Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > Luxury Hotels and Travel
Reload this Page >

REPORT - Dallas Luxury Hotels

REPORT - Dallas Luxury Hotels

Old Aug 24, 2013, 9:59 am
  #1  
Original Poster
Four Seasons 5+ BadgeHilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
REPORT - Dallas Luxury Hotels

The week before I attended Virtuoso Travel Week I had a chance to visit Dallas for the first time and stayed in 3 of the 4 hotels I am reviewing below. I site inspected the 4th.

The hotels are the Ritz Carlton, The Mansion on Turtle Creek, The Joule, and the Four Seasons. I site inspected the Joule and all except the RC is a part of Virtuoso. I am also using the generous term of "Dallas" for the Four Seasons as it is in Las Colinas, the nicer part of Irving, a suburb of Dallas.

As a city, Dallas was a bit of a surprise. It had familiar elements from many other cities, a bit of LA, a bit of NYC, a bit of Chicago, a bit of Europe, which combined to create something rather pleasant. It does have a nice vibe to the city -- perhaps the combination of old money and new, younger upwardly mobile professionals. A lot of great restaurants without NYC or LA pretension or prices made this city a dining pleasure. Having friends in the city helps; or at least a car to get around, but the main downtown/uptown area is surprisingly compact.
luxury is offline  
Old Aug 24, 2013, 10:20 am
  #2  
Original Poster
Four Seasons 5+ BadgeHilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
Ritz Carlton Dallas

I was interested in this hotel as it is in the Uptown district of Dallas and is not a part of Virtuoso. I was also interested in Dean Fearing's eponymous restaurant.

I ended up in a 1 BR Club Suite which was about 1100 sq ft. It is your typical "2 bay" suite with 2 roughly equal sized rooms, one being the bedroom and master bath and the other the living room. The decor is standard "frilly" Ritz Carlton and not the newer contemporary style. The living room has the work desk, two desk chairs, sofa, 2 arm chairs, coffee table, and a large (50 to 55") flat screen tv. There is also a DVD system with speakers to connect your devices.

The bedroom has a king bed, arm chair, smaller TV (42" or so), a dressing area, and a large master bath with separate WC, separate shower, bath, and dual vanities. Toiletries are Asprey.

Regular rooms are your standard RC rooms with either 2 doubles or 1 King and there are quite a few connecting options to suites but not as many inter-connecting rooms. The rooms are identical on all floors except the top two floors, considered the Club floors, which have an enhanced bathroom (TV in mirror) etc.

The Club is on the 7th floor and is key card accessed. The Club is of a nice size with continental breakfast (no hot options except oatmeal); light lunch; evening canapés and nightly dessert. Club service was quite disappointing. The staff do not have the polish of other Clubs, like in Washington DC or Marina del Rey. Service was barely reactive and certainly not proactive, with the exception of one staff member, Kiki.

I am on a gluten free diet currently and when I mentioned that to the Club staff member she was quick to point out all of what I couldn't eat and to tell me how tough it must be to travel with that kind of restriction. There was no additional offer to help find something else for me -- something I know the Club in DC would do.

The hotel does have a small pool on a barren, rather unappealing pool deck, where you can get F&B service. The outdoor courtyard space at Fearings is much much nicer. The pool deck seems almost like an afterthought.

Service throughout was a little lacking, from Concierge to Front Desk.

Fearing's was disappointing -- poor value for money and not as good as one would expect. Like the entire hotel, it was more style over substance.

3 final tidbits: Nightly in the Lobby for precisely 30 minutes there is a "guacamologist" (the hotel's words!!) who makes Fearing's "Famous" guacamole for guests to try along with mini-samples of Fearing's "famous" margaritas. The margs are good but the "guacamologist" scoops the guacamole onto each individual chip. A bit of a production....

The hotel has a Bentley House car which will take you within a 3-5 mile radius -- changes on who you ask, and when you ask. YMMV.

STARS amenities: Daily full breakfast for 2; upgrade if available at check-in; early check-in and late check-out if available.
luxury is offline  
Old Aug 24, 2013, 10:21 am
  #3  
Original Poster
Four Seasons 5+ BadgeHilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
The Joule

I site inspected the Joule and was lucky enough to be able to view the new wing of rooms which is slated to open sometime in September.

The Oklahoma billionaire who owns The Joule has spent a lot of money on the property as of late. Up until recently it was a Starwood Luxury Collection property but apparently Starwood suddenly wanted to terminate their affiliation. This did impact the hotel quite significantly from which the hotel is starting to recover.

The location is quite good, right in downtown on Main Street, adjacent to the Mothership Neiman Marcus and not too far from the 6th Floor Museum and Dealy Plaza. The Lobby was expanded so that there are now two entrances to the hotel, the original one on Main Street and now from Commerce Street. On the Commerce Street entrance is a new coffee shop, a fancy "gift" shop full of expensive knick knacks one really doesn't need but neat enough that one probably would want. There also now a Lobby Bar on the Commerce Street side entrance. I am unsure of this -- it gives the Lobby a very train station/airport terminal feel.

Rooms in the original wing are small -- "Joule" box sized is an understatement and even suites, a small space sub-divided into even smaller spaces, feel very claustrophobic. Many of the rooms feature on showers as there simply is no space for a tub. Suites feature tubs and separate showers.

The new Premier wing is where to stay -- the Premier rooms are much larger open concept rooms, averaging about 600 sq ft, and are less claustrophobic and is, in my opinion, preferable to the suites in the original wing. The Premier Wing will also feature a Spa by ESPA and the Bulgari toiletries in the bathrooms will be phased out and replaced with ESPA branded toiletries. The rooms are on the dark side, with a lot of dark greys, blues, and blacks in the carpet and furniture with enough accents of color to give it some pop. There are strong art deco influences in the rooms and public spaces which give the Premier Wing a contemporary feel without being painfully hip.

The Premier Wing will feature a brand new all-day "farm to table" and "market-driven" restaurant. Once open, the existing Charlie Palmer restaurant in the original wing will be re-conceptualized and as of my visit it wasn't certain the level of involvement, if any, Charlie Palmer will have in the new dining space.

The Joule is known for its glass-bottomed swimming pool which canterlever's off the roof over Main Street. It is a small pool and is on a small pool deck with sun loungers, a cabana, and a poolside F&B service. The pool deck is sometimes rented out for private functions but the hotel is mindful of the impact to guests -- typically in the evening when the pool is less used and during times of low or lower occupancy.

The Virtuoso amenities currently are: Upgrade at time of booking subject to availability; daily full breakfast for up to 2 guests; and $100 Hotel credit once per stay.

Last edited by luxury; Aug 25, 2013 at 3:35 am Reason: Completed site inspection review
luxury is offline  
Old Aug 24, 2013, 10:31 am
  #4  
Original Poster
Four Seasons 5+ BadgeHilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
The Mansion on Turtle Creek

The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek is one of the grande dames of Dallas hotels. There actually is a Mansion (which is now the Restaurant) to which a hotel tower was added to create the property. It sits in a leafy area of Dallas and there actually is a creek running through the property and there actually are turtles in said creek.

When you pull up to the hotel it has a very country club feel. The doormen/valets are very friendly and attentive. The Reception area is very airy and bright with a cacti/plant centerpiece. The Lobby has nice seating area off from the main reception and concierge.

Rooms are very spacious and are all the same size, about 450 sq ft. Suites are x2 or x3 the size of the rooms. Standard rooms (which are called Deluxe rooms) have tub only (no separate shower) and come in King or queen bedded rooms. The next upgrade is a Deluxe Patio room which comes with a small patio -- a few of these rooms have direct access to the hotel pool. Premier rooms have dual vanities and separate stall shower and feature small juliet balconies.

Suites are more spacious but curiously only come with single vanity. The WOW suite is the Master Suite with hardwood floors and a very upscale residential quality to it. The Terrace suites are nice with large terraces but the suite itself is not as nice. The terrace gets quite windy and is difficult to use for another reason I will elaborate on below.

I stayed in Premier room and found it to be very comfortable. The rooms have been newly updated but the bathroom is still in its "Dallas, the TV show" gaudiness. While the property has invested to update itself there are vestiges of its old self throughout the hotel -- I guess without a complete gut job it is difficult to erase all the 80s fixtures. This does, however, not detract from the overall experience at the hotel. I would, however, recommend the Premier room as a minimum to book here.

The hotel has a nice gym, spa, and a small pool in a nice lush courtyard with sun loungers on a deck overlooking the pool, just off the gym/spa area.

The Restaurant at the Mansion used to be the old Dean Fearing restaurant. As a part of the original house there is a lot of character. There are several dining rooms plus al fresco terrace (great for dining when it is not 106F or over 40C outside!). I think I saw the world's largest squirrel (or was that a skunk?) climbing up a tree and a Lewis Carroll cheshire cat lounging in the sun at breakfast. Service is attentive and the food quite good. They are excellent at catering to all dietary needs and were able to handle my gluten free diet without any problems.

The hotel also has a house car which is available on a first come first served basis on a 5 mile radius from the hotel.

One thing of note -- it is probably quite difficult to avoid a flight path in Dallas with both Love Field and DFW but the Mansion is on a direct approach path to Love Field. If one is sensitive to noise then the aircraft flying overhead may be irksome --especially those early morning flights. This is also the reason why the Terraces of the terrace suites are not as enjoyable as one constantly hears the planes overhead.

Overall, this was my favorite hotel in Dallas proper. Warm attentive service and a good room product in a property with charm and character.

The Virtuoso amenties are:
Daily continental breakfast for 2; upgrade if available at check-in; and a lunch or dinner for 2 at the Restaurant once per stay (this is particularly good value at dinner)

In 2014, the lunch or dinner for 2 will change to a $100 Food and Beverage credit.

Last edited by luxury; Aug 26, 2013 at 5:04 pm
luxury is offline  
Old Aug 24, 2013, 10:32 am
  #5  
Original Poster
Four Seasons 5+ BadgeHilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
Four Seasons Dallas at Las Colinas

My last night in Dallas I stayed at the Four Seasons out in Irving which is quite convenient to DFW. This is one of FS' older hotels with a sports club, The Club at Las Colinas, which predates the hotel. The hotel is known for its two golf courses of which one is a TPC course where the Byron Nelson Classic is held every year.

There are Residences scattered across the property whose owners have use of the Club House and facilities. Memberships are also sold to the Club at Las Colinas.

The hotel comprises of the main tower and low rise two storey Villa buildings a short distance from the main tower. Golf buggy service is available 24 hours a day for pick and drop off -- this is very welcome in 106F heat!

For an older FS this property has been incredibly well maintained and the owners have wisely invested their money. The Lobby is very nice -- it lacks the charm of the Mansion but one doesn't expect that this type of hotel -- with scattered seating areas with a bar/lounge area in the back. High ceilings; it has a very upscale feeling and is quite comfortable given its scale. Lead-in rooms, located in the Tower, are 420 sq ft or about 38 sq meters are great for couples on a short stay or for the convention crowd that also frequent the hotel. The next category up are 520 sq ft or 48 sq meters and are of a much nicer dimension. They are on the corners of the building and have a small balcony. Thereafter are Villa rooms which are located in the Villa Buildings -- those on the ground floor have small terraces and those on the upper floor have furnished balconies. These are about 550 sq ft, 50 sq meters, in size. These are the preferred accommodations here -- spacious, relaxing, nice contemporary decor. The suites are located in the Tower and in the Villas. The Villa buildings have bubbling fountains in the main hallways which give a very tranquil feeling and help minimize any noise from the corridors.

Bathrooms are the same in all rooms -- dual vanities, separate WC, separate stall shower and tub. During my stay, the rooms in the Tower were having louvred shutters installed and removing the fabric valence and curtains. The look is much more sleek, clean and bright and is a welcome addition. Toiletries are L'Occitane in the rooms and Bulgari in the suites.

There are 3 outdoor pools -- the main pool, a family/kids pool, and a serenity pool above the spa. All hotel guests have access to the Club at Las Colinas which has indoor tennis, squash, racquetball courts; an indoor running track; steam, sauna, vitality pool, gym, and indoor lap pool.

Internet is complimentary.

I stayed in a Villa room and truly enjoyed the stay -- I would love to return and to spend a few days relaxing. If I were a better golfer I would love to play.

Service is truly warm and friendly and there are a few staff members who stand out. They are long timers and are apparently always nominated for employee of the month/year awards. They are what made the stay so special -- something that all of the other hotels lacked.

In all, I thought that the best all around hotel in Dallas was sadly not in Dallas.

FSPP amenities: Daily american breakfast for 2; upgrade if available at check-in; $100 Golf credit once per stay.

This property is Virtuoso also and upon request can swap the $100 Golf credit for a $100 Food and Beverage credit.

Last edited by luxury; Aug 28, 2013 at 6:15 pm
luxury is offline  
Old Aug 26, 2013, 5:05 pm
  #6  
Original Poster
Four Seasons 5+ BadgeHilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
The reviews for The Joule and The Mansion are now up -- I hope to post the FS review within the next day or two... thanks!
luxury is offline  
Old Aug 27, 2013, 10:22 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Mem
Programs: Delta GM, Amex Reserve, Amex Plat, JP Morgan Palladium
Posts: 984
I agree with your take on the RC and the Mansion. We have stayed at both many times and prefer the Mansion for the reasons you state. It is also usually a good bit cheaper. I am amazed that for a relatively new hotel that the RC is so fusty and old school in design. It reminds me of a RC from the late 80's with all of the frilly heavy fabrics. We have had some good meals at Fearings though. i think it is a pretty good hotel restaurant.

One thing that is great about the Mansion is the incredible water pressure in the showers. It will practically knock you down. It is great in this era of horrible "low flow" Al Gore showers to get a shower that really wakes you up and refreshes.
Valveking is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2013, 6:17 pm
  #8  
Original Poster
Four Seasons 5+ BadgeHilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
The reviews are now all up.

I liked the Four Seasons the most for overall comfort and service, easily the best of the bunch. Too bad the hotel is not in Dallas!

I liked the Mansion next and the RC the least. I would only stay at The Joule in one of the new Premier rooms; everything else is much too small and claustrophobic.
luxury is offline  
Old Aug 29, 2013, 12:16 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: United global services, BA gold,
Posts: 837
I have stayed many times in the past at the Mansion, but for the last 2 years have been staying at the Joule as walking distance to my Dallas client. I really have enjoyed the location and hotel. Fortunately when they were Starwood was always upgraded to a suite which as you say was two smallish rooms, but I felt was fine for a business trip alone. Love the Bulgari amenities in the bath! I am now looking forward to the new premier wing and restaurant. I liked the Charlie Palmer restaurant, but am always happy to try something new. Service there has always been ok, not great. Hopefully will improve! As much as I like the Mansion on some ways I have given up staying there as the benefits do not outweigh the location for my purposes although I do like their restaurant!
Larkin is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.