HOUSTON, Texas – Le Meridien Houston Downtown recently announced the appointment of Mary Rios as the director of weddings.
With nearly 15 years of local expertise, Rios will serve as the hotel’s primary liaison for corporate events, special celebrations, and weddings.
“Mary not only brings event planning expertise to her new role but a significant reputation of excellence in the city of Houston, making her an asset to the Le Meridien brand and its partners,” says Rick Oberdahlhoff, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. “We could not be more excited to offer her high level of service to our current and future clientele and look forward to the type of events we will be able to showcase at our beautiful downtown hotel.”
Before joining Le Meridien Houston Downtown, Rios was the principal event planner at her Houston-based event planning firm, Mary Rios Events. Since opening her business in 2009, she has formed strong relationships with local vendors and clients across Texas and the Southeast, managing pre-event logistics, onsite event preparations, production, and event breakdown.
Rios began her career serving as a service express agent at the Westin La Cantera in San Antonio prior to spending a year working on the grand opening of Hotel ZaZa Museum District in Houston. She received her bachelor’s degree in communications from The University of Texas San Antonio.
Steps away from Minute Maid Park and Toyota Center, Le Meridien houses nearly 13,000 square feet of event space across 12 unique venues in downtown Houston. Opened this year, the hotel transitioned its former fitness center on the 23rd floor into a brand-new indoor event venue, boasting views of the downtown skyline. With access to the hotel’s Z on 23, the city’s tallest open-air rooftop bar, the venue will offer guests gourmet food and craft cocktails directly from the outdoor bar and its downstairs restaurant, Zutro. The 1,800-square-foot space is appropriate for intimate social gatherings, engagement parties, and corporate events.
In addition, ranging from 576 square feet to 3,700 square feet, the hotel’s other meeting and event spaces boast full audio-visual capabilities and equipment set-up. The largest of the offerings is the 250-person Grand Ballroom, featuring 180-degree views of some of Houston’s most iconic structures, as well as a dedicated pre-function space to encourage a stimulating flow
