How Hotel Drover Became Fort Worth’s Crown Jewel and Redefined Luxury Hospitality In Just Five Years

Some hotels are simply built, while others seem to grow from the spirit of a place. Hotel Drover makes its presence known well before guests reach its doors. A majestic promenade, lined with painted horse statues and anchored by Fort Worth’s historic mule barns, frames Mule Alley’s crown jewel.

On a recent evening, lively chatter and music echoed from the hotel’s spacious backyard as locals braved the lingering heat to mingle as part of the Backyard Unplugged series, which runs on weekend evenings.

The Drover team busily handed out cowboy hat-shaped fans as Spirit Night celebrated the return of TCU with purple-tinged cocktails like Riff Ram (our pick that evening), Super Frog, and Spirit Splash. A lively pair of singer-songwriters alternated between ballads and uptempo numbers while shoppers perused Tucker Brown apparel.

As Hotel Drover celebrates five years in the Stockyards, the milestone is being marked by continued investment in the resort and guest experience. In addition to launching a special anniversary room offer, Hotel Drover and 97 West Kitchen & Bar are making a multimillion-dollar investment in resort enhancements, including an expanded Pour Horse bar and additional seating along the outdoor drink rail overlooking Marine Creek.

Balancing luxury hospitality with a community gathering place has been central to Hotel Drover from the beginning, Stockyards Heritage Development Co. COO Kristin Assad tells PaperCity.

“Our goal was to make Hotel Drover the living room of Fort Worth,” she says. “The hotel was designed to be very approachable and something for everyone, and I believe we’ve been successful in achieving that.”

The Vision Behind Hotel Drover

Long before Majestic Realty partnered with the Hickman family to revitalize the area, Holt Hickman dreamed of building a luxury hotel in the heart of the Stockyards, Assad says of the early vision that eventually helped shape the $240 million investment in the district.

“There was not a luxury hotel in Fort Worth that was anything like it,” Assad says. “The idea was to fill that void by creating an anchor here in the district, centering it, and building all the restaurants and retail around it. We wanted our hotel to be truly authentic and respectful of the heritage.”

As the hotel took shape from 2018 to 2021, the planning team described the 160,000-square-foot property as a “ranch home,” with spaces designed to feel like welcoming rooms in a private residence. The fruits of those early discussions and renderings are clear today, from the lobby’s sprawling library to event spaces that make use of reclaimed barn wood. The hotel now hosts as many as 100 weddings and roughly 550 private events a year.

“We’re inviting people into our ‘home’ as guests,” she says. “That’s how we tried to approach it, and there’s nothing like it in Fort Worth or Dallas.”

Five Years of National Awards, Galas, and Red Carpet Premieres

An early 2021 opening meant sourcing materials and recruiting workers during a pandemic — all while introducing locals to a new level of luxury in Fort Worth. Recognition soon followed, with Hotel Drover earning the No. 1 spot among Dallas-Fort Worth hotels in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards in 2022, 2024, and 2025. The hotel also earned Michelin Keys in 2024 and 2025 and has been Great Place to Work certified since 2023.

The inaugural year saw the launch of now-established Hotel Drover traditions, from Easter in The Backyard to the 12 Days of Drover that kicks off every winter with the Legendary Tree Lighting. Assad recalls the “amazing energy” of those first weeks and months, adding that it was “heartwarming to see the approval from locals, city officials, and everyone here celebrating the moment.”

Dignitary visits, A-list celebrity events, and pop culture moments tied to the luxe retreat have regularly made their way into PaperCity coverage over the past five years. From the 2022 Yellowstone Season 5 red-carpet premiere to Parker McCollum’s recent music video and a visit from Her Imperial Highness, Princess Takamado of Japan, Hotel Drover has emerged as a backdrop for some of Fort Worth’s most memorable cultural moments.

Alexie Estrada, Area Director of Marketing for Hotel Drover, tells us that hosting the premiere of Yellowstone’s fifth season was a “truly all-hands effort” that showcased the luxury retreat’s ability to host a major entertainment event. Estrada was only months into her role during that especially memorable fall.

“Within a matter of weeks, we hosted a high-profile gala and draw party for the Women’s Tennis Association, the Lone Star Film Festival Gala honoring Taylor Sheridan, Ryan Bingham, LaMonica Garrett, and then, that Sunday, the Yellowstone Season 5 premiere celebration. Looking back five years later, it was one of those early moments that demonstrated the impact these experiences could have in elevating Hotel Drover and Fort Worth on a national stage.”

Visit Fort Worth’s president and CEO, Mitch Whitten, says Hotel Drover, which has hosted around 420,000 overnight guests over five years, has become a defining force in Fort Worth’s growing national profile.

“Hotel Drover has achieved another milestone in Fort Worth’s rising national profile. Just like Dickies Arena has done for music, Drover has put a modern face on our western story and captured the imagination of visitors from around the world.”

The Next Chapter for Hotel Drover and the Stockyards

As we recently learned over lunch with members of the Hotel Drover and Stockyards team, things are about to get busy along East Exchange Avenue. Stocktoberfest runs September 18 through 20 at 131 East Exchange Avenue, featuring $6 steins of Karbach lagers and special events, while Wild West Wine Fest on September 26 caps off Hotel Drover’s Backyard Unplugged season.

We’re excitedly counting down the days until the return of Fashion Week Stockyards Style. The October event showcases the best in local fashion — all based in Mule Alley, of course — through trunk shows, sip-and-shop events, and a thrilling runway show on Saturday, October 3. Hotel Drover’s Annual Legendary Tree Lighting then kicks off the holiday season in late November with a tree lighting and visits with Cowboy Santa.

Amid the revolving calendar of events, the hotel’s flagship restaurant, 97 West Kitchen & Bar, serves chef-driven dishes that are approachable and unmistakably Texan, including popular options like the BLT Deviled Eggs, fried green tomatoes, and 97 West Burger. Grant Morgan, Hotel Drover’s Executive Concept Chef, tells us lighter options, like the burger bowl and ceviche, have been added more recently to balance out the heartier offerings.

“Ultimately, we’ve learned that our guests aren’t looking for us to reinvent the menu,” Morgan continues. “They appreciate familiar flavors prepared exceptionally well, generous portions, and dishes that feel distinctly Texan. Our evolution has been about building on that foundation, offering more choice, and continuing to find new ways to give both loyal and first-time guests something to discover.”

Hotels generally go through a “refresh” every several years, Assad says, noting that renovations and updates may be needed soon. Hotel Drover has been a catalyst for development in the area, she added, as the district is becoming increasingly competitive, even with the hotel’s five-year head start.

“We’re definitely going to be staying sharp and staying ahead of what needs to be done to remain the number one hotel in Texas,” she says. “The Stockyards Hotel is undergoing a $32 million renovation right now, along with the renovation of our H3 Restaurant. Later this year, we are going to be renovating our Hyatt Place Hotel.”

What do you credit for where Hotel Drover is today, five years after opening?

“The original vision stood the test of time,” Assad says. “I think everything has come full circle five years later, all of the blood, sweat, and tears. You see it just thriving now. With ten-plus million visitors coming here every year, there’s no place like the Stockyards. The story, the brand, the authenticity, the intention behind the design — all of those things that felt really heavy or tedious in the moment now tie our story and who we are.”