Hotel Lucine — Attraction in Galveston

My hubby and I flew in all the way from Michigan to experience Hotel Lucine, and overall, our stay was a bit of a mixed bag. My hubby follows some designer on instagram and said he’d like to check it out. The hotel has some real high points, but also some areas that need improving.

I have to start with the exceptional service we received from one particular lady at the front desk when checking in. She was the one that gave us the keys to our room. When she came to the front desk she greeted us with such genuine energy and a bright smile—it was a truly welcoming start to our trip. Even when we saw her around the property later, she always offered a warm greeting. She genuinely seemed like a top-notch employee who could be a fantastic manager to train others in hospitality. On the room side, room 212 was otherwise spotless. The housekeeping staff clearly takes pride in their work. The design is great, and the bed was comfortable.

Unfortunately, the superb service from the one employee was an exception. Most of the other staff seemed low-energy and a little checked out, just going through the motions. There wasn't a smile or friendly greeting unless we initiated it. This lack of pep and a willingness to proactively help was disappointing and really affected the overall vibe. A specific example was the unfriendly attitude of the lady working the bar on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. When I briefly walked away and came back just to ask for lemon slices in Saturday morning , her reaction made me feel like I was a bother. When she saw me walking over to her She walked away and into the back kitchen. Anyway, after I asked her for the lemon slices, she used her bare fingers instead of tongs to put the slices in a cup. She just had such an unwelcoming energy. Not sure how she got that job. Anyway using your fingers to get fruit from a jar is a definite turn off and is a health and service issue that needs to be addressed! The rooftop service also felt like a missing link. People are nice but not on top of things. I mean the rooftop is gorgeous, but we consistently had to go inside to request food or a drink. Staff should be actively circulating to check on guests and clear plates and glasses and take orders they should have menus on all the tables. The set-up also didn't help, as the bar area sliding door was always closed and difficult to see inside due to the sun glare reflecting on the glass. At first I wasn’t sure if that was where we go to ask for food/drink. I thought initially that it was just a work station. A couple other observations: There was a noticeable tare or pulling in the carpet near the front desk when we arrived. In our room (212), there were small spots of what looked like BBQ or ketchup on the sheer curtains. The hotel needs to install a simple, accessible station for guests to refill the glass water bottles provided in the room. Having to spend money on purified water from the minibar fridge felt unnecessary. While the food looked fantastic, it was nothing to write home about taste-wise. also too much light coming in the rooms at night, even with the curtain covering. Curtains need to be floor to ceiling. Overall: Hotel Lucine has a beautiful property and the potential for a 4-star experience, but a lack of consistent, high-energy, and proactive service holds it back. Addressing the staff training (modeled after your best employee) and a few physical maintenance issues would make a huge...

My recent stay at Hotel Lucine in Galveston, TX, was overshadowed by an unfortunate interaction with the general manager, Lacye. While I typically bypass minor inconveniences, the lack of professionalism and customer service I experienced during my stay was difficult to ignore.

The incident occurred after a day of swimming with my two children, aged 12 and 8. We had a late lunch delivered around 2:30 pm, and since there were no tables or chairs in our room to comfortably eat, I approached the very kind front lobby associate. I asked if it would be possible to join my cousin, who was finishing his lunch with his baby in the completely empty dining area in the lobby. The associate kindly confirmed that it was fine, and with that, we sat down to eat.

However, about 10 minutes into our meal, the general manager, Lacye, approached us and the following exchange took place:

Lacye: "Are you aware that this is a food and beverage establishment?" Me: Confused "I'm sorry, I asked your front lobby staff if it would be okay to eat in the dining area with our lunch?" Lacye: "Who told you that?" Me: "I didn’t get her name, but it's fine. I'll pack up our lunch and head back to our room." Lacye: "I feel we should all be educated that this is a food and beverage establishment, and we really shouldn’t bring outside food into this area."

This interaction was unsettling. Never in all my years of staying at various lodging establishments have I been treated with such disregard. Lacye's approach was unprofessional and lacked the basic courtesy one would expect in the hospitality industry. Her condescending tone and lack of customer service experience were glaring, and it became clear that she is not equipped to handle the responsibilities of a general manager, especially in a service-driven industry.

While the hotel markets itself as a boutique establishment, it falls short in many areas. The parking lot, for example, is poorly designed and not suitable for larger vehicles, which are common in Texas. The cramped spaces and awkward layout make it difficult to navigate without risking damage to your car. Additionally, the hotel’s location, adjacent to an abandoned fast food joint, adds to the feeling of unease when parking on the outer street.

What was most disheartening, however, was the palpable difference in how Lacye treated me and my children compared to my white cousins. The undertones of discrimination were undeniable, making me feel like we weren’t the type of clientele she wanted at her establishment. This left a sour taste in my mouth and greatly diminished the overall experience of what was supposed to be a joyful celebration for my cousin’s 40th birthday.

While I was prepared to overlook the hotel’s shortcomings to enjoy the event, Lacye’s behavior significantly dampened our stay. If I could offer one piece of advice to Hotel Lucine, it would be to keep Lacye in a non-customer-facing role. Her lack of professionalism and basic business ethics could potentially ruin the reputation of an establishment trying to compete in a competitive market.

In summary, Hotel Lucine has much to learn about hospitality and customer service if it hopes to stand out among the many new boutique hotels in much SAFER areas of Galveston. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this hotel to others until significant improvements are made in their management and approach to...

I was a little cautious given some of the polarized reviews, but am glad that we decided to stay here.

This is a recently renovated older hotel. The renovations gave it a retro vibe that reminds me of Malibu or other beach towns in California. The decorations were spot on and masterfully put together. The hotel has tons of places for hanging out, whether it be the restaurant, the lounge, the rooftop patio, the poolside patio, or lounging around the pool.

Parking is in lined spaces immediately outside the perimeter of the hotel. If you're used to parking near the seawall, it's basically that. I'm not sure why some reviewers were complaining about that.

The front desk staff greeted us warmly when we arrived. All of the staff that we spoke with were friendly and helpful. We happened to be there during a sponsored event, where free tequila cocktails were being poured and a DJ was putting out good vibes. The pool got great sun throughout the day. Some reviews had mentioned the pool not being vacuumed, but that wasn't our experience. It is a grey concrete which gives it a retro vibe (see the photo) which perhaps is what they saw.

Drinks and food were great, both poolside and for brunch at the "Fancy" restaurant. I really liked their palomas, lattes, and espresso martinis. There were also refrigerated drinks in the room.

The room was comfortable, and had a mix of retro and more modern vibes which worked well. The bed was very comfortable and the room cooled well. We did hear some music from the pool, but it was much quieter than outside.

We happened to get the room at a great rate of $175, which felt like a steal. I saw some reviews mentioning $400/night which would be overpriced in my opinion.

The beach was immediately across the street, and the walk was covered in wildflowers. I was surprised at how clean and empty that part of the beach was, as someone who visits Galveston regularly.

My only complaint is that while we had a great time at the pool, someone brought their young child and allowed them to splash the other guests for nearly an hour. The pool has more of an adult vibe, and with its layout you can't really partition an adults vs kids section. I would love to see this as an adults only hotel (and this is coming from someone who has kids themselves), as it was very romantic and fun otherwise.

Great job Hotel Lucine - I've said for years that Galveston is a diamond in the rough, and this is a great example of its potential. I hope that the hotel keeps it up, proving that there is a great ground in between kitschy tourist traps and overpriced luxury that frequent the island. We'll...