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Luxe boutique hotel built from shipping containers to debut in Waco

The Hotel Herringbone will open in March 2024.

Rendering courtesy of Federica Cortabarria at CoveArch

There's a cool new hotel checking into downtown Waco, and this time, it's not from Fixer Upper's Chip and Joanna Gaines.

The modern, art-deco-inspired Hotel Herringbone, at 319 South 4th St., is set to open in March 2024. Converted from a former shipping container development, the hotel will offer 21 boutique rooms for guests, along with four restaurants, including a rooftop bar.

The rooms, ranging from 230-square-foot single rooms to a 1,300-square-foot multi-bedroom suite, are inspired by art-deco and mid-century modern design. Taylor Leage, the hotel's lead interior designer, says in a press release that he wanted to highlight the pre-existing exterior architecture of the space while completely transforming the interior to elicit design aesthetics from all areas of history.

“We aimed to showcase layered elements stemming from the wide-ranging regions and history through the lens of a 20th-century world traveler and her husband – evoking the feeling of your grandmother's attic filled to the brim and brought to life as if it were brand new," Leage says in the release. "Art Nouveau detailing is balanced out with modern futuristic forms, and a bright, bold, modern color palette to bring in a light sense of humor and new life."

In addition to the classic boutique hotel amenities, the hotel will offer luxurious extras, including hotel-branded refillable bottles, MovieBeam entertainment and fitness programming, morning craft coffee services, and a daily happy hour in the evening.

Hotel Herringbone, Waco hotel The hotel is opening in a former shipping container development.Rendering courtesy of Federica Cortabarria at CoveArch

The Hotel Herringbone site was previously home to The Containery, a brightly-colored shipping container development that foreclosed in 2021, and has since sat vacant. Lucky Find Hospitality acquired the development – which spans across an entire city block – and partnered with San Diego-based design firm Rad Lab, FreeForm Development, and acclaimed Waco chef and restaurateur Corey McEntyre to bring the hotel to life.

Lucky Find Hospitality and McEntyre developed four restaurant concepts at the Hotel Herringbone:

Red Herring, a 6,000-square foot warehouse-turned-Mediterranean-inspired fine dining establishment
Lucky Buck's, a fourth-story rooftop lounge and sports bar
Song Bird, an international wine and charcuterie bar and al fresco dining concept, with a goods market and live music space
Nightlight Donuts and Coffee, a ground-floor craft coffee and doughnut bar with indoor and outdoor seating

Hotel Herringbone, Waco hotel The Red Herring spans 6,000-square feet.Rendering courtesy of Federica Cortabarria at CoveArch

There are several more projects in the works to transform the hotel and existing development into spaces for gatherings, events, and experiences.

Event spaces inside and outside the Herringbone Hotel include:

A second-floor hotel ballroom that can fit 150 people
A 500-square-foot boardroom and bridal suite adjacent to the hotel ballroom, overlooking the plaza
A 1,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor vinyl record listening studio and lounge
30,000 square feet of space for restaurants, music and event venues
A 15,000-square-foot public plaza that displays 12 retail spaces
A shaded outdoor play space for children
A large stage for live music performances

The hotel is near popular touristy shops and stops, such as the Dr Pepper Museum, Fabled Bookshop and Cafe, the Waco Downtown Farmers Market, and (of course) the Silos at Magnolia.

"When we began spending significant time in the market, our team quickly fell in love with the community, the people, and the blossoming food, music and art scenes," says Lucky Find Hospitality CEO Rigel Bitterman in the release.

Hotel Herringbone reservations are now open for stays beginning March 15, 2024, with room rates beginning at $233 per night. More information about the hotel can be found at hotelherringbone.com.

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Culinary Star

Canyon Ranch appoints Michelin chef for swanky new Hill Country resort

Val Cantú/Facebook

Well, shucks. Chef Val Cantú is all about masa.

A Central Texas-born chef with Michelin cred will return to his birthplace to head up the forthcoming Canyon Ranch Austin resort: Val Cantú, the chef behind two Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant Californios, will lead the kitchen at the resort's restaurant, Estella.

Canyon Ranch is a premier wellness destination resort and spa headquartered in Fort Worth, where there's a spa location at the Crescent Hotel. Canyon Ranch Austin is set to open in September 2026 in Spicewood, a Hill Country town just outside Austin.

The original Canyon Ranch, which opened in Tucson, Arizona in 1979, is highly regarded as one of the top health resorts in the world, earning three keys from Michelin — the highest ranking a hotel can get — and the chain lauds the wellness benefits of both modern science and "ancient wisdom."

The Austin restaurant will follow that same ethos, a release says.

“Estella will be light, bright, fresh, and clean,” says Cantú in the release. “It’s a distilled version of what I do that will be focused on seasonality, sourcing, and the kind of delicious food that makes you feel good after you eat it.”

Canyon Ranch operates some of the country's most acclaimed spas. Facebook Canyon Ranch

Cantú is developing the menu with experience from fine dining and his personal Texas heritage; he was raised in Brownwood, about 150 miles northwest of Austin, where his father owned a Mexican restaurant. Tortillas are an important part of what's to come at Estella.

“When I’m making tortillas, I feel connected at a root level,” says Cantú. “It reminds me of making tortillas with my grandmother and my dad.”

Canyon Ranch CEO Mark Rivers emphasized Cantú's well-balanced approach: “Chef Val brings a rare combination of technical mastery, cultural authenticity, and emotional intelligence to his cooking," he says. "His approach aligns perfectly with how we think about wellness as intentional, thoughtful, and rooted in real life.”

Californios dishes If Estella is anything like Californios, presentation will be a huge factor.Photo courtesy of Californios

Although the release does not share how much Estella will have in common with Californios, it's easy to imagine that the artistic plating and education about the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica will carry over.

“This is a homecoming for me," Cantú says. "Cooking in the Hill Country allows me to return to the flavors, ingredients, and traditions that first shaped who I am."

spas resorts wellness openings mexican cuisine chefs