire and you should have to use the window as an escape; you would be forced to break the glass which I am guessing is not tempered. Not tempered means that there will be shards of glass instead of many small pieces. Shards equal lacerations.
A seawall view is not worth the money as the windows not only don’t open but, they are dirty. From the salt air no doubt but if you cannot enjoy the view or the breezes, why? They double the cost for an ocean view, sorry, waste of money.
Dining was acceptable, hotel food. Flies joined us at the restaurant too often making it a challenge to keep them off the food. Again, the service was top notch. Dirty dishes had greeted us before they served us which led me to believe that their machine which washes them might need some work.
The hotel allows pets which is good for the pet owners, not so good for those of us who don’t care to be awoken by barking dogs.
Thin walls were just one of the issues when the neighbors would chat until the wee hours, or their kids were talking, television blaring, etc.
Parking was easy and plenty as there is a garage next to the place. I used valet for the first night and from then on just parked it myself as they charge close to $ 20 a day for valet, even if your car simply sits in the garage.
The spa is nice, but, the steam room was not working, so that was kind of a bust.
A nice size pool with many accommodations makes for a relaxing alternative to the beach. A Swim up bar is a nice touch however it is not open very late. If you are on a budget, $ 25 for two drinks may not be what you bargain for. Having someone at the bar until the pool closes would facilitate more patronage, thus more profit.
I am not certain if I would stay there again. There are simply much nicer accommodations in the area that actually have balconies and take advantage of the natural resources of Galveston.
–Best

We stay here every year hoping to catch a glimpse of a ghost which none yet has come, my kids want to see one more than I do. Love love a love the spa and the pool is top of the line. My husband loved the bar while I did the spa treatment. This is my favorite place on earth I think.
Two more days and back to Dallas to dream of it here again.

For the prize we paid, the room was pretty small and the bathroom was tiny! The rollaway bed was pretty creaky. The toilet is small and if you’re tall person, you wouldn’t be comfortable in the low ceiling shower. The service was nice… however, I wouldn’t return…

I booked this stay via another website, Expedia. The whole thing was rather a fiasco, all on Expedia’s side. I advise you to book directly with the hotel. Expedia’s descriptions are not accurate. Anyway, the hotel itself is lovely. The folks at the front desk do not have any discretion or power to help you if you have any issues. Corporate for Wyndam isn’t very nice either. The facilities at the hotel are top notch. The bedding is great and the bar is very very good.
Very beautiful spa with exceptional service. I thoroughly enjoyed my treatments there. The environment is extremely tranquil and the people are wonderful. The only not so great thing that happened was that we had a sudden death in the family and had to leave the hotel late in the evening. We had scheduled services for the next day. I asked the front desk to please advise the spa of what happened. They said they would, but never did. The spa was unable to give me a coupon for the services and charged me for them anyway. Although our leaving was unavoidable, it would have been nice if they could have worked with me. Never the less, I would return to the spa.

My partner and I stayed one night. We were fortunate enough to be on the sixth floor, in one of the hypoallergenic «spa-​inspired» rooms. The walk-​in shower is terrific. We both found ourselves wishing we had one at home! I found the room tastefully decorated with a very comfortable pillow-​top mattress. Yes, the rooms are small but the aforementioned walk-​in shower made up for that shortcoming.
We also enjoyed the famous Sunday brunch. And the veranda with honeysuckle in bloom was heavenly. All told, we enjoyed our visit and plan to stay two nights next time.

Room Service, mediocre.
Housekeeping, poor.
Management, seem to care – Guest Sevices listened to grievance, Front Desk Manager also listened, but Housekeeping Manager wasn’t in. He’d left for the day, so I emailed him photos, along with my grievance, but we’ve yet to find out why we walked into a partially made room, after a long day out and about.
We expected a nicely made-​up room. NOT.

What a complete disappointment. We had planned this weekend for some girls who work so hard daily to take some time away from the dying children and adults that they work with and it was a complete disaster. First, we get here and they lost our reservation. The front desk person finally got us a room and was nice enough to give us a discounted rate. We went upstairs and realized that we were put into a handicap room. After the valet guy brought up our stuff, we realized that one of our coolers, a vintage 50’s cooler that belonged to my friend’s father had been dropped and all of the contents had fallen out and been stuffed back in it. There was also a crack in the insulated lid. The valet guy denied that it was dropped «under his watch». No apologies, nothing. The sheets on one of the beds had yellow stains in multiple areas.
We also had a meeting with the event coordinator and went downstairs at 2:03, our appointment was at 2. After letting the front desk person know, we were told to go wait at the bar. 2:30, someone shows up and says that no one told them we were waiting and that «most people check in a let the front desk know when they’re there». So she went to get the person that we were actually suppose to meet.
The main lobby was beautiful but so many aspects of the stay were disappointing but those were just some. It really made the whole weekend experience a huge joke at the big beautiful hotel at which we were so excited to stay.

Not worth the money. I reserved 2 night stay and Room wasn’t ready at check-​in. I couldn’t check-​in until 5pm. Once we drop off our luggage and went for a walk. We were unable to get back in the room. They had me go up and down 3 time with new keys. I still couldn’t get in. They had to call the maintenance person had to check the lock, because the lock was dead. The next day left early and got back by 430pm and room wasn’t cleaned. I had to leave again for them to clean the room. Now the restroom is not working. Having to wait for maintenance again. Can’t use the restroom. Have to go downstairs again.
I don’t recommend staying here. I am not.

My daughter goes to school at TAMUG (and doesn’t drive) so I have ample opportunity to make quick overnight visits to the island. This time was the first Friday night of Spring Break, and surprisingly the Galvez offered a better deal than either of my two regular favorites (one also a Wyndham property, more on that in a minute) so I blew through a few of my travel rewards points and booked the room, listed as «one room, designated upon check-​in» through Chase ultimate rewards booking. The room, though reserved for two, turned out to be a king, and king only, no doubles available. Not a big deal nor a deal-​breaker, but a little bit of a bummer.
The façade and lobby are, as expected, lovely. Valet service upon check-​in was quick and friendly. Check-​in was also quick, and all seemed well in the world.
After a nine-​hour drive from west Texas I was more than happy to accommodate my daughter’s request to order room service and «hang out,» maybe hitting the pool if the warm weather held. And there’s the first chink in the stately armor. I should have been forewarned at the (too?) reasonable pricing of room service. Having had the (literally) best cheeseburgers of my entire life from the Ritz-​Carlton New Orleans (and also at the Iberville thanks to an odd setup any traveler should know — the Courtyard Iberville in NOLA shares room service with the Ritz), I have set a reasonably high bar for room service in what is deemed a luxury property.
So: Room service. We ordered two cheeseburgers with fries at $ 12 each, plus an order of fried calamari. Though promised to arrive within 15 – 20 minutes, I’d say the food arrived roughly 30 – 40 minutes later, and cold. Which is a shame because if that calamari were hot it would’ve been up there with the best of the best. Tender without a hint of rubberiness, lightly and perfectly fried, and served with an amazing (and non-​typical) roasted scallion dipping butter at $ 11, all the same pricing as in the Galvez Bar & Grill downstairs. Worth it as a meal by itself IF you’re eating downstairs where your food might arrive slightly warm. The burgers were pretty dismal, to be blunt. The brioche buns were very nice but «nice» grocery store quality, the burgers dressed with tomato, lettuce and onion but no pickles (?), but the patties themselves were grim. They were food service patties with no discernible flavor whatsoever. The texture made my former softball & volleyball player daughter and I realize exactly what they were: everyone who has ever had a high school athlete has found themselves in a remote area for a tournament, with nothing but gas-​station hamburgers in sight for lunch. Yes, these are gas station quality patties. Even at the thoroughly reasonable $ 12, this is beyond-​the-​pale unacceptable. Fries would have been good if, again, they were the slightest bit warm. Water was tap water. Surprisingly there were still ice cubes in the glasses (go figure — I guess everything was consistently cold?), but again, not what I’d expect from a higher-​end property.
The linens were lovely, plush and fluffy, the bed was comfortable and yes, the room was small, but that was to be expected. The bathroom was VERY small and tight, and I was surprised to see the standard toiletry/​amenities set as we’ve had at the Harbor House, another Wyndham property on the island that is not considered higher-​end. I’d just have expected better. Edited to add: Wyndam needs to rethink their use of Wolfgang Puck in-​room coffee. It is what I call «coffee water beverage» and I’ve learned to hit a nearby Valero for my first cup of the day instead.
Property and staff: 3 – 3.5 stars
Room service: 1
Overall really more like 2.5−3.5ish?
ETA: It was time, after much thought, to knock this down to a 2 star review. For a «destination resort» I feel it just fell flat, overall.

As a former Galvestonian, I dreamt of staying at the Hotel Galvez on many occasions. But, I never had the opportunity on a college student budget. Now, however, my husband’s job requires roughly 10 – 12 overnight trips to Galveston per year which have enabled my dream to become a reality. In the past 6 months, we have now stayed here twice, both with and without our children.
Trip 1:
We had a nice, but tiny room. (Think NYC size hotel rooms, with roughly 1 foot walking space on each side of the bed and a tiny bathroom.) Down sheets, down pillows, mini-​fridge & a nice size flat screen tv against the wall. Our kids (1 & 2 at the time) enjoyed the fact that the TV programming included Mickey Mouse and couldn’t get enough of the glamorous pool.
At first look everything was perfect, but the further into our stay we got the less we desired to return.
–Our quiet trip back from the pool, which requires a soggy walk thru the glamorous lobby and lounge area, resulted in many sideways glances and rude looks from the snobby patrons getting sloshed near the bar. (Keep in mind we were fully dressed, but our hair was wet and our children had obviously just finished swimming. And, this is the only path from the pool to the elevator.)
–The bed turned out to be unapologetically firm, which resulted in a bad back ache the next day.
–The bathtub in our room was painfully shallow and the backrest sat at an odd angle which doesn’t help one needing to soak their back and slide down into the water.
–The towels were very rough and honestly, comparable to the quality you would receive from a lower end motel.
–The host and waiter at breakfast were completely inattentive. They never brought a high chair for my youngest child and our drinks were never refilled. We even had to go to the front desk to ask for utensils. (The poached eggs with my Eggs Benedict were also severely overcooked.)
–We needed a bellman’s cart to bring our luggage down to the car, after requesting one and delaying our departure time by 30 minutes they finally arrived with it. We loaded everything onto it and unloaded it into my SUV, yet the inattentive and untimely valet followed my husband around the car and stood there, obviously waiting for a tip that my husband begrudgingly gave.
Trip 2:
After our first experience, which was lackluster in every way, we were not very keen on staying here again. However, with short notice of our trip the other hotels along the Sea Wall were booked and without dishing out $ 350 per night for the San Louis Resort, we didn’t have any comparable options. (We opted to let the kids stay with Grandma on this trip in hopes of seeing if our experience would be any different.)
Everything started out roughly the same, aside from the 40 minutes it took to check in… Our room was roughly the same size, same amenities (except no mini-​fridge?) and same tiny bathroom. With no kids on this trip, we had the opportunity to walk the grounds and pay a little bit more attention to our surrounding:
–The average patrons here, aside from convention attendees, are 50-​something+ year old baby boomers driving high end cars that they are not capable of parallel parking. (Seriously, go stand between the hotel and parking garage for a few minutes, it’s quite funny to watch.)
–The valet employees are more interested in having their own private conversation and their baggy pants with wrinkled, untucked shirts in no way portray the image this hotel is trying to achieve.
–Make sure you request a room that is at a midpoint between the elevator and the housekeeping closet, you will miss your peace and quiet if you don’t.
–While the hotel looks nice and the landscaping is on point, the building itself isn’t really in the best of shape.
–Upon exiting the elevator and entering your room, you’ll notice a musty moldy smell, like they have /​had a bad leak and didn’t replace the wet carpet.
–Check out is Noon, but someone will be banging on your door at 11:30am if you’re still packing.
–Breakfast will run you $ 25 for French toast and coffee… Seriously.
Our 2^nd stay wasn’t as bad as the first, BUT it’s definitely not our cup of tea. I would much rather stay somewhere where other guest don’t stare at children with a look of displeasure and breakfast costs $ 10 not $ 25. I wouldn’t consider this hotel ‘family friendly’ at all and while this is easily within our price range, I would rather stay at the Holiday Inn where it isn’t frowned upon to carry my expensive fishing pole in to our room. Next time, regardless of how booked other hotels are, we will definitely be staying somewhere else.

Nice hotel! But I’ll never go back because of the horrible person that took me there did something terrible to me! THANK GOD I WAS TO INTOXICATED TO REMEMBER! NEVER AGAIN!

Named one of the Top 100 brunch restaurants in the US and I can see why. The staff is friendly and courteous especially our server Levi, she was super sweet and kept our bottomless mimosas and water topped off. The food/​chef stations were great. Sunday brunch was fabulous! From the fresh fruit, assorted bread, lox and bagels, cheese and crackers, cocktail shrimps, oysters on a half shelf, crab legs, salads, yummy omelette and waffle station, pasta station, bacon, eggs Benedict to the carving station with prime rib and ham. They also have New Orleans themed food because we went during Mardi Gras, they had seafood gumbo, boudin balls to name a few. Last but not least was the desserts: they have an entire room full of desserts! Talk about food porn! Definitely noms!

Hotel is beautiful and awesome place to stay! Our AC wasn’t working great. They had a «engineer» come check our AC. The AC Working fine later but the «engineer «was a little rude. Not a big deal we will be back.

The Gálvez was my favorite Galveston hotel… until today. It’s been a dog friendly hotel my pooch and I enjoyed often. Today, two days before Christmas, she was turned away by the surliest desk people I’ve ever met at the hotel. I was left hours from home with my dog and nowhere to stay. They broke their non refundable reservation policy, but wouldn’t break a dog weight policy — not even five pounds. I now have the utmost contempt for the Gálvez. I’ll never be back — with or without the dog.

The hotel is absolutely beautiful. I love the old, historic feel of it. That being said, I was a little disappointed with the booking and checking in process though. I booked with them because of a wedding reception we were attending there. When I called I specifically asked about early check in, which they stated was at 2 pm. I would have booked elsewhere if they told me it was not guaranteed. The actual wedding was at 3 pm at a church near the hotel. When we arrived around 1:45, we went through the check in process only to be told, we needed to wait in the lobby until a room was ready. Keep in mind, my wife and I were not dressed for the wedding because we thought we would be in the room at 2. They would not give us a time frame of when our room would be ready. 2:30 rolls around and I check with the desk, with no room near ready. At this point they told us we could change in the restroom or swimming pool changing room. We were not about to change into our really nice wedding attire in a restroom. Luckily, we ran into people we kind of knew through friends who said we could change in their room. With all that, we were late to the wedding.
I understand checking in early is a courtesy they offer, but I wish they would have stated that when I called to book the room, rather than after I checked in. We planned our day according to that.
All that being said, the people at the check in desk were nice and professional, and we did not have any other issues with the hotel. The place is really beautiful and right on the water. The Pleasure Pier is within walking distance.

Mildly dog friendly.
Poop at your own risk.
Dogs are allowed for $ 100 non-​refundable fee. They allow dogs to pass through lobby, but they can’t stay in the lobby too long. They also request that pups go out back in the vacant in the dark and unlit lot behind the hotel. Although, it is scary and dark and seems unsafe — they provide poo bags & disposal.
Rooms are nice. No balconies. Bar makes good virgin piña coladas.
They suggested we get an ocean view do, but then they gave us a room right in front of the elevator. Easy access for pup to get out to the back lot I suppose.
Very swanky lobby.
Valet parking $ 17/​day.

Very nice quiet pool, clean and great salt water. I often don’t get in public pools but this one is very nice. Swim up bar with very kind bartenders who made the drink as I like it. Dinner and breakfast at the lobby restaurant delicious. The rooms are small, nothing the hotel can do about that. Lounge chairs at pool are not comfortable and the bend did not fit anyone’s back. We looked across at the cabana lounge chairs but never tried them as they require a cabana rental. Nice walk through museum in the basement. It’s worth it to walk across the street to Murdocks for the patio rocking chairs over the ocean at sunset.

When you are visiting Galveston, Queen of the Gulf, there is no better place to stay than the historic Hotel Galvez. As a monument to economic revival following the Storm of 1900, you too will be helping the local economy by taking your business to this Victorian style hotel. Walking through the grand lobby entrance, with its high ceilings and vast open floor plan, it is easy to see how this establishment was and still is the most luxurious location on the Gulf.
My experience at Hotel Galvez and Spa will be a memory I cherish and retell to all willing to listen about my stay in Galveston, Texas. The concierge staff were more than knowledgeable about the local area and made checking into my room a breeze. The room itself was clean and offered all the creature comforts of home including a small fridge, hair dryer, and the usual essentials to freshen up. The pool and swim up bar, although not as large as other local hotel pools, were adequate enough to enjoy a relaxing weekend escape from the city. The hotel is also pet-​friendly, although it should be noted furry friends are only allowed in guest rooms and nowhere else on the grounds. In addition, the hotel offers complimentary bicycles which adds for an interesting adventure down the famous Galveston seawall at no cost to you.
Evenings at Hotel Galvez were by far my favorite. To my satisfaction, I was able to enjoyed an expertly crafted cocktail while accompanied by the stylistic sounds of a local musician on the baby grand piano located in the heart of the main hotel lobby. Furthermore, the hotel grounds including the property’s many azaleas and palm trees are meticulously maintained. When the sun has set and the outdoor lights come on this adds a stunning touch of elegance to Hotel Galvez. Taking a stroll across the grounds to enjoy a night cap on the hotel’s Adirondack chairs while over looking the ocean was a superb ending to a day well spent.
To those looking to experience Galveston as generations of Texans have done so before, Hotel Galvez provides a truly memorable experience you will not regret.

Sub par for the price
The outside fa sad is gorgeous, grand to say the least. The front desk check-​in process was friendly and smooth. There was a two piece jazz combo (piano and bass) in the front lobby, who were very good. To bad they were in the middle of the bar area instead of featured on a stage for all to see and appreciate. The pool décor is surrounded with palm trees, swim up bar, fresh towels, friendly staff. The pool does have an intense amount of chlorine in it, overwhelming. Oh and it’s along the road, lots of road noise in this area which is created to be an oasis. We paid $ 300 for our room based on availability online and description, which was beachfront and all rooms had a view of the water. Well, that is not what I received. In order to access the beach, we need cross a busy highway… not fun. Our view from our room is of the run down homes surrounding the hotel, very industrial view (not a $ 300 view by any means). There are Adirondack chairs in front of the hotel, which is a great to view the ocean and hear the waves to relax. Not the case, sit in a chair and view the street and noise of passing cars. If you listen closely, you’ll hear the ocean. The shower supplies provided were subpar, enough for one person (there were three in my family) and plain water may have worked just as well. And when we used the restroom sink, it smelled like rotten eggs. If I would’ve paid $ 150 for the night, my view would be different. For a 4+ star hotel at $ 300 per night, they don’t meet the expectations at all.

Perfect hotel if you are going to spend the night in Galveston. The rooms are clean and large. The hotel offers free bike to ride on the sea wall. They also have a shuttle that travels to the strand. My favorite part of the hotel was the salt water pool that offers refreshments at poolside.

We always stay here when in Galveston. Super historical and a true delight. Make sure you make reservations for the Sunday brunch. All the seafood, oysters and prime rib you can easily eat. Love this place.

Came here with my husband after an awful experience at a hotel in Kemah (Boardwalk inn). Staff here is so so kind and upgraded our room for free. We had a slight problem with that room as t hadn’t been cleaned yet, so they gave us one of their newly renovated rooms. The new renovated rooms have rain shower heads in the bathrooms and special air conditioning for those with allergy problems (like me). It ionizes air for freshness and helps get rid of nasty allergens. Very cool.
Food is subpar, but it’s very easy to forgive since the hotel is so beautiful and historic.
Rooms are a tad small, but no worries, there is a SALT WATER POOL (!!!) to help get rid of any stress you feel over the room size. We will definitely return.

I am a huge fan of the Galvez. So many life events have happened for me here and I cherish them all. I always find a way back.
The rooms are tastefully redone but the starter room will be a bit small as the building used to only have one water closet per floor. I was upgraded on my second stay of three days this most recent stay to a «parlor suite» which does not face the water. What does it have you ask?
Awesome sauce ness. Dual shower heads with seat in the shower. Separate living area and accommodations that I would rather just stay in then go home. Everything is tastefully done with quality construction.
Tom, Keisha, and Danielle were the star of the show for me. They personally gave me a birthday card on my birthday (which I more expected a lil something from the hotel but maybe I’m REALLY spoiled from staying at the Tremont). Miriam at the front desk and all the valet are pretty spot on. Genesis and Annette are must sees for massages at the spa and if you need to get a facial, see Lindsay.
Stay here to be close to the tourist thangs on the Seawall. Take advantage of their pool. Take a few bites off their menu (crawfish poboy!) and go to the reflection area. Dan will shuttle you over to the Strand and Tremont on the hour. If you have a real special occasion, you can schedule their town car or upon availability (or maybe I’m just too fancy)… request the Tremont Escalade.
This will always be my first boo boo in Galveston. I look forward to seeing everyone here (minus one sad mad apple) again soon!

My boyfriend and I had a great one-​night stay at this hotel for his birthday. I think we had a reasonable deal from Expedia which was $ 180 for one night considering its $ 200+/night for their regular rate.
We already read the reviews before we booked the hotel so we were expecting to either park across the street in the parking garage or do valet parking. Since we were only staying for one night, we decided to do valet parking. Valet parking is $ 17/​night ($ 18.40 with tax) and it’s unlimited all day. I also called the hotel ahead of time to ask what is the check in and check out time. My advise in general is to call ahead of time for the check in and check out time because every hotel is different. For this hotel, check in time is 4:00pm and check out time is 12:00pm. You are able to do late check out at 2:00pm but you have to sign up for their Wyndham Rewards online for free. So sign up for their rewards online if you want to do late check out time. I also preferred the late check out time because I wanted to get my money’s worth and we had the extra time to kill anyway.
First of all, I love how it already smells so flowery-​ish when we entered the hotel lobby so A++ for that. I checked in with Ula (I think that is his name) and he was awesome! He noted on our room account that we wanted late check out so it did not become an issue with housekeeping knocking on our door to clean our room. I mentioned to him that it was my boyfriend’s birthday so he upgraded us to the spa room with no charge and I am guessing the difference of the spa room is that they have the Vichi shower which had two streams (the regular shower on the side and the one on the ceiling) and you can turn these on at the same time. Also, he sent us a complimentary champagne and chocolate covered strawberries which was a very nice gesture that my boyfriend and I loved and enjoyed.
According to the reviews, the rooms were small which I agree but I understand because it’s a historic hotel and they are trying to preserve as much as they can. However, the room was big enough for us and the bed was comfortable. We stayed in what they considered a spa room and I REALLY LOVED their Vichi shower which had two different streams and it was just awesome; however, their showers heat up very fast so be very careful when you step in. They also have complimentary bikes that you just check out with the valet and you can return before nightfall so take advantage of that. Ride your bike by the seawall and maybe to the strand (where they have shops and other historic stuff) since it is just a mile away. Also, take the time to walk around the hotel, it’s very pretty and they have a little historic museum in the hallway at the lower level. The fitness center is also in the lower level. It provides you with equipments you will need for a daily routine workout but not super big gym equipments and they also provide you with some fruits, towels, water, and disposable headphones.
I expected so much with their pool because in the pictures it seemed like it was a very large pool but it was decent and they have a pool bar. We did not get to swim in the pool because the weather was muggy but if you do not mind the muggy weather then, go for it because it’s open from 11:00am to 7:00pm (I think). Also, they have grassy areas in the front where you can lounge and sit and maybe have a picnic if the weather is nice. Overall, we enjoyed our stay at this hotel. We plan on coming back again and hopefully try their breakfast buffet or their restaurant. I also recommend anyone to stay here if you find a really good deal with the nightly rate because it is pricey.

This place is amazing! Constructed after the great hurricane of 1900, it is definitely a luxurious place that has an interesting and scandalous past. The lobby is huge and welcoming, the staff is friendly, the rooms are large, and the beds are comfortable. Although the weather wasn’t permitting, the pool looked huge and had a swim-​up bar and plenty of seating and space around it.
The restaurant is essentially in the lobby and looked good, even though I didn’t eat there.
I’ve read stories about the hotel being haunted, although I am happy to say that I never had any negative experiences.
I was in town on business and am happy to report that the hotel accepts the government rate. As does its sister hotel, Hotel Tremont.
I highly recommend staying at this hotel if ever in the area. Not only is it steeped in history (the latest issue of Preservation Magazine can be found in every room), you truly feel like you are living in the lap of luxury when you’re here.

Don’t get the negative reviews here… Maybe it was the time of year?
What I experienced was a courteous, helpful staff, a classically decorated hotel located in a great area that was clean.
If I had to complain, (and they would be minor complaints), I would say that the parking situation is less than desirable (having to park across the street in what amounts to nearly a block away in a garage sux), valet is $ 17 a day, and the rooms, especially mine, are very, very small.
Apparently, after speaking with coworkers who also stayed, my small room was not the only one.
Would I return? Most definitely. I would really like to test drive their skills in the summertime when the weather is nicer and «the heat would be on» for the hotel staff so to speak.
Water is just across the street so beach time awaits!!!

This is a pretty hotel with free street parking (yay), but I’d only come here for drinks if you’re hanging out at their bar area. We ordered some flatbread, fries and quesadillas, but they all just tasted as if they were microwaved. ‘Eh.
Everything else is super pretty, though!

I can’t speak for majority of the hotel as I only visited the ladies restroom, the lobby, and the ballroom.
The ladies restroom was beautiful. Mable countertops, wooden stalls, and not sure what the mineral is on the floor – it is green with white. It was beautiful though. The ballroom had antique things from the original owner. The lobby had artifacts from back in the day. Galveston over the years. Very nice.
Oh and the hotel is haunted. I think, its the 5^th floor. You can actually sense a high presence here when you walk in…

The Hotel Galvez is the BEST place to stay in Galveston. It is casual elegance and comfort. The pool bar is one of my favorite places to hang out in Galveston, as the pina coladas are essential when the sun is blazing, and the pool bar offers some shade from the coastal Texas sun!
The rooms are small, and the drinks are pricey, but the atmosphere and location make up for that. The grounds are beautiful, lined with tall palm trees and well manicured landscaping.
Also, there was one day when my husband and I were in the pool bar and there were some parents not watching their children. The children were splashing and creating a ruckus in the pool bar, so I called to let the manager know. He refunded our drinks for the entire day, which was a $ 91.00 bill.