A Review Of Hotel Herringbone – My Honest Thoughts

By Kelsey Kennedy | November 4, 2024

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I stayed at the Hotel Herringbone in Waco after lusting after it for a few months. I’m an absolute sucker for a unique hotel. I’m not a big spa person and I don’t have a shopping vice…but show me a gorgeous hotel, and I’ll gladly plop down a few hundred dollars for an overnight stay. Here’s my review of Hotel Herringbone in Waco.

What Is Hotel Herringbone?

Opened in spring 2024, Hotel Herringbone is a luxury boutique hotel in downtown Waco. It’s made out of shipping containers! The development had been started and then left vacant for several years, so the Hotel Herringbone team hired sustainable designers who specialize in shipping containers and swooped in to finish it up and transform it into something that will benefit Waco.

In addition to 21 posh, art-deco-inspired hotel rooms, Hotel Herringbone is home to multiple restaurants, bars, meeting + event & live music venues and curated retail shops operated by Lucky Find Hospitality.

There’s a beautifully landscaped 15,000 square foot public plaza showcasing 12 highly-curated retail spaces for visitors to stroll into, a shaded outdoor space for children to play in while parents eat, drink and shop, a large stage for regular live music performances, and a European-inspired al fresco restaurant called Songbird. Adjoining the plaza is Red Herring, an impeccably designed 6,000-square-foot fine dining restaurant and craft cocktail bar. On the top floor of the property is Lucky Buck’s, a spacious rooftop venue featuring ice-cold beer, delicious deli-inspired cuisine and sweeping views of downtown Waco & the Magnolia Silos.

Inside The Rooms At Hotel Herringbone

I can only share exactly what my room looked like, but based on website and press release photos, every room is slightly different and equally beautiful.

The design is, in a word…striking. Everything from the bathroom floor tiles to the wallpaper to the cute light pendants has been carefully selected and executed. It’s all unique and it all just works!

(I have to say…I didn’t stay in one of the rooms with the beautiful tubs, but you’d better believe that it will be on my wish list next time I book an overnight stay here.)

Things I Didn’t Like About Hotel Herringbone

There weren’t many. I’ve got to say…this is a really beautiful place, and I loved that there are multiple options for dining, drinking, and lounging.

The check-in process was a little bit clunky. Since it’s a tiny boutique hotel (only 21 rooms), and I was staying on a weeknight, when I walked into the reception, it was empty. There was a card on the front desk stating to call a number to begin check-in. A kind woman answered, and she said she would be there shortly. I sat on a pretty sofa and waited less than 2 minutes until she appeared in the check-in shipping container to get me settled in my room.

Not a big deal at all, but just a little bit different from a grand hotel entrance you might get at a bigger hotel like Chip and Jo’s Hotel 1928 down the street.

(However, this check-in process was very similar to my stay at Hotel Pivovar, which is an even tinier boutique hotel in Waco.)

The other thing worth noting is that you’ll have to be outside quite a bit. Hotel Herringbone is made of shipping containers, which means certain parts of the hotel are outside. I love this on most days, but since it was over 100 degrees when I checked in, lugging my suitcase up a flight of stairs to get to the outdoor elevator was less than pleasant.

It would also be a nuisance if it was raining during your stay in Waco. Again, this doesn’t happen very often. But it’s just something to know!

Food At Hotel Herringbone

There are three eateries operated by the hotel, as well as additional space in the retail zone for more spaces to open (like donuts and coffee!)

1. Red Herring is the ground floor fine dining restaurant at Hotel Herringbone. They market themselves as a Mediterranean-inspired menu, but if you’re not a big fan of that flavor profile, you’ll still find plenty to eat. There’s a raw bar, an optional chef’s table where you can enjoy a prix fixe menu, and probably the best cocktails in Waco.

2. Songbird is an adorable wine bar that I’ve been to multiple times. I love their delicious cheese boards, their curated goodies like chocolate bars and specialty snacks, and the pretty case of chilled wine bottles available for purchase.

Songbird is near the courtyard, so it’s a fun spot to get a glass of wine to enjoy while there’s live music playing on the weekends. There’s also a little kids play area just outside Songbird. I’ve also gotten a cheese board to snack on while my toddler plays nearby, which felt chic and fun.

My only complaint about Songbird? It closes really early! As a hotel guest, I would have loved to have the option to get a glass of wine and sit in the courtyard in the late, cool evening hours in Waco.

3. Lucky Buck’s rooftop lounge overlooks the Magnolia Silos. They have an awesome menu of specialty hot dogs, cold beer, and frozen cocktails. It’s casual and fun, and this place is open late!

4. Nightlight Coffee and Donuts is one of the f&b vendors on the ground floor of Hotel Herringbone. It’s a coffee shop based out of nearby Woodway which then opened their second location here in Waco.

RELATED: THE MOST GORGEOUS ROOFTOP BARS IN WACO

Other Amenities At Hotel Herringbone

Each room offers amenities including:

Organic, high-thread-count linens & plush robes by Frette
Complimentary high-speed WiFi
50 - 60 inch Smart TVs
MovieBeam™ for the latest entertainment including complimentary fitness programming
Lutron™ lighting system
Fully-stocked top shelf, not-so-mini-bar
Exclusive in-room dining menu
Complimentary Herringbone branded refillable bottles and Natura Water station
Complimentary happy hour every evening featuring local beer, wine & spirits
Complimentary morning craft coffee service featuring roastery, Native Sons Coffee
Herringbone E-bike and Herringbone MOKE rentals
A/C | Safe | Steamer/iron | Hairdryer | Umbrella | Yoga Mat

Luxury bath amenities by Grown Alchemist

As you can see, pretty much everything you need is provided at the hotel! I found it to be a really comfortable, luxurious stay!

Final Thoughts on Hotel Herringbone

The location of the hotel is pretty unbeatable. You’re easily walking distance to Magnolia Market and the Silos, the best downtown eateries like Milo All Day and JT Barnett’s, cute local spots like Fabled Bookshop & Cafe, tourist destinations like the Dr. Pepper Museum, and then you’re just a quick drive from Baylor University in case you’re in town to catch a game.

The only downside is that it’s a teeny hotel, so it’s missing some of the “pow” factor you would get from walking into a grand lobby at a big hotel.

Bravo, Hotel Herringbone! It’s a fun concept with the shipping containers and incredibly memorable design, and my stay was comfortable and felt luxurious. And it doesn’t hurt that it has plenty of food and beverage concepts for overnight guests.

My only complaint? There are so many places to dine, drink, and relax at the Hotel Herringbone that it’s hard to leave the property and explore the rest of Waco!

WEBSITE | 319 S 4th St, Waco, TX 76701