Located in the heart of Navasota’s railroad district, the P. A. Smith Hotel is looking to recapture the small town accommodations with a luxury hotel and event center between Houston and Bryan College Station.
Originally built in the late-19th century, the P.A. Smith Hotel had fallen into disarray after years of minimal renovations. Bought by local residents Stephen and Janice Scheve in 2017, the hotel underwent a large restoration project, rebuilt into something special, says co-owner Janice Scheve.
With assistance from the city of Navasota in rebuilding the entire railroad district, the restoration of the P.A. Smith Hotel has turned into a three-year, multi-million dollar project where they have had to rebuild the building nearly from the ground up, says Janice.
“When we bought it, it was in such ill repair that we had to completely gut the hotel,” Janice says. “It was literally falling down. The ceiling had fallen in, the third floor had fallen in, and the second floor was too dangerous to walk on. The hotel itself was built out of limestone and they were still perfectly in line, so we just gutted the entire hotel and started from scratch.”
With 10 luxury staterooms and an event area that can accommodate up to 150 people, the P.A. Smith Hotel provides a high-class quality and luxury not typically seen in a local venue, says Janice.
“It’s not just going to be a typical little small town hotel,” says Janice. “We’re going to have room service, we’re going to have state-of-the-art electronics. Each stateroom is going to have a little kitchenette, a mini bar area. Valet parking as well. And for those who are looking to set up an event, whether a wedding or corporate events, it’s set up in a way that you can stay there, have your event there, be a one stop [for everything].”
One reason for rebuilding the hotel is the demand for boarding in Navasota. With a close proximity to Texas A&M University, Janice says hotel space in the area is a desired commodity, which she hopes the hotel is able to provide for locals and tourists alike.
“Navasota is only 15 miles away from Texas A&M,” Janice says. “Whenever A&M has football games or graduations or anything, there are some Airbnbs located as far away as Chappell Hill, about 40 miles from College Station, being booked for those events. With Navasota on the highway between Houston and College Station, we’ve already had many people calling, try to set a reservation for things in the future. So I know that Navasota is going to do well with it, especially with it being an event center as well. People will be able to rent the whole hotel for the entire weekend, which will make it a luxury item.”
In addition to the hotel itself, the surrounding railroad district has been rebuilt over the last several years in order to create a go-to area in Navasota, says Janice. She says the hotel and its surroundings are growing into is a great place to create an experience while in Navasota.
“For someone that’s looking for something off the beaten path, whether it’s a small group or a large group or whether it’s an event or just to go somewhere to spend the night, [coming to the hotel] is a unique experience,” says Janice. “People are looking for experiences now and that’s what we’re hoping to provide within the railroad district in Navasota. Not just the hotel, but the event center, the restaurants, the new stores, the retail, everything that Navasota is putting together.”
