* Five Star hotels - This is what you are looking for if you want a luxury suite with every possible amenity, gourmet dining, a full service spa, gymnasium, beauty salon, tennis courts, golf, heated pools, top of line entertainment, chic boutiques...you get the picture.

* Family oriented hotels - Provide sports and entertainment programs for the kids, free meals for toddlers, arcades, kiddie pools, babysitting...making it a great place for the whole family with the added bonus of letting you get out for the evening without them.

* Singles resorts - For the swinging singles who are looking to meet people and don't want to listen to quarreling children.

* Family long-term rental apartment hotels - The best for families with kids, on a budget, who want to stay for more than a week or two and need to be able to cook some of their own meals instead of always eating out.

The "best" hotels means something more to most people than just fancy accommodations; how nice that you can research any or all of them by just sitting in front of your computer with a cup of coffee and a notepad!

Arm yourself with all the pertinent information, put on something comfortable, insert a favorite CD into the computer. You are ready to find the best hotels in Houston! Obviously you need to know your travel arrangements first. Budget, dates, and the interests of all that are coming with you should be right in front of you.

Do you need a place to start? Okay. If you want luxury, a romantic weekend getaway, or just a few days of pure pampering, look at the DoubleTree Guest Suites, Hotel ZaZa or Four Seasons. You will note that hotels are listed in any number of ways; by the number of stars, average price per day, location...

As you click on a specific hotel, it will tell you where it is, what kind of rooms are available, how much they cost, check out time, and what amenities are provided. It will also tell you about pools, restaurants, bars, shopping and entertainment at the hotel, as well as nearby attractions and the various forms of transportation available. Pictures will also be provided, and often, reviews are included.

Don't forget to compare the rates and check for availability while you are searching the web. Finding the best hotels in Houston will not be a problem for you. The difficulty arises when you are looking for one that fits your dates and budget, has everything that each member of your family wants in a hotel, and is conveniently located near the attractions that you feel are a "must see" while you are there.