Houston - An Ideal Location For Any Business Or Family

Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and the largest city in the state of Texas. Founded in 1836, Houston has fast made a name for itself as a key industrial city for energy, aeronautics and transportation and has a vast population of about 2.2. million people.

By the mid 1800s Houston had established itself as a commercial and railroad hub for the export of cotton and this, along with the increased production of the local shipbuilding industry after World War II, caused the city to swell in size.

The city is now recognised world-wide for its energy industry in addition to its biomedical research and aeronautics. Houston now boasts 5 out of the 6 major energy companies - ConocoPhillips, Exxon-Mobil, Shell Oil, Chevron and BP. The area is also popular for building oilfield equipment thanks to the Port of Houston. The port is the 10th largest port in the world and ranks first in the United States for international commerce.

Houston office space is favoured by many high profile companies - in fact, after New York City it has the most Fortune 500 companies based there. Key organisations in the Houston area include the Texas Medical Centre, the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions, and NASA's Johnson Space Centre.

In addition to having high quality Houston office space, the area is also one of the best cities in America for jobs. Between 2007 and 2008 the Houston area added 42,500 private sector jobs to the US economy, registering the largest gain in private sector jobs across all US cities.

The city is a multicultural area due to its rich tapestry of academic institutions (17 school districts and more than 60 colleges serve the city) and industries. The metropolitan area is home to roughly 1.1 million residents with nearly two-thirds of the area's foreign-born population from the south of the US/Mexico border.

Houston is also a key area for culture. The downtown Theatre District is home to 9 major performing arts organisations and 6 performance halls. Houston is one of the only cities in the US with permanent, professional companies in all performing arts disciplines, including opera (Houston Grand Opera) and music (Houston Symphony Orchestra). The Bayou Bend facility of the Museum of Fine Arts boasts one of America's best collections of decorative arts, paintings and furniture, while The Alley Theatre plays host to Houston's professional theatre company.

Houston also has a very heavy sports influence and has a professional team for nearly every sport - only the NHL is not represented. The Minute Maid Park (home of the Astros) and the Reliant Astrodome are huge tourist attractions in Houston as are the Houston Zoo and the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Rich in green space, Houston has the biggest total area of green space and parks out of the 10 most populated US cities. In total the area has over 200 green spaces, which includes the Williams Waterfall.

Rich in culture, jobs and creativity; Houston has a thriving, growing company which is ideal for any family looking for a new home. Perfect for sports-lovers and theatre fans alike; Houston really does have something for everyone, no matter what their tastes or likes.

Houston Hotels - A Location Guide to Hotels in Houston

The southern city of Houston is the largest in Texas and is famed for its space centre and rodeo shows. The city is large and sprawling in size, but has three main areas - Downtown, Midtown and Uptown, each one distinguished by their unique skylines.

Downtown Houston

Downtown Houston is the heart of the city centre. Stay here if you want to be in the thick of the action. The city's financial and business district is here and it is home to some of the world's largest energy companies plus many other major corporate headquarters.

Downtown Houston also boasts the 2nd largest theatre district in the world and there's also world-class opera, ballet and symphony to be found.

Lots of the city's top attractions are found in this district like; the Main Street Square Fountains, Downtown Aquarium and the Downtown Tunnels (25 miles of underground shopping tunnels - perfect for a rainy day).

Downtown Houston is also the hub of nightlife and shopping, so if you want to make the most of this for your stay, then choose Houston hotels in the downtown district.

Midtown Houston

Midtown is also located in the city centre. It can be found between Downtown and the Texas Medical Centre. It is one of the trendiest neighbourhoods in Houston and is home to many universities and colleges. This urban neighbourhood is pedestrian friendly and has some of the best restaurants and eateries in the city.

Midtown is the cultural hub of the city with a wide range of galleries, theatres and craft centres. It's also got some nice bars and nightclubs for you to check out as well as.

Attraction in Midtown include; the Contemporary Arts Museum, the Health Museum, the Children's Museum, Hermann Park, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo, Texas Medical Centre and the Houston Maritime Museum to name a few.

Hotels in Midtown may not be abundant as in Downtown but there are still some scattered throughout the neighbourhood.

Uptown Houston

Uptown Houston calls itself one of the 'world's greatest urban centres' and is one of the most popular places (apart from Downtown) for visitors to base themselves. It is the best part of the city for shopping with over 12 retail centres located here as well as the renowned Galleria. The Galleria is the 4th largest retail complex in the US and one of the most visited places in Houston. It has over 375 stores with a range from high street stores to high-end boutique and designer labels.

Uptown is a fashionable district with gourmet restaurants and hip bars and nightclubs.

There are numerous hotels to choose from in Uptown Houston.

Houston Airport Hotels

The George Bush Intercontinental Airport serves Houston and the greater Houston area and is situated about 32km from Downtown Houston. The airport is located in the northern suburbs of Spring, Humble and Kingwood. The popular Greenspoint Shopping Mall is located near the airport.

If you're flying to Houston, it's more than likely you will be touching down here. This airport has excellent public transport connections with Downtown, but there's also some airport hotels to stay at if you want to be based close to the airport.

William Hobby Airport is the city's other smaller airport. It can be found about 13km south east of downtown Houston. There are lots of hotels situated close to this airport which are ideally located if you want to be close to the Gulf Freeway that brings you to the beautiful port city of Galveston. The NASA Johnson Space Centre is also a short drive from this airport.

Houston hotels range from 1 star to 5 star. If you're on a budget and looking for cheap hotels in Houston then choose a lower star rating. The higher the star rating the more expensive the hotel.

Houston has a wide choice of hotels - you can choose from business hotels, family hotels, pet friendly hotels, luxury hotels, self catering hotels, spa hotels and boutique hotels.

Hope you find the perfect Houston hotel for your stay.

Mairead writes for top travel and accommodation website PlacesToStay.com

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