Tag: Moody Gardens Hotel (Page 3 of 3)

Learn More About the Animals at Moody Gardens

December 14, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

Moody Gardens is home to over 5,500 animals representing 650 different species from around the world. Moody Gardens is a member of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association and is dedicated to the survival of selected wildlife species. We’ve put together a few fun facts about some of the awesome animals living at Moody Gardens.

Blue Duiker: The blue duiker is a small antelope with slate-colored fur and a slight bluish tint. The average lifespan of this nocturnal animal is about ten to twelve years. Blue duikers come from forested and shrub habitats, including rainforests throughout central and southern Africa. They are omnivorous, feeding on seeds, mosses, leaves, fruit, and the occasional small animal. The word “duiker” is Afrikaans for “diver,” and the animal was given this name because the antelope dives into undergrowth when startled. The animal is becoming less common in the wild because of hunting. It is not necessarily threatened with extinction but still needs extra care to ensure its survival.

African Speckled Pigeon: This African bird is brown to bluish-gray with a gray head and underside. Its name stems from the white speckles on its wings. These birds also have red skin visible around each eye. They can grow to be about thirteen inches in length from head to tail. African Speckled Pigeons can be found in grasslands, urban areas, forests, and cliff ledges south of the African Sahara. They eat seeds, grains, and fruits and are a very urban species in Africa. They are a non-threatened species.

Panamanian Golden Frog: This brightly colored frog is yellow-orange with black splotches. Its skin secretions are toxic and used as a defense mechanism against predators. The Panamanian Golden Frog can be found in moist, humid, forested areas in Panama (hence the name). This golden frog is an insectivore, surviving off a variety of insects. It is a cultural symbol of the Republic of Panama and is a threatened species, meaning it needs extra precautions taken to ensure its survival.

Learn more about the animals of Moody Gardens by visiting the Aquarium Pyramid and Rainforest Pyramid. Be sure to check out the Moody Gardens Hotel for family-friendly accommodations on your next trip.

Check out Moody Gardens Hotel and Property Amenities

December 13, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 4 Comments

At the Moody Gardens Hotel, we believe in providing our guests with a pleasant and memorable stay, which is why we’re the most popular resort in the Galveston area offering world-class service.

Hotel Amenities

Upscale full-service spa and salon
High-speed Internet in all guest rooms
Wireless Internet access in hotel Lobby, Shearn’s Lounge, and pool side
Indoor lap pool
Texas-size pool with swim-up bar
Hot tub
Sales and catering services
Mini-refrigerators
In-room safes
Plush bathrobes
37” Televisions
Express check-out
24-hour in-room dining
Outdoor jogging track
Complimentary business center with high-speed Internet access
Child-care services
Concierge
Laundry service
Twice-daily maid service with evening turn-down
Complimentary shoe shine
Valet parking
Self parking
Weekday newspaper delivery
Voicemail
ATM
Check cashing
Audio/Visual services
Mail/Shipping services
Florist
Boutique Le Fleur hotel gift shop
Casablanca’s Apparel
Complimentary shuttle to historic strand district shopping (weekends)
Kids’ camp (summer)
Marina slips (seasonal)

Property Amenities

Free high-speed wireless Internet access for the business center, North Tower guestrooms, main lobby, and poolside terrace.
Business center with access to computers and laptop connectivity located in the lobby across from the Frances Anne Moody Ballroom. Printing, copying, faxing, secretarial services, and shipping services are also available in the business center.
Fitness center with a full circuit of Cybex machines, cardio equipment, free weights, and separate women’s and men’s changing rooms with showers, lockers, and saunas. Complimentary weekly yoga classes are available, and the Fitness Center is accessible 24-hours a day with your room key.
Jog around our 3/8-mile track with a scenic path along the marina and volleyball courts.
Complimentary courtesy shuttle service can take you to and from full service boat slips along the Offat’s Bayou at Palm Beach.
Access to our laundry room 24-hours a day on the garage level.
Complimentary shuttle service will take you around Moody Gardens, The Cruise Ship Terminal, The Strand Shopping District, and to and from Scholes International Airport.

If you’re looking for family friendly hotels in Texas, with great service and amenities, than you’ve found the right place! Moody Gardens and Moody Gardens Hotel is the perfect place for your next vacation destination.

The History of Moody Gardens

November 30, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

Moody Gardens began as an extraordinary vision to create an island tourist destination. It has grown to become one of the premier education and leisure facilities in the Southwest, with approximately two million visitors annually.

1986: Moody Gardens began as a horse barn with a riding arena that provided a hippotherapy riding program for people with head injuries. The Hope Arena convention center was established, which later expanded and became the Moody Gardens Convention Center.

1988: White Florida sand was brought across the Gulf of Mexico to create Palm Beach. Seaside Safari opened and is now The Learning Place, home of our educational programs.

1990: The production area opened, which included two greenhouses used to propagate most of the plants seen on the ground for our Medicinal Plant Program.

1993: The famous Rainforest Pyramid opened its doors, featuring over 1,700 exotic plant and animal species from all over the world. The Garden Restaurant also started serving delicious food to our customers this year, and America’s first IMAX 3D Theater started showing films in the MG 3D Theater Complex.

1997: The Discovery Pyramid debuted with NASA-inspired exhibits.

1999: The family friendly accommodations and tranquil services of the Moody Gardens Hotel and Spa opened. The hotel is an architectural masterpiece featuring 428 rooms and over 22,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, dining, and a full service salon and spa. The 1.5 million-gallon Aquarium Pyramid opened as one of the largest aquariums in the world.

2004: The hotel gained a brand new 125-room wing, and the Exhibit Hall grew by 60,000 square feet.

2005: The 4D Special FX Theater opened, creating a totally new way to experience the movies.

2008: After a $16 million renovation to the Galveston Municipal Golf Course, the Moody Gardens Golf Course opened, becoming the premier golf course of Galveston.

2011: The Rainforest Pyramid and Palm Beach reopened after extensive enhancement projects, making Moody Gardens better than ever.

If you’re looking for a fun place to visit on your family weekend getaways in Texas, don’t skip the Moody Gardens. Our family friendly Moody Gardens Hotel gives you a luxurious place to rest your head at night, while the Moody Gardens Golf Course and attractions will keep the entire family entertained all day.

Tee Off on the Tropical Golf Course

November 16, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

Golf with us at Galveston’s premier golf course! The Moody Gardens Golf Course features a $16 million renovation by the renowned golf course architects of Jacobsen Hardy Golf Course Design. New turf grass, elevations, drainage, irrigation, green complexes, and cart paths were all included in the renovation. The clubhouse also had a full makeover!

The playing surfaces are kept in top condition with a new irrigation system and water treatment system. The high quality water makes for a high quality course. Along the 18 holes, golfers will experience lowland native areas, natural wetlands, and over 500 palm trees, creating the famous tropical feel.

This first-class public golf course is open seven days a week for local residents and visitors to the island. Not only are the course and clubhouse renovated but other new amenities include a larger driving range, a new golf cart fleet, and a remodeled pro shop. After a nice round of golf, guests can enjoy a meal on The Pelican Grille’s clubhouse patio.

The Moody Gardens Golf Course is a great way to spend your vacation by the water without having to worry about the hassles of getting to the beach. You won’t encounter crowded beaches, kids running around, or have to worry about the temperature of the water. Swing your club, feel the cool sea breeze, and enjoy the scenery of the Gulf Coast. Tee time at the Tropical Golf Course is the perfect addition to any vacation.

Don’t miss out on our special offer at the Moody Gardens Golf Course. For a limited time you can receive a free cart and bucket of range balls with the purchase of a round of golf! Make your next weekend trip to Moody Gardens, and enjoy a round of golf in Galveston. When you aren’t swinging clubs on the course, take advantage of our special deal at the Spa at Moody Gardens in the Moody Gardens Hotel. When you buy one Swedish massage, you’ll get one free!

Arctic Fun at Moody Gardens: Snow Tubing

November 9, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 3 Comments

During this year’s Festival of Lights, Moody Gardens is bringing in a new holiday experience: snow tubing! Texas doesn’t have a lot of snow or sledding opportunities, especially down by the Gulf coast. However, with this addition to the arctic fun at Moody Gardens, even Texan kids can experience this fun winter past time.

Glide along the ice and into the holiday season. Snow tubing features a 100-foot ice slide set up in the Moody Gardens grounds. Guests will glide down the giant ice slide on a tube, experiencing an icy thrill unlike any in the region.

Snow tubing is fun for almost all ages! The gravity propels the tubes down the slide at exhilarating, yet safe, speeds. Since there aren’t many snow-covered hills in Texas, it is hard to experience this kind of holiday fun without traveling up north. Now you can have snowy hills and Gulf coast beaches, all in the same vacation.

From over a million lights to giant ice slides, you can’t find a holiday experience quite like the Festival of Lights. The snow tubing will start on Saturdays during the Festival of Lights (November 10-December 5), and then open daily from December 22-January 5. The hours are noon to 10pm, and admission is only $12.00. You and your family will have plenty of time to get down to Moody Gardens to experience this new seasonal attraction.

Snow tubing is just one of the many fun holiday events in Texas going on at Moody Gardens this season. The holiday lights, Christmas events in Texas, and other attractions are constantly entertaining all our visitors. Plan your next family holiday at Moody Gardens, and plan to stay at the Moody Gardens Hotel. Enjoy our special holiday deal, a Festival of Lights Arctic Package for only $17! Also, don’t miss out on the ice skating in the area’s only outdoor skating rink, here at the Moody Gardens!

Family Friendly Accommodations at Moody Gardens Hotel

November 8, 2012 / Moody Gardens / 0 Comments

While the Moody Gardens Hotel is known for its spectacular rooms and amenities such as the spa and convention center, it is actually a wonderful place for kids to stay. The Moody Gardens hotel has a ton of activities and perks for the kids. Read on to learn more about our family friendly accommodations.

Kids Eat Free: Yep, you read that correctly, free! Everyday, with the purchase of an adult entrée at the Terrace Restaurant, your little one, under the age of 12, gets a free meal! The free meal includes anything off the kid’s menu or buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You’ll have a well-fed family and a well-fed wallet.

Pools: The swimming pools are a great time for kids of every age! While parents relax amongst the lush gardens and waterfalls, the children are jumping in the water or grabbing afternoon treats from the poolside snack bar. Summer and holiday time call for special poolside fun such as face-painting clowns or a tropical bounce house. The outdoor Jacuzzi is enjoyable for everyone year around, so no matter what season you visit Moody Gardens Hotel be sure to bring your bathing suit!

Kid’s Crew: Kid’s Crew activities will keep your children busy and entertained throughout their visit. The activities include arts and crafts, a bounce house, kite flying, scavenger hunts, karaoke, Wii competitions, movie nights, clown face painting, and more. Kids can also play on the outdoor playground or test their logic skill with the Giant Chess Game. The best part is, all the Kid’s Crew activities are free for hotel guests! Activities are seasonal and change daily, so the fun is always different.

The Moody Gardens Hotel is the perfect place if you’re looking for family friendly hotels in Texas. Our family friendly hotel is sure to please every member of your family. Don’t forget to check out the Moody Gardens Attractions, such as the Aquarium Pyramid and the Rainforest Pyramid, while you’re here for more entertainment! We’re also offering a special holiday deal at the spa! Take time to relax while your kids are out having a great time.