Grand Galvez Resort

The place

The pink facade has watched the Gulf since 1911. Grand Galvez, on the Galveston beachfront, wears its history lightly — old-world opulence inside, tempered with modern sophistication. The 226 rooms and suites hold to white and blue, elegant furnishings, floral touches, marble in the bathrooms.

Outside, a free-form pool under tropical palms, ringed by pink lounge beds and cabanas. A fully-equipped fitness center, a beach club, a destination spa. Monarch, the signature restaurant, keeps to fresh seafood, grilled steaks and the season; a cafe and a bar cover coffee and cocktails.