LUBBOCK, Texas, Aug. 5, 2020 – Cotton Court Hotel, a retro-inspired urban retreat with an emphasis on creating authentic guest experiences, is slated to open early Fall 2020. The latest Court-property offering from Texas-based hospitality industry leader Valencia Hotel Group, Cotton Court Hotel is situated in Lubbock’s Downtown Business District, just one mile east of Texas Tech University, and features 165 thoughtfully designed guest rooms opening onto sweeping outdoor porches, a relaxing courtyard, masterfully planned outdoor gathering spaces with a variety of outdoor amenities, plus 3,500 square feet of indoor meeting and event space.
“We wanted to capture the iconic essence of Lubbock and create a place that invites guests to become a part of the property,” says Roy Kretschmer, Valencia Hotel Group Executive Vice President of Operations. “We set out to create a space with an urban-retreat sensibility that brings a new level of contemporary charisma with a retro soul straight to the heart of the Hub City.”
Valencia Hotel Group once again partnered with international architecture and design firm Rottet Studio, the ideal choice to provide the artistic vision that helps define this innovative project–relaxed, midcentury modern sophistication steeped in uncomplicated West Texas hospitality.
Cotton Court Hotel looks to pay homage to the rich history of Lubbock, a city that serves as one of the region’s financial and agricultural capitals, as well as a cultural touchstone for live music. Lubbock has long been a stop for touring country-western and rock ‘n’ roll acts–some of the most notable among them being Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings and Lubbock’s own Buddy Holly.
“This hotel, much like the city, is influenced by this history,” says Rottet Studio Associate Principal Chris Evans. “Although it’s a new hotel with a modern aesthetic, it was important to create something authentic and rooted at the same time. The overriding theme of the hotel is the cotton industry and we’ve sampled elements like cotton warehouses, exchanges and gins to create a framework to tell a story that weaves around the guest.”
The Reception Area & Boardroom
Guests will be welcomed into a lobby reminiscent of a historic cotton exchange with all the deconstructed luxury of the exchange trading floor. The double height space will be anchored by a large chalkboard similar to an old futures board with numeric patterns rearranged into a portrait of Buddy Holly. In a playful nod to the notion that this original function of the building has morphed, the backside of the exchange dissolves from interior to exterior lounge space, defined by a rusted metal frame planter to bring new life to the trademark red dirt.
A four-story exterior stair leads to the four-story, cotton-mill-inspired structure that houses the boardroom and presidential suite. The classic rock ‘n’ roll vibe echoes through the corridors with custom carpet inspired by LP record labels and an antique turntable and record collection. Guests using the boardroom will also have access to the exterior rooftop terrace with views overlooking Downtown Lubbock.
The Midnight Shift
The Midnight Shift, a reimagined old corrugated-metal cotton gin converted into a restaurant/bar and live music venue, will be the perfect place for guests to enjoy a bite to eat and a cold beverage to wash the road away. A large factory skylight will dominate the ceiling directly above the large bar, the backdrop of which is composed of rusted metal panels from an old cotton gin machine, repurposed for 15 beer taps. The bar face and banquettes will be playful reimaginations of rustic wood crates and the slatted sides of stake trucks used to move cotton bales. The double-sided industrial fireplace will provide a cozy place for guests to settle in.
The Ballroom
Channeling the electrifying energy of an old Texas dance hall, the ballroom will be reminiscent of the Lubbock spaces in which Buddy Holly honed his craft before hitting the road to entertain the world with songs like “Peggy Sue” and “Rave On.” Wood floors, exposed stud walls, wood trusses and a proudly hung Texas flag will be a few of the key features that define this gathering space. The large ballroom can be divided into two seperate rooms to accommodate gatherings of any size and two verandas resembling the concrete loading docks of industry provide an outdoor space into which the party gathering can flow out from the bar and dance hall.
Guest Buildings
The remainder of the buildings contain the 165 locally inspired guest rooms, constructed to resemble historic, corrugated-steel warehouses used to store cotton along the railspur. Guests will enter their rooms from the loading dock that’s warmed by a cedar wood facade. Guests staying on level two will enjoy the added ambiance of the vaulted ceiling of the sawtooth roof of the building. Once inside the room, eclectic appointments abound with furniture sourced from a multitude of sources for a collected feel–a desk inspired by antique sewing tables, a wardrobe influenced by antique factory lockers, an iron bed frame similar to one that may have been shipped from an old Sears mail order catalog, seating that is a charming blend of wood-frame sofa and antique cotton-stuffed, quilted mattress, and a pendant light influenced by old cotton weaving bobbins wound with colorful string. A wood shiplap wall and sliding barn door lead toward the oversized bathroom appointed with a mosaic floor and green-and-black tiled walls. Luxury and comfort abound with custom Valencia Hotel Group Sealy plush pillow-top beds with Egyptian cotton linens, branded bathrobes and custom-created bath amenities. Each room is equipped with a retro SMEG refrigerator with local and regional beer and cocktails.
The Courtyards
The same hot days and cool nights that make Lubbock the cotton production epicenter of West Texas, can be enjoyed in the courtyard spaces. The internal courtyard will spill over to the external courtyard with the ceremony space and outdoor dining terrace. This space is defined by the pool and cabanas, both influenced by old agro-industrial equipment sheds and water tanks.
Additional information regarding Cotton Court Hotel development and construction milestones, will be made available as it is confirmed.
