If you feel like you’ve walked into an updated version of your aunt’s 60s beach house when you enter the Hotel Lucine, then the owners have hit their mark. Visitors to this 61-room boutique hotel situated at the edge of the Gulf of Mexico on the Seawall will feel as though they are guests at the best house party on the island, in a throwback and relaxed atmosphere. 

“We had a concept for the design and furniture that was reminiscent of the mid-century modern era, but we didn’t want it to look like a time capsule. We wanted to create something that was reminiscent of a time gone by but would also work for a modern audience. We didn’t want it to look like a themed resort,” said co-owner Dave Jacoby of the 60s chic motif throughout the stunning design-led property.

 An impressive group of hospitality industry veterans with strong ties to Galveston worked together to develop the hotel and its two restaurants - The Den and The Fancy. Dave grew up in Philadelphia and met his wife Keath, a third generation Galvestonian, when she was working in New York City. The couple moved to the island to raise their four children in the “relaxed beach environment [Keath] grew up in.”

 Dave is a Galveston-based finance and hospitality development professional who also served as president of the board of directors of the Galveston Historical Foundation. Because of his experience with Galveston’s historical buildings, Dave has a great respect for the island’s older structures and incorporated the hotel’s original plans into the current remodel. 

The structure was originally the Treasure Isle Motel and, later, the Pearl Inn. When it was built on the Seawall in 1963, the Treasure Isle Motel was the definition of “swanky.” 

Designed by local architects Benjamin Joseph Kotin and his twin brother Solomon and Tibor Eliahu Beerman, the motel across from Poretto Beach was one of the most popular and recognizable places to vacation, hold meetings, or enjoy a quick meal on the island.

 The Jacobys toured the premises with Solomon Kotin’s three daughters when plotting the final design of the hotel. 

“These women had unique perspectives of the hotel. They celebrated birthdays and other milestones in the building, and we wanted to make sure we were on the right track. They loved what we were doing,” Dave said. 

 The couple partnered with Robert Marcus, a real estate and hotel operations, development and finance professional to open the hotel and its two restaurants, The Den and The Fancy. 

Keath Jacoby is a marketing and branding executive who helped launch Vision Galveston. Her grandfather relocated from Philadelphia to Galveston in the 1940s and her children are now fourth generation islanders. Oddly enough, Keath and Dave’s grandparents grew up in the same Philadelphia neighborhood but were never acquainted.

 Additional partners on the project include marketing, branding and promoting executive Shawn Ullman and financier and entrepreneur Jeffrey Solomon. 

Designed by Austin-based Kartwheel Studio, the new hotel offers a cozy retreat for guests with a principal facade that opens toward the Gulf of Mexico. 

“We had a vision and a concept that [Kartwheel] was able to fully capture. They figured out how to meet our needs and how to best utilize the space and incorporate the details we wanted,” Dave said. All of the furniture throughout the hotel was designed and built by Dave Clark, Kartwheel principal. 

The hotel’s premier on-site restaurant, The Fancy, is a 56-seat “American fine-ish dining” restaurant led by Houston’s chef Leila Ortiz. The Fancy offers patrons a French-adjacent menu that is true to the restaurant’s Galveston roots while conjuring the warm nostalgia of a family dinner party. 

Ortiz oversees and manages the kitchen’s day-to-day operations at the hotel, including the all-day menu at The Den and The Fancy. Ortiz comes to Hotel Lucine after stints abroad in the kitchens of the Sheraton and Westin Hotels and at Bludorn in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood. 

Her culinary experience also covers roles as sous chef of New York’s Momofuku Noodle Bar and as sous chef and operations manager for Houston’s UBPreserv. 

Locals will be excited to know that island chef Daya Myers-Hurt is also a part of the restaurant team. 

Serving as Hotel Lucine’s beverage director, Jesse Rubio oversees a team of barkeeps across the Lucine property. Born and raised in Galveston, Rubio is a classically trained barkeep with a creative eye and experience in craft cocktails and classic drinks. 

At the heart of the property, the pool and patio provide a central communal area that carries over into the sophisticated yet inviting Den area. The Den is another full-service dining space inside Hotel Lucine that offers everything from coffee in the morning to afternoon meals to cocktails at night. Hotel Lucine boasts the largest beachfront rooftop bar in Galveston and has an impressive cocktail program. Offering 180-degree unobstructed ocean views, the rooftop bar is open as weather permits outside and has an enclosed area with space for 25 people. 

The floor-to-ceiling glass enclosures provide an indoor space with spectacular views. Look for craft cocktail classes and other fun events to be held here. And, an exciting line up of local musicians will play on premises throughout the year. 

Located off the courtyard downstairs, adjacent to the pool and outdoor lounging areas, The Lanai serves as a multipurpose dining and event space for executive meetings, cocktail events and private dining. 

Coffee is available all day, beginning at 7 a.m. Galveston coffee roasters Corduroy Coffee and Clay created a special blend exclusively for the hotel. “We want our guests to feel cozy,” Keath said. “Like they walked into their weird aunt’s house. A home away from home. We built this great space, hoping the locals would make it part of their daily life. It’s a celebration of Galveston’s present and its past.” 

The original hotel had 32 guest rooms with 12 suites that had their own kitchenettes, built-in bar, ice water supply, and automatic fresh coffee dispensers. The rate for a single room on opening day was $10 and $15 for a double. 

The hotel’s storied past includes then-Galveston Mayor Edward Schreiber greeting Japanese visitors Dr. Shigeo GM Photos by Samantha Wiley Watanabe, his wife Shina, and the Watanbe’s son Shigeuki. The family had traveled to Galveston as representatives of Galveston’s sister city of Niigata, Japan, as part of the people-to-people diplomatic program in 1966. 

That same year, astronaut Walter M. Shirra Jr. and his wife were spotted having a quiet breakfast at 3 a.m. in the Treasure Isle Motel Coffee Shop after a Gemini Rendezvous Party held in Galveston. 

Jason and Kathy Lai of Galveston purchased the motel in February 1989. Immigrants from Taiwan, the couple already owned two Baskin Robbins stores on the island. They renamed the property the Pearl Inn and repainted it the distinctive yellow color that it remained until recently. The wood paneling in the rooms was removed, and, at some point, the hour glass-shaped pool was replaced with a rectangular pool. 

The Hotel Lucine incorporates plenty of modern-day conveniences as well as old-time charm. Free Wi-Fi and comfy couches are available to all visitors, whether they are hotel guests or locals looking for a place outside of home to work. Check ins to the hotel may be done on their mobile app and your phone doubles as a room key. 

“No other town on the Texas coast has the assets, charm, history, or weirdness to pull this off,” said Dave. “Galveston has a unique vibe that you just can’t build new or recreate in another coastal town.” 

The hotel was designed for guests to rub elbows with each other as they would at any house party said Keath. “Some folks you will know when you get there. And those you don’t, will be your friends by the time you leave.” 

This venture is a culmination of the Jacobys life work and experiences and the couple plans on staying right where they are. “We are in this for the long haul,” Keath said. “We are raising our four kids here. We aren’t going anywhere.” The hotel and restaurants have a casual dress code. Folks can dress up for the ultimate date experience or eat in their bathing suits, as long as they aren’t wet. 

“We want our guests to have high expectations with low pretense,” said the owners. 

For more information on Hotel Lucine or to book a room, please visit hotellucine.com. Follow Hotel Lucine on Instagram @hotellucine and @thefancytx