LOCAL Houston | The City Guide June 2017 | Page 61

FOOD | ARTS | COMMUNITY | STYLE+LEISURE SWIMMING 40 FLOORS ABOVE HOUSTON AT MARKET SQUARE TOWER Literally making a huge splash above downtown Houston is MARKET SQUARE TOWER’S SKY POOL on the 40th floor of the new, high-end apartment complex adjacent to Market Square Park. But it isn’t the sheer height of this pool that’s made it quickly rise to social media fame – it’s the pool’s “glass” bottom. The infinity lap pool’s most unique design feature is its clear acrylic extension off the building. The clear extension allows residents to swim above the streets of Downtown taking in the views of Houston’s most iconic skyscrapers. So get your GoPros ™ ready; this Downtown photo op is unlike any other. And as an added bonus, this luxury apartment tower has more than one pool. While its pool on the second floor, dubbed the Terrace, doesn’t have the same thrill factor as the sky pool, it has all the amenities you could ever want, including a hot tub, outdoor shower and a full locker room that also serves the apartment’s spa. The Terrace pool is surrounded by cabanas, each complete with their own private television so you never have to fight over the remote. Market Square Tower’s pools are only accessible to residents of the building and their guests. A LAZY RIVER THE SHAPE OF TEXAS: MARRIOTT MARQUIS’ PARKVIEW TERRACE Everything is bigger in Texas, and the MARRIOTT MARQUIS’ PARKVIEW TERRACE proves that point loud and clear . On the sixth floor of the Marriott, it is essentially a resort within the hotel, featuring the now iconic Texas-shaped lazy river and a 25-meter infinity pool overlooking Discovery Green. The hotel provides inner tubes for guests to float around the lazy river which winds itself around the terrace making the unmistakable shape of Texas. While the two pools are the main attraction, hotel guests can also get competitive with games like corn hole and bocci ball on one of the three grass lawns or tell campfire stories around one of two fire pits. And, what’s a pool day without food? High Dive, the poolside bar and grill, serves up casual grub like quesadillas and its signature High Dive Burger and the perfect selection of poolside beverages from frozen cocktails and beers to $3 Jell-O ® shots! Hotel guests can up-level their Texas-sized pool experience even more by renting a poolside cabana for the day. The Parkview Terrace experience is available for guests of the Marriott Marquis Hotel or the Pure Spa, also located on the sixth floor of the hotel. 60’S CHIC AND SOUTHERN STYLE AT THE WHITEHALL HOTEL History repeats itself and THE WHITEHALL is the perfect example of why that can be a good thing! The historic hotel on the edge of Downtown originally opened in 1963 as the first four-star hotel in the state of Texas and has hosted celebrities including Elvis, Bob Dylan and former President Obama. After going through several renovations and styles, it is now back to its original name and chic Southern style. The recently renovated pool is on the hotel’s second floor and offers sweeping views of Midtown, brand new landscaping and private, complimentary cabanas. Perhaps the most notable feature of The Whitehall’s pool and its sundeck is the unique shape of the pool itself. The unusual zig-zags and angles make this pool truly one-of-a-kind. The Whitehall pool, like the hotel, isn’t done evolving quite yet. There are still plans to further upgrade this pool including the addition of a new pool deck. Before or after you take a dip, a visit to Part & Parcel is a must. The outdoor restaurant and bar is the most recent addition to The Whitehall’s dining repertoire. The trendy eatery and its craft cocktails, drinks specials and live entertainment have quickly become a favorite for the Downtown happy hour crowd. MARRIOTT MARQUIS’ Image courtesy of Marriot Marquis Houston WHITEHALL HOTEL Image courtesy of Whitehall Hotel june 17 | L O C A L 61