Valencia Group invites all guests to emerge from their rooms by creating inventive common spaces in each of the hotels that offer both connection and retreat.
In the age of the internet, there is no trope that’s truer than this one: We are all connected, yet we are more separate than ever before. Online, we each exist in our own cyber-bubble, and that sense of isolation can carry over into real time, particularly when we’re geographically distant from the loved ones and colleagues with whom we regularly engage face to face.
That’s why bringing people together when they’re far from home – and pulling them away from their screens – are primary goals for Valencia Group. The idea started with the group’s president and founder Doyle Graham Jr.’s philosophy to allow travelers and visitors the freedom to “be alone, together.”
The idea is that common areas should be conducive to both socializing and hanging out on your own, enjoying the buzz of activity around you without having to be part of it. To make that possible, the key is to shape environments that are varied and accessible. It might be an armchair in a quiet nook for reveling in solitude, a fireside couch for romance, bar stools with a view for bonding with a coworker, or a long table where you look up from your newspaper or phone and instead make conversation with the person next to you, discovering that we’re not so separate after all.
Lone Star Court: The Water Trough [Austin, TX]
Lone Star Court, the retro-inspired hotel tucked away in the quieter North Austin, Texas, is home to the popular watering hole that’s half finished barn, half cozy living room. Deep armchairs in soft, worn leather arranged around the fireplace offer opportunities for sitting alone, in a cozy pairing, or with a small group.
Stay with Us
Hotel Valencia Riverwalk: The Library [San Antonio, TX]
In historic San Antonio, Texas, Hotel Valencia Riverwalk’s library evokes the elegant yet lived-in feel of a cigar bar lounge at an old-school gentlemen’s club. The dark wood paneling and classic furnishings offers an ambience of privacy and seclusion in which guests can socialize, work, or relax, choosing among the many furniture pieces from sofas to desks.
Stay with Us
Cavalry Court: The Canteen [College Station, TX]
Whether you want to gaze at the stars or belly up to the bar, there’s plenty of space for you to unwind in College Station at Cavalry Court. Start at The Canteen, their restaurant and bar, that spills into the outdoor space of wooden benches around fire pits and their swimming pool. The Canteen creates an open-air environment using large garage doors that roll up when the weather permits, usually leading the casual dining experience out to the fire pits for a s’mores dessert. A long, minimally finished wooden countertop with hammered copper stools serves as a breakfast buffet in the morning and reports for bar duty later in the day.
Stay with Us
Hotel Alessandra: Bardot [Houston, TX]
Fusing sleek, modernist shapes with ease, Bardot, Hotel Alessandra’s Old World–inspired cocktail bar, breaks down large spaces into approachable arrangements. Choose to sip from a row of cushioned low-back barstools, low-slung couches, or curved leather armchairs with round tables, looking out on floor-to-ceiling views of the bustling city of Houston.
Stay with Us
Hotel Sorella: Poolside Space [Houston, TX]
The concept of separate-yet-connected spaces is manifested here in the design feature that dominates Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE’s pool area: the fusion of a deck with canopy beds. Draped white fabric partially encloses side-by-side lounge chairs set on platforms that stretch into the infinity pool. The cabana design offers privacy and comfort while overlooking the Houston skyline, and is up close and personal with the deck’s weekly live music.
Stay with Us
The George: Lobby and Beyond [College Station, TX]
The open-concept lobby of The George and its adjacent public spaces not only offer diverse seating, work, and nibbling areas (long communal tables, leather Chesterfield sofas, an extra-long banquette), but they also showcase unique artistic elements that invite guests to linger and check them out. Playful objects like an oversized abacus and a shuffleboard table also keep guests engaged and mingling.
Stay with Us
Hotel Valencia Santana Row: Courtyard [San Jose, CA]
The courtyard at Hotel Valencia Santana Row has the private feel of a back deck but exudes the design and details of a chic café in Europe. Gather here for a tasty bite, to read a book, or to simply bask in the California sun. Lights strung above the open-air, delicately decorated terrace set the mood for intimate dinners and gatherings.
