Hilton HHonors - Hilton Anatole Trip Reports and Reviews

Stayed at this hotel during the switchover. Absolutely Beautiful Hotel!!!! Had some service issues with the bellman....other than that great stay. Glad it's now a Hilton!

I stayed at the Hilton Anatole last week and enjoyed it very much. I'm HH Gold and I don't seem to have got an upgrade but I was put on the executive floor. I didn't get any bottled water or any in-room amenities, but I did get one bathrobe (although my room was booked for two people). The room itself was nice but nothing special. It had the standard pale colours and typical furnishings of most US Hiltons. The bathroom was slightly on the small side and quite dated but clean.

The executive lounge was the nicest I've seen (though in truth I've only seen four so far in my HH career). It was quite large with an area for dining tables and another area with various sofas and comfy chairs. The decor was modern and stylish with lots of deep glossy reds and dark wood. In the evening there was a selection of crudités, posh hors d'oeuvres and Mexican snacks (some warm cheesy fried quesadilla things, and some excellent home-made tortilla chips with two types of salsa and guacamole). Breakfast was continental and no hot dishes were provided at all (unless you count the toaster). I don't know if there would have been an option of hot breakfast elsewhere in the hotel - I didn't enquire about this.

As HH Gold I got access to the Veranda Club and Spa. This was one of the largest gyms I've ever seen connected to a hotel, and the indoor pool certainly was the largest I've seen. There was also a jacuzzi, two steam rooms, one sauna and an additional smaller outdoor pool. I don't know if access is given to all guests or just HH elites, but it's a very nice facility worth looking at.

The only issue I have with the hotel is the $26 parking charge. From your window you can see thousands of empty spaces so it doesn't seem necessary to charge for them. However, when I left the hotel after checking out, the parking attendant just asked for my room number and said I wouldn't have to pay. I don't know if this was because I stayed at a weekend or because I was a hotel guest.

I stayed there this week and got a Tower junior corner suite. It had a round table which could be a work table or I guess you could use it to play cards. There was a sofa and a large chair. The suite had floor to ceiling windows which were dramatic. Was comped free status to executive lounge (very nice) and enjoyed night appetizers and a great breakfast. Hotel is impressive with its art. I chose $15 daily parking instead of valet.

I didn't visit the spa or pool because I was on business and I didn't want colleagues or superiors see me walking around in my bathrobe through the public areas. I called the front desk to see if I could drive to Veranda to have more privacy and they said yes. The parking lot was keycode and it wouldn't take my room card. There was no lot attendant. So this comp had no value to me.

Overall, the cons outweighed the pros: Make-me-feel stupid lack of visible parking lot signs. Rude (almost beligerent) front desk staff. Rice paper thin walls. Room smelled like someone had smoked a cigar in it although the floor, and all of City of Dallas, is now smoke-free officially. My room continuously felt at least 5 degrees too warm even when I changed the thermostat to its lowest setting of 65 degrees. And what is up with these new Hilton teasingly plump pillows which go flat upon actual use???

Summary: Glad to have had the experience, but after fighting Dallas traffic, the hotel exhausted me with its size.

I didn't visit the spa or pool because I was on business and I didn't want colleagues or superiors see me walking around in my bathrobe through the public areas. I called the front desk to see if I could drive to Veranda to have more privacy and they said yes. The parking lot was keycode and it wouldn't take my room card. There was no lot attendant. So this comp had no value to me.

I don't understand this comment. There is no need to drive there and there is no need to walk there in your bathrobe. Why didn't you just walk to the spa in your normal clothes and change when you get there?

For me this place is all about the stunning lounge and huge pool at the spa. The rooms are mediocre, HHonors recognition isn't amazing, and the parking charge is excessive (even though when I stayed it was waived for some unknown reason).

I dont believe that any of the guests actually pay parking. I was there for 5 nights and never paid a dime for parking. However, visitors had to pay the hourly rate if they came to the hotel.

As an SMU alum (Southern Methodist University), we used to always go there when it was the Wyndham Anatole.. and it was an awesome experience... I will say that Hilton was a dissapointment when I stayed there in June. Front desk staff was rude, until they saw I was an elite... the atrium in the smaller tower was ungodly hot. Just wasn't the same experience when I stayed there before...

FutureCEO1982

Karter, I was just overwhelmed by the complex and wanted something easy. I had just come from a surprisingly nice Homewood Suites in Addison so I was very spoiled by the convenience factor and then irked by the little things at the Anatole.

I've stayed here several times over the past month or two, and the hotel is alright. The Tower rooms seem to be noticeably older and worn than the Atrium rooms, though. As a Diamond, I usually got the spa/lounge access, two bottles of water in the room the first night and one of the upgraded Tower corner rooms/junior suites on the Executive floor (there is no lounge on the Atrium side AFAIK). I also had several problems with billing/checkout here (no express check-out folio, long check-out lines, incorrect billing), and I've never seen the parking system (swipe your room key) actually work as expected. On the other hand, my corporate rate ($85) makes it a pretty good deal.

Overall, I think I prefer the Hilton Park Cities much more, though they really serve two different segments (smaller "boutique" hotel vs. convention hotel).

Pros:
-Convenient location
-Excellent gym/health club
-Spacious/well-stocked lounge

Cons:
-Parking charges + overwhelming size
-Small rooms in Atrium (especially the bathroom) and dated rooms in Tower
-Some service issues

This was a favourite of one client's for a meeting (probably because it was cheap!) I've seen a sharp improvement in this property over the years.
Funny, I was going to recommend a tower room; some of them have nice views of Dallas. I believe more of them have been renovated than in the Atrium wings. I think it's room-specific. In addition to the excellent spa, the top-floor restaurant, Nana is pretty good. Very nice place for a drink at the end of your night.
Agree with the absolute outrageous parking charge.

The Verandah Club is undergoing a renovation right now, so the walk across the aculpture garden takes a veeeery long time. But, it is a heckuva hotel fitness center! ^

Will be in Dallas area for a week for business, first time to Texas:p Try to decide between Hilton Anatole and Westin Galleria Dallas.

I read about Westin is in a better location, but Hilton seems has a fantastic gym/spa. Any comments about the room and lounge between the two?

Understand Westin is in a better location but I will hardly have any time for shopping or sightseeing. Food choice in the area is somewhat important so hopefully Hilton is not in a neighborhood has nothing nearby?

Thanks very much for any insight.

The last time I stayed at the Westin Galleria last year, the hotel was undergoing renovations, so I think they only had a temporary lounge at that time. I do prefer the rooms at the Westin over the Hilton though -- as mentioned, the Anatole's rooms in the Tower are slightly older and the Atrium rooms are slightly smaller. The lounge at the Anatole is quite nice and spacious, and food choices are usually average to above-average.

The Anatole is next to a few other hotels near the Market Center convention hall, so there isn't much in the way of restaurants in the immediate area except for a Denny's and several restaurants within the hotel itself. Plenty of restaurants in Uptown/Oak Lawn and West End, which are short drives away, though.

The Westin is attached to a large mall (the Galleria), so your dining options are much closer and varied. There are many restaurants within the mall area, as well as down the road in Addison.

Overall, my opinion of the Anatole hasn't changed much since my earlier post -- excellent facilities and lounge, but rooms could be better and service is typical of a large-convention hotel. I haven't stayed at the Galleria since the renovation, but I would hope that it's been improved.

Depending on where you need to be in Dallas, there are other options as well. I like the Hilton DFW Lakes and the Hilton Park Cities, and the Westin DFW Airport and Westin City Center have generally treated me pretty well also.

Thanks prashok for more info.

I stayed at the Hilton Anatole for a week. Given room at 14th floor on the tower with lounge access.

Room is very comfortable, roomy with king bed, full size sofa, working desk, flat panel TV. Bathroom is very nice too, got one sink and makeup desk/chair and good size shower. Only complain is shower has low water pressure.

Only wired connection in the room, wifi is available for free at the lounge. Got two bottle of water delivered to room upon initial check-in.

Executive lounge is at 25th floor. Breakfast has only cold food (fruites, cereal, pastry, orange juice, coffee, tea, boil egg). Around 6-7:30PM, it serves one hot item (chicken, fried shrimp...), fruit plate, chips. and 8:30PM has desert. Alcohol drink is not free. Service is excellent.

Wanted to use the steam room but it was under renovation so didn't try the spa/gym. The hotel is huge and very nice deco.

Agree this is a nice property and will return next time if in Dallas area.