Although we had been to Lubbock before, this weekend was particularly special because we had the good fortune to experience two new additions to the downtown scene, both located on Broadway:
The Cotton Court Hotel and The Nicolett restaurant.
Technically not ON Broadway, this fun LBK Mural is located at 1219 Avenue A, visible from Broadway!
Part of the Valencia Hotel Group, this boutique hotel just opened in 2020 with over 150 rooms. The Cotton Court has a cool vibe which pays tribute to the unique culture of Lubbock, most notably Buddy Holly and the cotton industry.
Outside the Cotton Court Hotel: Lubbock, TX and the cool cotton carpets in the hallways!
The Classic Double Room @ Cotton Court Hotel: Lubbock, TX
We stayed in the Classic Double Room. I loved the entryway with coat hooks coming in, to hang up our coats and my purse. The beds were really comfortable and the room was good sized with a desk/siting area. A good (or bad) feature of the room was a well stocked retro fridge with local beer/wine selections and a basket of snacks. (We had to hide these during our stay...haha)
The bathroom was beautiful - loved the tile work and how spacious it felt. My only complaint is that it didn't have a bathtub (to bathe our little one). But a minor detail. I'm not usually into hotel soap/shampoo, but the Gilchrist & Soames Guild + Pepper Collection provided in the rooms was lovely. Currently I'm digging the unisex scents, so I really loved these products and took some home!
The gorgeous bathroom and luxury products offered at the Cotton Court Hotel: Lubbock, TX
One of the highlights at Cotton Court is the outdoor space. The buildings are set up in a square, forming an enclosed courtyard inside. The space features several firepits/fireplaces to gather by. Other amenities we did not have time to enjoy were: the outdoor pool with bar service and the complimentary bike rentals.
Rooms are also pet friendly, so we will have to bring our pup next time!
Common spaces at The Cotton Court: Lubbock, TX: the lobby and one of the outdoor fireplaces
The last thing I'll post about in regard to our stay would be our experience at the onsite restaurant: The Midnight Shift. The menu seemed to have something for everyone for their dinner/evening service. We had reservations later that night (see below for my review on The Nicolett) so we just went for appetizers and cocktails.
I really liked the drink menu and the food we ordered was great - we had the deviled eggs and chicken tenders. The tenders were huge and the "Midnight Shift special sauce" (teriyaki type flavours) was tasty! I also loved the indoor fireplace and live music inside.
Fireplace and food at The Midnight Shift at Cotton Court Hotel: Lubbock, TX
Overall, we had an amazing experience at Cotton Court Hotel and I'd like to thank the Valencia Group for sponsoring this media stay. Next time we hope to stay a little longer and take advantage of its prime location - being walking distance from several local establishments such as the Burklee Hill Bistro & Tasting Room in the historic Kress Building and The Brewery LBK.
511 Broadway St, Lubbock, TX 79401
The beautiful outdoor spaces at The Nicolett in Lubbock, TX
For weeks prior to its opening, I had been following The Nicolett on Instagram; the restaurant is another gem created in the revitalization efforts of downtown Lubbock. The Nicolette did a great job priming us for their food, by offering meals to go several weeks before their official opening this weekend. I had been drooling over the prime rib and thanked my lucky stars when I found out they would be opening the same weekend we were visiting Cotton Court.
I won't lie - we had a rough start to our visit. Our GPS kept taking us past the location and then when we arrived, we couldn't find the truck keys. They had fallen in between the driver's seat and center console - so we started out by arriving 10 minutes late...
But once we got inside, it was such an incredible evening.
We started the evening with their house red, which is produced by local winemaker Kim McPherson of McPherson Cellars. This red is a medium bodied Rhone style blend and was served at the perfect temperature.
Inside The Nicolett - we had the chance to sit by the gorgeous fireplace and the bar
The House Red, West Texas Crudites + Elk Tartare
More about the food...I truly cannot think of another food experience that could top this one.
-The house wine was excellent. We bought an additional bottle to take home!
-The service was incredible and genuine. Our server was lovely and attentive. She was always checking on our drinks and made sure the timing between our starters and main course were spaced out to our preference. I was really impressed by this.
We ordered:
-West Texas Crudites (starter): featuring lightly pickled veggies, tempura fried veggies and wild rice. This was such a good combo of flavors and textures - the pickled tomatoes had a hint of fennel to them which was so refreshing!
-Elk Tartare (starter): coming from Alberta where my husband hunted elk - I was completely impressed by this dish. The only time I've had elk tartare, the meat was served in very thin slices. This dish was served as small chunks of elk with peanut and chive flavors.
-Ash Rubbed Beef Filet (main): this was unlike any other cut of beef I've ever eaten. The underside of the meat was ash rubbed and it was very tender, looking like it was cooked sous vide. Cutting through this filet was like butter - served alongside hazlenut, mushrooms and sunchokes. (OK - I had no idea what a sunchoke was until this weekend - but it is actually the tuber of a relative of the sunflower, also known as the Jerusalem Artichoke.)
Ash rubbed beef filet entree at The Nicolett - also how beautiful is their logo!?
We ended the evening with a delicious digestif (another new concept I can't wait to experiment more with at home...stay tuned!) and met some locals who were absolutely delightful!
This was such a perfect way to end our trip. I cannot speak highly enough of The Nicolette. My only regret is not going there on a (really) empty stomach and trying more of their cocktail menu!!
We will undoubtedly be back. It was worth every penny.