Houstonians in need of a staycation have many appealing options these days. The highly anticipated Hotel Saint Augustine opened in Montrose last December. And Uptown Park’s Hotel Granduca unveiled its multimillion-dollar renovation in March, after the property’s acquisition by Transwestern Hospitality Group in January 2024.

The 122-suite hotel now boasts a revitalized 24,000-square-foot ground floor, including updates made to its lobby, five private event spaces, and outdoor gardens. At the forefront of the hotel’s renovation is the launch of its new restaurant Remi, which is under the direction of Episcope Hospitality and David Morton of Morton’s the Steakhouse.

“We think [the hotel] will be an absolute crown jewel for Houston,” says Ryan Gaudin, partner at Episcope Hospitality.

To home in on the reimagining of Hotel Granduca, the team brought in local interior designer Kara Childress. Gaudin says every single portion of the ground floor went down to dirt and stud walls. Now, when guests walk in, they’ll notice design touches such as reclaimed wood floors and beams from Belgium, along with limestone from Italy. The front desk then bleeds into the main lobby, which holds what the hospitality team calls “the Library,” an inviting space painted in deep indigo with books, nooks, and gentle lighting. Gaudin says this area can act as the guest’s living room during their stay, either to have a quiet moment to themselves or flip open a laptop in the morning and get some work done.

“We were looking toward Europe and kind of [wanted to] relay ‘chateau energy’ around it, so things that are refined and elegant but comfortable at the same time,” Gaudin says. “We feel like the synergies between food and beverage and hospitality, and the feeling that we’re creating there is going to really catapult Hotel Granduca.”

The restaurant’s menu focuses on American classics while bringing a hint of European flair thanks to its chef, Maurizio Ferrarese, who hails from Northern Italy. Ferrarese is going back to his roots with entrées like rigatoni Bolognese and pesto caserecci with toasted pine nuts and pecorino. Other dishes include a dry-aged rib eye; steak frites; Ōra King salmon; the Remi burger made with cheddar, dijonnaise, and pickles on a brioche bun; and the chef’s meatball, crafted with veal, beef, sausage, spicy pomodoro, garlic flatbread, and parmigiano.

The team wanted the menu to cater to both Houstonians and hotel guests. Gaudin says someone staying at Hotel Granduca might come into Remi later in the evening, exhausted from a day of travel, and prefer a lighter dish. They can order from the bar bites and snack sections of the menu, which feature dishes like the white bean hummus, buffalo chicken dip, corn dog poppers, and Gaudin’s favorite, chicken tenders served with ketchup and hot honey.

The new restaurant is also accompanied by Bar Remi. The 20-seat experience has a martini program with classics like the Vesper and Duke’s, as well as a mezcal martini dubbed Southern Stars, made with Dolin Blanc and orange bitters. Gaudin’s go-to is the Primrose, named after one of the restaurant’s event spaces and crafted with gin, St. Germain, Campari, and lime. The menu also has an extensive wine list with 130 selections, beers, and a nonalcoholic section using spirit alternatives like Seedlip Grove 42.

Although the restaurant is the anchor of the renovation, Gaudin says he’d be remiss if he didn’t highlight the renovated courtyard, which is an extension of Remi’s dining room. It features gorgeously manicured hedges, a 1900s fountain from the South of France, and a pool.

 “It literally feels as if you’re transported to an Italian piazza or something that is of the old world,” Gaudin says.

The work for Hotel Granduca is still far from over, though. The hotel’s general manager, Bernardo Santiago, says the suites are up next to be completely renovated. The plans are in early design phases, and Childress will also be working on that project. Once construction begins, Santiago says they hope to go floor by floor and complete it with some sort of phased approach. He notes that 2026 will be a busy year for Houston travel, given the city is set to host the World Cup and the World Baseball Classic, so they don’t want too much disruption.

In the meantime, all the suites have been spruced up with some extra touches, new carpet and paint, and amenities like Santa Maria Novella bathroom products.

“I think our element of authenticity and genuine care is what’s going to set this property apart,” Santiago says.