A vision of Victorian elegance rising from the Texas sand and surf, the Galvez was known as the "Queen of the Gulf" on the day she opened in 1911. For nearly a century, this charming hotel has been the choice accommodation of guests as demanding and diverse as Teddy Roosevelt, Howard Hughes and Frank Sinatra.

Named after Bernardo de Galvez, who first chartered the coast of the Texas Gulf, the hotel has endured several incarnations during its lifetime, from a Jazz-Age hot spot to a coast guard training facility during World War II. Throughout its many incarnations, Galvez’s regal charm has remained a constant, and a recent $9-million renovation that has elevated the Galvez to its rightful place as the beach on the Galveston coast.

Palm trees line a healthy stretch of grass in front of the property’s double doors. Mahogany beams cross the ceiling of the expansive lobby, the same wood used in the recently restored lobby bar. Follow the long hallway known as the Loggia to the hotel’s famed restaurant, one of three meeting rooms or the veranda, which overlooks the formal gardens and the hotel’s tropical pool.

Upstairs, each of the 224 guest rooms offers ocean or island views and is accented with verdant greens, sepia and rich golds with new draperies, wall coverings, crown molding, carpet and a cherry-wood armoire. The seventh and eighth floors showcase seven new grand suites with sitting rooms and marble baths. Seldom-wavering weather conditions allow for year-round beach activities, including sunbathing, swimming and horseback riding along the beach. New to the hotel is a 9,736 square foot, $6 million luxury spa that opened in March 2008.

Downtown Galveston, galleries, museums and the shops and restaurants of the Strand Historic District are a mere trolley ride away.

Named after Bernardo de Galvez, the Spanish colonial governor who first chartered the Texas Gulf Coast

Original Property Opened: 1911

Rate Range:
Single/Double: $109.00 to $650.00