Margaritaville Lake Resort, Lake Conroe | Houston

At the age of 174, the little waterfront town of Montgomery, Texas, ranks as the third oldest town in the state, yet boasts of its newest resorts. An hour north of Houston and just 45 minutes north of Hosuton’s George Bush InterContinental Airport, La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa combines authentic Texas charm with a lakeside setting, international elegance, and management by Noble House Hotels & Resorts.

The 445 suites and villas rest on a pine-studded 170-acre peninsula on beautiful Lake Conroe. They entertain with the finest linens, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, iHome radios, and complimentary wireless Internet access. Outside, the playtime attractions include the bass-rich lake and 300-slip marina, a 3.5-acre water complex with multilevel pools and splash park, SpaTerre, fitness and tennis centers, and 18 holes of golf at the Club at La Torretta.

Between breaks for fun and relaxation, groups gather for events of every size and purpose in 73,000 square feet of IACC-certified conference space. The 19 venues range from the flexible Americas and Versailles ballrooms for up to 1,000 delegates to the Europa Amphitheatre, Bordeaux Conference Center, Cannes Meeting Room, and Capris Boardroom.

La Torretta’s European–modern international theme reaches a peak of sorts at Chez Roux, where Michelin-starred chef Albert Roux presents<br> masterfully crafted French cuisine. In fact, dining on everything from new wave Japanese sushi to New American cuisine contributes a major attraction to the resort, which features nine restaurants and cafes in the one-of-a-kind lakeside setting.