Some people are not content living solely in the era in which they are born. Such individuals are inexplicably drawn to the music, architecture, and elegance of days long gone. Dallas-based developer and hotelier Mark Wyant is such a person, and he has used his vision, creativity and professional acumen to breathe renewed life into historic structures in New Orleans, Key West, and Charleston.
Last year, he turned his sight on Galveston Island, a place close to his heart and that of his wife, interior designer Lorenda Wyant. In May 2021, Wyant acquired the Hotel Galvez & Spa from Mitchell Historic Properties, a company owned by the George P. Mitchell estate.
Renamed Grand Galvez Resort & Spa, the hotel is now part of the Marriott Autograph Collection.
“I’m a history lover and strategically select development properties that are in key U.S. cities known for their history and excellent leisure, business and entertainment experiences,” said Wyant, owner of Seawall Hospitality LLC. “In every location, my primary goal is to embody and respect the legacy, charm and history of the city.”
The couple set out to marry the original grandeur of the island’s 110-year-old Hotel Galvez with the luxuries of an ultra-modern hotel. The result is a harmonious blend of old-world charm and 21st century sophistication, ensuring the storied past of the Spanish mission-style hotel overlooking the Gulf of Mexico will attract generations of travelers.
The exterior restored to its original—and enchanting—Bahaman-pink color, the renamed Grand Galvez Resort & Spa is a 220-room AAA 4-Diamond property and the only historic beachfront hotel on the Texas Gulf Coast.
When the $50 million renovation is complete later this year, the property will have been thoroughly updated to bring 21st-century amenities into every corner.
“The biggest challenge has been working through the renovations while the Grand Galvez remains open,” he said. “We want every guest to enjoy their stay so we take great care ensuring that our renovations do not interfere with the guests’ experience.”
Wyant said he wanted to restore the property to its long-reigning “Queen of the Gulf” reputation.
He painstakingly researched all available historical documents, images, and correspondence; gathered local historians and former Galvez guests; culled records provided by the Galveston Historical Society; met with locals; and gleaned valuable information from local author and Galveston Monthly feature writer Kathleen Maca’s book, “A History of the Hotel Galvez.”
“My goal was always to restore the property to its grand style. I can assure everyone that our vision for the ‘new’ Grand Galvez will honor the historic design, offering a refreshed elegance throughout the hotel. These designs reflect the new energy we will bring to the resort and all its amenities.”
During the work, they discovered a section of the original brass stair railing, which was trapped behind some larger brass railing that was installed in later years to meet ADA requirements.
“We sent a section of the original stair rail to have moldings made and new railings created to identically match the original railing that was in the hotel. The newly recast railings will be a bit higher to meet current code.”
They also discovered original moldings and ceilings in the walls of the hotel that are being restored for the first time since 1962.
The hotel’s boutique, renamed Lolo's, offers a selection of Grand Galvez-inspired souvenirs, apparel, gifts and other merchandise. The gift shop is an homage to Lorenda Wyant’s grandmother, who owned a souvenir shop on Galveston beach many years ago.
A 44-foot x 17-foot custom mosaic heralding “Queen of the Gulf,” which was designed by the Wyants, is being produced by Dallas-based mosaicist Julie Richey. Using thousands of Murano glass tiles, the mosaic is being fabricated by a family of artisans in Venice, Italy. Plans are for the installation in the coming months.
The new lobby bar has been named the Founders Bar with views of the Gulf, he said.
“The bar will exhibit photographs and mementos from the hotel’s opening, as well as the hotel’s five founding members. We wanted guests to sip their libations while enjoying the relaxing and beautiful views of the Gulf.”
The couple acquired a restored 1915 Ford Model T Roadster, which will be personally driven from Dallas to the Grand Galvez by Mark Wyant. The roadster will be displayed in the hotel’s east loggia.
Plans also include a 16-foot-high marble fountain, designed by Mark Wyant, to be installed on the Great Front Lawn of the hotel.
“I knew Grand Galvez deserved a signature statue or fountain on the Great Front Lawn. I decided on a fountain, incorporating water features to complement the sounds of the waves from the Gulf,” he said.
“I designed the fountain in collaboration with my team, and it is being produced in Italy. It will be carved from Calacatta marble and shipped to Galveston upon completion in early-2022 with a mid-year installation, pending arrival.”
Public areas will include the beautiful black and white marble flooring with black framing, crystal chandeliers throughout and royal burgundy carpets and accent draperies. The front desk evokes the hotel’s original glory days with iron detailing and glass features.
The Music Hall and Terrace Ballroom are decked out in a sky blue and white color palette. The Galvez Bar & Grill is being painted a refreshing celadon green with beige trim.
The guest rooms, too, have been reimagined through the eyes of Lorenda Wyant. The all white-and-indigo blue rooms are sophisticated, yet cozy and tranquil.
“The furnishings reflect our love of the Great Gatsby era. The furniture and many of the design elements are new,” Wyant said.
The couch found at the foot of each king or queen pillow-top bed—which invites a sweet-dream experience with crisp Egyptian cotton linens and a down duvet—is upholstered in a tropical green and white palm pattern.
White lacquered and mirrored furniture is offset with light sky-blue ceilings. Guests can enjoy complimentary in-room WiFi and luxurious Niven Morgan signature bath products and robes.
The most popular room in the hotel is Room 501, which is reported to be haunted by the solemn spirit of a woman named Audra, who checked into hotel—and never left.
“Audra was engaged to a mariner who sailed out of the Port of Galveston. In the mid-1950s, she checked into Room 501 to await his return, after which they planned to be married,” Wyant said.
“Each day, she would walk down the hall of the fifth floor, take an elevator to the eighth floor and then climb a narrow ladder leading to one of the four turrets atop the hotel. Sitting inside the shelter of the hexagonal turret, she would watch though an opening for his ship to return.”
Audra received word that her fiancé’s ship went down in a storm, and all hands were lost at sea. Refusing to believe he was dead, she kept a hopeful vigil that he would return to her, but the broken-hearted bride-to-be hanged herself in the west turret, where she’d caught the last glimpse of his departing ship.
“As if her story was not tragic enough, a few days after her death, her fiancé came looking for her at the hotel. It seems that he had been rescued by a passing ship in the storm.”
Paranormal sightings of Audra roaming the halls and weeping near the elevator have been reported, the room phone rings when no incoming calls have been noted by the switchboard, guests have reported feeling a weight of something—or someone—invisible sitting next to them on the bed, and “the room key sometimes doesn’t work and when reported to the desk clerk, the key was scanned for the room code and the display read ‘Expired 1955,’” he said.
Other paranormal activities have been recounted by multiple guests throughout the years, including the ghost of a nun who perished in the Great Storm of 1900, a young girl bouncing a red ball, a little girl with pigtails tied in ribbons whispers “ice cream” to passersby, and the eyes in the portrait of the hotel’s namesake, Bernardo de Gálvez, which hangs in the west foyer at the end of a corridor, reportedly follow guests as they walk by.
“Because of its reputation, visitors often attempt to photograph the painting but end up with a skull-shaped glare where the face should appear in the photo,” he said. “Staffers insist that this can be avoided by asking the infamous portrait’s permission before a photo is taken.”
It is the melding of the hotel’s storied past—from the lost spirits who reportedly roam the halls to former presidents, military heavyweights, and Hollywood royalty who have stayed at the hotel—with 21st century upgrades that ensures Grand Galvez Resort & Spa remains a vacation destination that captures the hearts and imaginations of guests for generations to come.