September 2nd 2023.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner was on hand to celebrate the opening of the city's first Black-owned hotel on August 28. The Wanderstay Boutique Hotel is a 10-room adults-only accommodation situated in downtown Houston and ready to welcome business and leisure travelers alike.
Deidre Mathis, the hotel's owner, had already made history when she opened the first Black-owned hostel in the United States in 2018. Since then, the hostel has hosted over 15,000 guests from more than 30 countries. Now, Mathis is bringing her themed vision of one-of-a-kind accommodation to the city, offering something for everyone.
Travel Noire reports that the Wanderstay Boutique Hotel features a Black and White Art Museum, Desert Vibes, and Houston Sports Teams themed rooms, but more easygoing travelers can simply book a room and let the hotel's staff select their experience.
Mathis, who has traveled to 46 countries and seven continents, said, “You can literally stay with us ten different times and have ten different experiences. We have a Music Lovers Room, a Winter Wonderland Room, and a Safari Room.”
She set out to provide a safe, fun, welcoming, and unforgettable experience to her guests. As a hotelier of color, Mathis is part of a very rare community. Travel Noire states that less than 2% of hotel owners in the U.S. are Black, and the numbers are even lower for women.
Mathis noted that the greatest barrier for aspiring Black hotel owners is the financial hurdle of opening a hotel. “It’s capital intensive,” she said. “You either have to come from money, have an investor, or get a bank loan to make this happen.”
Mathis was blessed with a grant from the BeyGood Foundation of megastar and Houston native Beyoncé. With this, she has been able to push the boundaries of what it means to be Black in the hotel business. Her next goal is to teach others how to do the same.
She said, “I’m going to start a course to teach people how to open their own hotels with all the knowledge I gained over the past seven years. My hope and goals are that it’s life-changing for people who want to get in this industry.”
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