Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of the school year! Packed lunches, homework nights, parent-teacher conferences, book fairs, school zones, standardized tests… it all comes to an end on May 31, the last day of school for The Woodlands area! We figured you’d be needing a break, so we set off to create the perfect antidote for your busy, stressful, hurried life!
Surprise! We found an amazingly relaxing escape for our readers, and it’s right here in our backyard. Read on to learn how to “get away” for the weekend and return home after a night or two, ready to tackle the summer break. It’s only minutes away from your humble abode, but it has all the ingredients to help you get your groove back.
The Lodging – Embassy Suites Hotel
The Embassy Suites Hotel in Hughes Landing is the idea backdrop for your Hughes Landing staycation. This spacious, all-suites hotel, located at 1855 Hughes Landing Blvd. in The Woodlands, is sophisticated and modern, yet not stuffy and pretentious. The hotel staff is professional and friendly, and the value here is the best in town! With rates beginning in the low $100’s and free daily breakfast buffet and evening drinks & snacks, staying here was the easiest choice of the day. I’ve found it to be a great hotel for business, families, special events, or just ragged mommies like me who need a break!
Check-in is at 4pm, and I’m sure in all my excitement I was at the front desk at 3:58. The front desk staff was polite and efficient and handed me two complimentary bottles of water, and a card for the Manager’s Reception (more on that later). Valet parking was offered, but I opted for the complimentary garage parking just adjacent to the hotel.
My room was comfortable, neat, and clean, equipped with 2 televisions, basic bath toiletries, a mini fridge, coffeemaker, microwave, two queen beds, and a separate living room with pull-out sofa.
As I mentioned, Embassy Suites is an accommodating venue for special events. We were thrilled to observe some wedding festivities in progress! The wedding party was having their photos taken against the hotel's lovely backdrop and lush surroundings. Since it was May 4, can guess the theme of this particular wedding? Check out the groom, and may the forth be with you! 
Embassy Suites is well situated and Hughes Landing, just a block away and a nice walk to a variety of restaurants, shops, and sometimes live music. We opted out of pizza (California Pizza Kitchen), Mexican food (Escalante), sushi (The Blue Fish), seafood & steak (Truluck’s, Del Frisco’s), and others, to experience award-winning cuisine at the restaurant I’ve been hearing so much about lately! Broken Barrell was simply a treasure! The hospitality was amazing, and the well-planned menu with fresh, unique flavors did not disappoint. Here are more details:
Broken Barrel – Outstanding Food & Wine, Delightful Ambiance
You’ll want to make plans soon to check out this beautiful waterfront restaurant with a unique, tantalizing menu! Dining at Broken Barrel was easily the most thrilling part of my staycation. If you haven’t dined here yet in the year that the restaurant has been open, you are hereby ordered to put it on your summer bucket list (Father’s Day with hubby, perhaps?).
First, take a look at this place. Isn’t she a beauty? The architecture and vibrant interior décor is worth a visit in its own right.
We were honored to meet Chef Hilda Ysusi, the brains and passion behind Broken Barrell’s concept, and chatting with her was a pure delight. Chef Hilda is this beautiful, witty, genius of a Chef (and also the owner), and she stepped up to create a wonderful experience for us. The fact that she took a few minutes out of her busyness to engage me in Tori in conversation simply made our evening. The best restaurants have chefs who are welcoming and full of personality, so before I even tasted a bite, I knew I’d enjoy the food! The wait service, by the way, was impeccable and suited for upscale dining, though the staff is not stuffy or pretentious. 
But first, the wine! Broken Barrel carries a whopping 100 wine labels, and the folks here know their wines! (Good thing they do, because I don’t, and their recommendations were right on point.) We tasted a white wine and a red wine… and let me just be honest, I have absolutely zero wine knowledge, so I can’t tell you anything about what we drank except that it was flavorful and enjoyable, and I felt quite sophisticated drinking it. The restaurant also offers a special gin menu plus wine dinners.
Our food menu offered some adventuresome options ranging from avocado toast and paella arancini to shareable small plates such as pulled duck tostadas and grilled octopus. We eventually settled on crispy olives (with garlic lemon aioli), pulled duck tostadas, and grilled hanger steak (coffee marinated and served with paprika fries and hollandaise). Both Tori and I felt our food was prepared beautifully and tasted wonderful.
At the Chef’s suggestion, we concluded our meal by enjoying dessert and coffee on the patio. We opted for cheesecake, which was rich, elegant, and delectable! I’m usually game for anything served on graham cracker crust, and this dessert - whose crust also included bacon!) was a fun treat. And, what I don’t know about wine, I make up for in coffee. The cappuccino was the best I’ve ever tasted, seriously! Enjoying it with one of my closest friends as we sit out on the patio overlooking the water made for a special memory.
But wait, there’s brunch and lunch! Broken Barrel’s lunch menu includes soup, salads such as the Shaved Brussel Sprout, and sandwich options (a shredded duck banh mi – oh my!). On Saturdays and Sundays, the restaurant serves brunch with tantalizing menu options such as shrimp tacos, eggs & hash, and brioche French toast.
I give this restaurant 5 stars for their unmatched hospitality, unique menu offerings, and delicious cuisine!
Hughes Landing & More Staycation Fun
Situated along Lake Woodlands, Hughes Landing is an ideal location for time with friends and family. It’s quaint and peaceful, and bursting with amenitie. Grab a Mobike and explore the town! Take a trolley to the waterway area (the FREE trolley stops in 2 Hughes Landing locations including right in front of Embassy Suites.). Rent a Kayak from Lake Edges Boat House! Grab coffee at Starbucks, get a blowout at Blo blow dry bar (I’ve been there plenty times - it’s fab!), or window shop a Pier One. You can drop in at Venetian Nail Spa or get your fitness on at Pure Barre. Or maybe get your cha-cha on in a class at Fred Astaire Dance? Or if you’re weary mom who’s had a busy week, you might just decide to do what I did. After dinner, Tori and I walked right back to our hotel room and settled down for the night, and I couldn’t help but notice how quiet the hotel was. It was nice to be shielded from the outside noises. Serenity! 
Later that night, we two friends each relaxed in our own bed and stayed up into the early morning, watching Youtube videos of some of our favorite 80’s & 90’s!
The next morning was breakfast, and it’s a buffet! You can wake up late and still catch it, as it was being served all the way to 11am on Saturday morning. A complimentary hot breakfast is included with your hotel stay, and they don’t skimp on the offerings. There’s delicious thin & crispy bacon, sausage (patties and links), eggs, pancakes, potatoes, cooked-to-order omelets, oatmeal, and more. Up for something light? There’s fresh fruit, yogurt (and all the fixins for making your own parfait), muffins and pasties, plus several cold cereal options. For drinks, choose from coffee, several types of juices, or milk or water. It’s all included! The dining room was spacious, and tables were readily available and clean with frequent bussing. A quaint, outside patio served as another option for enjoying your first meal of the day.
After breakfast, we enjoyed the heated outdoor pool. The pool is on the smaller side, very much my style. We lounged poolside with drinks, and I couldn’t’ resist giving my dogs a good soak.
The Embassy Suites Hotel in Hughes Landing is situated just a block away from the main drag, so although it's close to exciting restaurants and shops, it’s still very much quiet and feels secluded. As aforementioned, a TROLLEY stop right outside the hotel is the easiest way to ride to the mail, Market Street, Waterway Square, or even the library for FREE, all the while sitting back and letting someone else do the driving.
Plan Your Stay!
Gather your girlfriends for your own staycation! A weekend retreat in Hughes Landing is only minutes away from your humble abode but has all the ingredients to help you get your groove back! Don't forget to plan for dinner, lunch, or brunch at Broken Barrel!
