The hotel, originally the Treasure Isle Motel, a 1960s motor court, has been fully revitalized and transformed into a modern oasis created as much for locals as visitors.
Designed by Austin-based Kartwheel Studio, the new hotel offers a cozy retreat for guests with a principal facade that opens toward the Gulf of Mexico. The hotel’s on-site restaurant, The Fancy, is a 56-seat “American fine-ish dining” restaurant led by Houston’s chef Leila Ortiz. The Fancy offers patrons a French-adjacent menu that is true to the restaurant’s Galveston roots while conjuring the warm nostalgia of a family dinner party.
At the heart of the property, the pool and patio provide a central communal area that carries over into the sophisticated yet inviting Den area. The Den is another full-service dining space inside Hotel Lucine that offers coffee in the morning, an afternoon meal or a cocktail at night.
Offering 180-degree unobstructed ocean views, Hotel Lucine also has the largest beachfront rooftop bar in Galveston, with a cocktail program from beverage director Jesse Rubio.
Located off the courtyard, The Lanai serves as a multipurpose dining and event space for executive meetings, cocktail events and private dining, as well as a greenroom for visiting musicians, among other uses.
“We’re so excited to finally introduce Hotel Lucine to Galveston,” said Hotel Lucine Partner Keath Jacoby. “I feel so privileged to create a space like Hotel Lucine in the very community that raised me and to continue sharing my love for Galveston with travelers and locals alike.”
Hotel partners include Dave Jacoby, a Galveston-based finance and hospitality development professional who also served as president of the board of the Galveston Historical Foundation; Robert Marcus, a real estate and hotel operations, development and finance professional; and Galveston native Keath Jacoby, a marketing and branding executive who helped launch Vision Galveston. Additional partners on the project include marketing, branding and promotions entrepreneur Shawn Ullman and financial executive and entrepreneur Jeffrey Solomon.
Hotel Lucine’s architectural and interior design was led by the multidisciplinary design studio Karthweel Studios. Branding and identity were provided by Preacher, a full-service creative company based in Austin.
“We hope to make Hotel Lucine a hangout where our neighbors and visitors can find culture, fun, and culinary and cocktail delights all in one place,” added Marcus. “We look forward to being a seaside hideaway that folks never want to leave.”
Many original aspects of the low-slung, two-story structure’s mid-century spirit have been incorporated into the new vision for Hotel Lucine. The classic U-shaped courtyard underscores the hotel’s intimate layout and creates a lively, people-centric atmosphere that promotes gathering and shared experiences. Colorful concrete tiles used most notably around the pool, courtyard, The Den and The Fancy have been sourced from Ladrilleria Favilli, a family-owned and operated tile business based in Granada, Nicaragua, led by Maria Favilli.
Originally developed by brothers Saul and Ben Kotin in 1963 as the Treasure Isle Motel, Hotel Lucine is the oldest remaining of a generation of midcentury beachfront motels in Galveston, according to the company. In addition to the Treasure Isle Motel, the Kotin brothers and their lead architect, Tibor Beerman, made many contributions to their beloved community, including the Galveston County Courthouse, Galveston Junior College and Moody National Bank.
“No other town on the Texas coast has the assets, charm, history or weirdness to pull this off,” said Dave Jacoby. “Galveston has a unique vibe that you just can’t build new or recreate in another coastal town and we feel so grateful to share in this passion project with the larger community that sustains the island’s spirit.”
Photography: Samantha Wiley Photography
Tags: Dave Jacoby, Hotel Lucine, Jeffrey Solomon, Jesse Rubio, Kartwheel Studio, Keath Jacoby, Ladrilleria Favilli, Leila Ortiz, Preacher, Robert Marcus, Shawn Ullman
