A Local’s Guide to Dallas’ 10 Best Hotels
From a New Art Palace to an Iconic Mansion, Your Next Staycation Awaits
BY Megan Ziots // 02.05.20The Rosewood Mansion offers a safe and luxurious weekend getaway for Dallasites and travelers.
As Dallasites, we all have our favorite hotel hangout. Whether that be for splashing in a hotel’s rooftop pool in the summer, relaxing at the spa or swinging by for a late night drink, Dallas has plenty of places to check out. Some of us even like to schedule a staycation every now and then. This city has a hotel hotspot available for every need.
Here’s your local guide to the Best Hotels in Dallas:
The Rosewood Mansion
2821 Turtle Creek Boulevard
Probably the most sought-after hotel to have a staycation, The Rosewood Mansion is a great place to unwind in the city. That is, if you’re willing to splurge. A Texas icon, the Mansion offers massage and spa services, a pool and an acclaimed restaurant and bar. Two years ago, the Mansion added on a grand lawn and private garden, which now hosts tons of weddings and events.
On top of that, the hotel boasts a critically-acclaimed dining: the Mansion Restaurant and the Mansion Bar. New American with French influences, the restaurant is headed by executive chef Sebastien Archambault and offers lunch, dinner and a weekend brunch menu. And if you come to the bar from 4 pm to 7 pm on Monday through Friday, there’s a swanky happy hour deal going on where you can get some of the Mansion’s signature cocktails for $9.
Rooms start out around $360 a night.
The Statler
1914 Commerce Street
Known for its incredible rooftop pool views, the downtown hotel is the place to go on a sweltering summer day. Access to the pool is free and Waterproof bar offers specialty cocktails, beer, wine, and an indoor retreat when things get too heated.
Another main reason for visiting The Statler is its hush-hush speakeasy bar, Bourbon & Banter. In order to get in, you’ll take a staircase down to a basement-like door, step in an old phone booth and dial four numbers (you’ll find them on the wall) to open the bar’s door. Favorite cocktails include the Red Mane, which is a cranberry-lime zest infused Belvedere, St. Germain, lime, and egg white concoction and the Pompadour, a bourbon drink that comes with a brûlée top you break through with a honey dipper.
Rooms start out around $210 a night.
Hotel Crescent Court
400 Crescent Court
An Uptown icon, Hotel Crescent Court might also be the most dog-friendly hotel on this list thanks to its Crescent Canines program. This luxurious add-on includes an in-room Gourmet Doggie Delights menu, water bowls, a plush dog bed, a collapsible, take home water bowl, complimentary toy, doggy bandana and “Do the Business” bags. There’s even a “S-paw” service menu with services provided by a local groomer to keep your pet clean and happy.
As for local humans coming by for the day, Hotel Crescent Court has a Spa Day Pass ($140) that offers access to the second floor rooftop pool, spa hot tub, steam room, dry sauna, fitness center, relaxation lounge, complimentary wellness classes, a free glass of champagne and 25 percent off a 50 minute or more service (excluding nails).
Rooms start at about $214 a night.
The Adolphus
1321 Commerce Street
The most historically significant hotel of the bunch, The Adolphus is a downtown Dallas architectural gem. Opened in 1912 by Anheuser-Busch co-founder Adolphus Busch, the hotel was modeled after a Germanic castle. Esteemed guests have included presidents Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and British royals Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. In 2018, Dallas-based Swoon, The Studio reimagined the hotel, returning it to its historic glory (and ridding it of several dated eighties ornamentations).
Perhaps The Adolphus’ most iconic feature is The French Room restaurant, which opens only for dinner and afternoon tea on the weekends. The blue-lacquered French Room Salon and Bar, with its red chinoiserie fireplace, black marble bar, and gold-leaf wallpapered ceiling, is another hotspot for cocktails and late-night lounging.
Rooms start at $244 a night.
The Ritz-Carlton
2121 McKinney Avenue
Another classically ritzy Dallas hotel, The Ritz-Carlton in Uptown is perfect for a staycation, where locals can enjoy dinner at Fearing’s Restaurant, drinks at The Rattlesnake Bar, or one of the best hotel spas in town. The Ritz boasts an outdoor pool, fitness center, a complimentary Guacomologist experience at 6 pm in the Lobby Lounge each day, and a chauffeured luxury house car available within a 3-mile radius on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The luxury spa is probably the most popular amenity at The Ritz for locals. It offers relaxation lounges, two suites for couple’s treatments, and signature treatments. Dean’s Margarita Salt Glow starts at $250 and is a 50-minute massage with the special exfoliating scrub and hydrating body cream. On the highest end, you can get the Ultimate Detoxifying Treatment, which is a 110-minute deeply detoxifying treatment for $340.
On the pricier side, the five-star hotel costs about $440 (at the lowest) for a night.
Virgin Hotels Dallas
1445 Turtle Creek Boulevard
Dallas’ coolest new hotel is now up and running in the Design District. Virgin Hotels Dallas, from Dallas billionaire developer Bill Hutchinson and Virgin’s Richard Branson, features a secret hot tub garden, the Commons Club restaurant, a coffee bar, and a rooftop Pool Club that’s guaranteed to be a Dallas summer destination. Cabanas, loungers, and daybeds large enough for groups of 20 people line the rooftop, with umbrella drinks served up from the bar.
Inside the boutique hotel, it’s worth the time to stroll and peruse the colorful, curated artwork and decor. And a meal or appetizers at chef Matt McCallister’s Commons Club is a must.
Rooms start at $230 per night.
Omni Dallas
555 S. Lamar Street
It’s hard to remember the Dallas skyline before Omni Dallas’ LED-lit exterior entered the scene. Within walking distance from Pioneer Plaza, The Sixth Floor Museum, John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza and the new Dallas Holocaust & Human Rights Museum, the Downtown staple sits among some of the most historic sites and museums in Dallas’ history. After exploring, you can kick back at the Omni’s heated rooftop infinity pool that overlooks all of downtown with a cocktail in hand.
Rooms start at about $312 a night.
HALL Arts Hotel
1717 Leonard Street
Developer Craig Hall’s new HALL Arts Hotel doubles as an art gallery. A quick stroll through the lobby is enough to offer an artful glimpse. (Favorite pieces are All That is Possible is Real by Dallas-native Alicia Eggert and Spoons by Najla El Zein.)
Headed by Oprah’s former chef, Eric Dreyer, Ellie’s is a must-visit Dallas restaurant. An ode to Hall’s late mother, Ellie’s offers an elevated take on 1940s and ’50s dinner time staples. Smack dab in the middle of the dining area sits a Steinway piano surrounded by incredible light fixtures and a colorful artwork.
Book a room starting at $212 a night.
The Stoneleigh
2927 Maple Avenue
The luxurious 1923 Art Deco hotel in Uptown is a Dallas classic. During a recent $36 million renovation, the hotel was restored to carefully preserve its historic architecture, while injecting a little 21st century modernity. Amenities range from an outdoor pool that hosts regular parties during the summer to its wonderful Perle on Maple restaurant and bar.
From Super Bowl watch parties and jazz nights to Rose garden parties and breakfasts with Santa, there are plenty of reasons to stop by the historic hotel all year round.
Rooms start at $200 a night.
The Joule
1530 Main Street
Dallas’ most well-known hotel for celebrity sightings (Drake likes the pool there) and extravagant rooftop weddings, The Joule is a favorite local hangout for many reasons. One being the incredible rooftop infinity pool that literally hangs 8 feet off the side of the building (it’s somehow not scary). A few other highlights include the speakeasy-like Midnight Rambler, restaurants Americano and CBD Provisions and the Weekend coffee shop. The Taschen Library is a jewel-box of a store, and serves up an elegant afternoon tea every Sunday.
It’s also just a really cool building. A revitalized 1920s neo-Gothic landmark, The Joule’s rooms and halls are lined with artwork from owner Tim Headington’s own private collection. It’s definitely worth checking out some of the pieces by Roger Hiorns, Millard Sheets, Tony Cragg and more.
Rooms start at about $240 a night.