The Lancaster Is The Place To Celebrate Milestones and Make Memories in Houston
The Iconic Hotel Nears a Century of Service
BY PC Studios // 07.08.22
The Lancaster hotel's iconic salon staircase.
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Before the downtown skyline was punctuated with skyscrapers or actors took the stages of The Alley, The Wortham and Jones Hall, and before complex highways encircled downtown and the Houston livestock show would thrill visitors, there was the Lancaster Hotel. Its very presence is an ode to the past and an embrace of the future — a destination for marking life’s most important moments, while also providing a respite for those who appreciate a warm smile, plush bed, and a true luxury hotel experience.
The Lancaster Hotel is a living legacy, first opening its Regency-style doors in 1926, a bastion of comfort and style for a wide range of guests including opera singers, musicians, actors, dancers, screenwriters, film stars, poets, authors, politicians, wrestlers, circus and rodeo performers.
Originally deemed the “Auditorium Hotel” in 1926 by owner and developer Michele DeGeorge, the hotel set the standard for refined hospitality. Over the years, the DeGeorge family ran the hotel, only closing it in 1981 for a major renovation and reopening under the now familiar “ Lancaster Hotel” name. It was under their care until 2017 when the DeGeorge family sold the property to the Shinn family, a group of second and third-generation hoteliers. Just like predecessors, the Shinns’ are loving stewards of the storied property.
“The Lancaster Hotel is one of the few true ‘legacy’ hotels in existence. Our family is proud to own this rare and legendary hotel and to celebrate its 95th Anniversary,” Jay Shinn, principal partner of The Lancaster Hotel says.
After purchasing the hotel, the Shinn family worked with Dallas interior designer David Cadwallader to update the space, while still paying homage to the classic style of the Lancaster.
Natural light floods into airy spaces, anchored by muted colors and subtle patterning. It’s the very height of relaxed sophistication, elevated by the addition of principal partner Jay Shinn’s scene-stealing collection of more than 200 contemporary works of art by internationally recognized and respected Texas artists.
“Yes, this hotel has color and a soul. It does not offer just a hotel stay, but a uniquely authentic experience,” Shinn says.
It’s those authentic experiences guests fondly recall when thinking about the Lancaster Hotel. As Houston’s only historic, boutique hotel (and longest operating) the Lancaster continues to leave an indelible mark on guests who choose the hotel to highlight a special occasion, linger over a nightcap after a Theater District show or find rest in one of the Lancaster’s 93 guest rooms. Ultimately, The Lancaster Hotel is Houston’s place to celebrate milestones and make memories.
If the walls could talk, they would tell stories of wedding receptions and anniversaries, such as Pam Peterson who hosted her wedding reception there in 1989, and Ann Swift, who celebrated her 25th wedding anniversary at the hotel.
Its ideal placement in the heart of the prestigious Theater District makes it a luxurious go-to for pre-show dining or post-show cocktails. Guests like Martha Plunkett said it was “a perfect dinner in the restaurant before A Christmas Carol” and Jeff Salinas remembers going to the Lancaster Hotel before an Il Divo concert saying, “it was good food, good friends, and a great memory!”
The Lancaster Hotel holds a special place in so many hearts and minds because it’s just not the grand events that matter, but also the culmination of small and real life moments captured in time – watching the Astros win the World Series in the Cultivated F&B bar, enjoying afternoon tea with a co-worker, and stealing away to catch up on sleep after stressful Covid shifts.
It’s a testimony to the Lancaster Hotel’s enduring spirit and deep connection to its guests. As the hotel looks back on 95 years, , it stands as a reminder of the beauty found in Houston’s historic places. In 1984, the hotel received Recorded Texas Historic Landmark status, an important recognition for the past and future of the Lancaster Hotel.
“The Lancaster Hotel serves as a prime example of a successful preservation and restoration project. Designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, the Hotel captures Downtown Houston’s history and spirit from the 1920s,” Minnette Boesel, Board President of The Heritage Society says.
Over the years, the landscape around the Lancaster Hotel has changed, but the blue awnings and gracious greeting at the door continue the standard of magnanimous singularity established so many years ago.
Perhaps hotel guest Julie Koch says it best: “The Lancaster, to me, is synonymous with special.”