Vonlane | 24 hours in Houston via First Class on Wheels

Striped dress / Denim jacket / LV bag / Sunglasses (less expensive option here) / Shoes / Packing list linked below

I have just discovered a first class mode of travel that brings new meaning to the word luxury. My dear friend Jennifer C. and I did a 24 hours in Houston trip via Vonlane and I may never fly again!

Vonlane is known as the Private Jet on Wheels. When Jennifer and I decided to take a quick trip to Houston, I reached out to Vonlane to see if they would consider sending us on their luxury bus. Lucky us, they said yes! We took the 10:30 AM bus from Dallas to Houston and arrived a short 3 hours and 45 minutes later in downtown Houston. En route, our attendant serviced us snacks, drinks and lunch (YES, we got a meal!). She was so helpful with our every need. They have pillows, blankets, lap desks, noise cancelling headsets, FREE WiFi and outlets for you to charge your phone, laptop or any device.  You have four departure time options when doing this trip. The luxury bus accommodates twenty-two leather seats with more leg room than the first class cabin on any airline.

The drive from Dallas to Houston on I-45 highway was effortless. When we encountered traffic, the bus driver dealt with it as we continued to chat away. I also spent time on my laptop working on blog posts and client events. The free WiFi allowed me to work the entire trip maximizing my time on the road. I had an electrical outlet for my laptop and an outlet to charge my iPhone. By the way, if your need to have a conference meeting while on board, there is a six seat conference table in the back. Our bus driver and attendant were nice and friendly and the ultimate professionals. Once we arrived in Houston (you are dropped off at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Houston) we took Uber to our hotel. The next day, we simply showed up 15 minutes before our departure (we took the 3:00 PM bus home), checked-in with the attendant and departed. Again, the travel home on I-45 was effortless and took about three hours and forty-five minutes. I am including a list of hot spots in Houston below that are reflected in the pictures included in this post. We had an amazing 24 hours in H Town!

Now let’s compare and see why Vonlane is truly the best option. We traveled during the week so I will use that for price comparison. Please note that both Vonlane and Southwest Airlines offer discounted pricing so be sure to check their sites often.

Vonlane: $218 round trip ($109 each way) per person. No change fee, free parking at the hotel parking lot with security, board 15 minutes before departure, seat selection during reservation, no TSA lines, free snacks, drinks (including alcohol) and meals (on meal service trips). Advantage: Free WiFi allowed me to work the entire trip. My laptop and iPhone were fully charged when I arrive because of outlets onboard. We arrived refreshed and ready to go!

Southwest Airlines: $467.96 roundtrip ($409.08 airfare + all the fees) per person. Long TSA lines at airport, change fees if your plans change, free peanuts and soft drinks, open seating, no leg room on plane, parking fees at airport, you can not work en route (WiFi). Must arrive at least one hour prior to departure. Advantage: Shorter trip.

Own car/ road trip: Cost of gas. Stress of driving in traffic, mileage on your car, must remain focused during drive, fatigue. Advantage: You can depart anytime you want to and have your car during your entire trip.

As you can see, the Vonlane trip was half the cost of the Southwest Airline trip. Vonlane currently operates round trip connecting the triangle cities of Dallas, Houston and Austin. They do have sales occasionally so be sure to follow them on social media for alerts. My only wish is that they traveled more routes.

Tanya’s Travel tips:

Travel: Vonlane – Basically its a private jet on wheels!

Stay: The Houstonian Hotel – This hotel has everything you need set in the middle of lush greenery. One of the largest sports clubs in the state of Texas and a spa that has everything you need. Located at 111 North Post Oak Lane, The Houstonian Hotel provides easy access and is located near Memorial Park.

Eat: Tiny Boxwoods – Lovely restaurant where we had lunch. It’s also a garden nursery and shop. Be sure to have the Tinys Winter Salad! 3614 West Alabama in River Oaks

State of Grace – The new hot spot in Houston located at 3258 Westheimer Road in the Lamar-River Oaks Shopping Center across from Lamar High School. Delicious! Be sure to save room for their incredible dinner rolls that are topped with honey butter and sea salt. To die for! Ask for Bryan to be your waiter.

Shop: Mecox – Some of the best furniture and accessories infused with beautiful antiques. Store Manager John Tucker has an eye for unique pieces. Located at 3912 Westheimer in the Highland Village area.

The Chocolate Bar –  There are two locations in Houston. We stumbled into the 1835 West Alabama location while shopping and fell in love with the shop. It offers the best in homemade ice cream, cakes, deserts along with a full candy store. Be sure to try a slice of Aunt Etta’s or Uncle Darryl’s cake. Four, thick layers of chocolate delight!

More Than you Can Imagine – The very best of high-end vintage and a little bit of new. The shop is located at 2817 Westheimer. Great selections of luxury brands.

We loved our quick trip to Houston with Vonlane and will certainly travel this way again. I highly recommend you give them a try.

Happy trails!  xoxo- Tanya

shop the post

Thank you to Vonlane for letting me try their bus service. All opinions are my own.