Adolphus, Autograph Collection (Dallas, TX) [Master Thread]
Oct 13, 2014, 2:44 pm
#1
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Adolphus, Autograph Collection (Dallas, TX) [Master Thread]
Heard from a source that this property is supposed to be purchased by the same owners as the Hotel Icon in Houston & turned into an Autograph Collection property. Did not see any official news clips or threads though so I wanted to share.
Oct 13, 2014, 6:05 pm
#2
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The century-old property was built by and named for beer baron Adolphus Busch.
Sep 8, 2016, 7:44 am
#3
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Taking a long time! Here's an update:
By mid-2017, The Adolphus, a 100-plus-year-old iconic downtown hotel, will shed its decades of total independence and become part of the Marriott brand's growing "Autograph Collection" of hotels.
...
The Adolphus has been showing off elements of its multi-million make over. Wednesday it hosted a pool party on the new 7th floor pool deck. It's the first pool for the Baroque property, and represents a stark transformation from the former top of a parking structure.
...
Beyond the pool, the hotel is adding a spa, set to open by late September, and is renovating its 19th floor ballroom. The hotel already made upgrades to all 407 guest rooms and suites and expanded the fitness center as it moved from the 15th floor to the 7th, to form a wellness-focused region.
...
The remaining additions and renovations are expected to be complete by mid-year, which is when the Marriott affiliation begins.
...
The hotel declined to reveal the cost of the renovation. Published reports put the cost at $40 million.
...
The Adolphus has been showing off elements of its multi-million make over. Wednesday it hosted a pool party on the new 7th floor pool deck. It's the first pool for the Baroque property, and represents a stark transformation from the former top of a parking structure.
...
Beyond the pool, the hotel is adding a spa, set to open by late September, and is renovating its 19th floor ballroom. The hotel already made upgrades to all 407 guest rooms and suites and expanded the fitness center as it moved from the 15th floor to the 7th, to form a wellness-focused region.
...
The remaining additions and renovations are expected to be complete by mid-year, which is when the Marriott affiliation begins.
...
The hotel declined to reveal the cost of the renovation. Published reports put the cost at $40 million.
Sep 8, 2016, 8:36 am
#4
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Article also mentions this re: food/drink options:
"Hotel owner Rockbridge Capital, an Ohio-based investment firm, also is developing new restaurant and retail outlets including the re-introduction of the lobby bar and the popular Tea at the Adolphus, a street-side coffee shop, along with a Mediterranean bistro."
This part of the article makes it sound as though Fort Worth is also going to get an Autograph Collection property (if I'm reading it right - II based it on the word 'collective').
"The other Texas properties in the Autograph Collection are the Eilan Hotel & Spa in San Antonio and the Hotel Icon in Houston. The collection has grown from fewer than five hotels six years ago to more than 100.
More hotels are on tap for North Texas, including The Sinclair, a 165-room Art Deco property in Fort Worth that is scheduled to reopen next year as part of the collective."
"Hotel owner Rockbridge Capital, an Ohio-based investment firm, also is developing new restaurant and retail outlets including the re-introduction of the lobby bar and the popular Tea at the Adolphus, a street-side coffee shop, along with a Mediterranean bistro."
This part of the article makes it sound as though Fort Worth is also going to get an Autograph Collection property (if I'm reading it right - II based it on the word 'collective').
"The other Texas properties in the Autograph Collection are the Eilan Hotel & Spa in San Antonio and the Hotel Icon in Houston. The collection has grown from fewer than five hotels six years ago to more than 100.
More hotels are on tap for North Texas, including The Sinclair, a 165-room Art Deco property in Fort Worth that is scheduled to reopen next year as part of the collective."
Sep 30, 2016, 10:21 pm
#6
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Will be interesting to see what happens with the French Room. IMO the best DFW restaurant if you consider the combination of food, atmosphere and service. Wine list now lacking but I think wasn't being replenished. Hopefully that part changes.
Oct 1, 2016, 1:41 am
#7
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The French Room will be closed for six months and hopes to reopen early in 2017. "Something a little more experiential, something that's a little more updated."
The renovations will also include an expanded lobby bar, a new restaurant, coffee shop and barber shop.
The renovations will also include an expanded lobby bar, a new restaurant, coffee shop and barber shop.
Jan 15, 2017, 11:33 am
#8
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Hotel website:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...ph-collection/
Shows it opening February 2017. Cat 6.
Has exec lounge (M Lounge?):
This room features Concierge lounge access
Open: Sun-Sat, Open: 24 hours
Closed: Weekends
Private access floor
Complimentary food:
- Full American breakfast
- hors d'oeuvres
- dessert
Cocktails, for a fee
Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages
Honor bar
Also noticed the rooms only have king beds. Either 1 king bed or 2 king beds.
Enjoy the new Adolphus Pool with rooftop meal and bar services available.
The French Room is currently undergoing a thoughtful restoration. Plans for the restaurant include the addition of new bar and updated menu and dining experiences. Stay tuned for exciting updates on the French Room, Bar and Salon’s plans in 2017.
Dress code: Formal
Valet parking, fee: 32 USD daily
Off-site parking, fee: 15 USD daily
Mutliple parking lots within 5 blocks of hotel for fee parking.
355 rooms, 52 suites
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...ph-collection/
Shows it opening February 2017. Cat 6.
Has exec lounge (M Lounge?):
This room features Concierge lounge access
Open: Sun-Sat, Open: 24 hours
Closed: Weekends
Private access floor
Complimentary food:
- Full American breakfast
- hors d'oeuvres
- dessert
Cocktails, for a fee
Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages
Honor bar
Also noticed the rooms only have king beds. Either 1 king bed or 2 king beds.
Enjoy the new Adolphus Pool with rooftop meal and bar services available.
The French Room is currently undergoing a thoughtful restoration. Plans for the restaurant include the addition of new bar and updated menu and dining experiences. Stay tuned for exciting updates on the French Room, Bar and Salon’s plans in 2017.
Dress code: Formal
Valet parking, fee: 32 USD daily
Off-site parking, fee: 15 USD daily
Mutliple parking lots within 5 blocks of hotel for fee parking.
355 rooms, 52 suites
Jan 15, 2017, 12:25 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, Hilton LT Diamond, AA LT Platinum
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Hotel website:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...ph-collection/
Shows it opening February 2017. Cat 6.
Has exec lounge (M Lounge?):
This room features Concierge lounge access
Open: Sun-Sat, Open: 24 hours
Closed: Weekends
Private access floor
Complimentary food:
- Full American breakfast
- hors d'oeuvres
- dessert
Cocktails, for a fee
Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages
Honor bar
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...ph-collection/
Shows it opening February 2017. Cat 6.
Has exec lounge (M Lounge?):
This room features Concierge lounge access
Open: Sun-Sat, Open: 24 hours
Closed: Weekends
Private access floor
Complimentary food:
- Full American breakfast
- hors d'oeuvres
- dessert
Cocktails, for a fee
Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages
Honor bar
It's curious about the EL or M Club. I looked at some dates in March and April, and no room includes anything about access to such a lounge.
But in the description of rooms, it describes Concierge Level rooms.
Jan 15, 2017, 12:33 pm
#10
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I didn't try to make a reservation. Guess we'll need to wait until it actually opens to find out the scoop re: lounge & also weekend brekkie.
Cheers.
Apr 18, 2017, 11:40 am
#11
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Talked to the property. Said they're working on a lounge??? Breakfast in bar area? Full brekkie - order off menu. Got two staff that were a bit confused.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Aug 24, 2017, 9:59 am
#13
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DFW
Posts: 4
I am glad to see this grand old hotel come under the Marriott umbrella. The Adolphus has long been a favorite weekend getaway spot for my wife and I. However, we are still holding our breath as to what the renovated French Room will prove to be. As an earlier poster mentioned, the French Room was arguably the best restaurant in Dallas, both in the cuisine and the overall experience. That simply does not require "updating." The website lists a Fall 2017 reopening.
Jan 4, 2018, 5:03 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kirkland, WA
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Posts: 3,657
I just finished my first stay at this property. I may be staying here 100 nights this year and so far it justifies that. I had been staying at the Fairmont since it was more convenient to my work but with the switch over to the Accors program being a big demotion of their program, I came back to Marriott as my primary chain.
The room renovations are very nice such that the rooms meet the modern standards of many U.S. hotels today. I used mobile check-in and noticed that morning that I had been upgraded to an Executive Corner Room. This is pretty much a junior suite with an L-shaped sofa and a work desk. The room was quite large as well as the bathroom. There was a glass surrounded shower and good counter space. Some nice little touches, like every side table and work desk having two outlets and two USB ports built right into the tabletop. Even the phone/clock had two USB charging ports on the side. Heat worked well despite the 18 degree overnights which is not common for Dallas. I had the corner room which included 3 large floor to ceiling windows including a view down on the plaza between the AT&T towers. It was dead quiet although I could easily hear the neighbor closing their shades. They must have been otherwise quiet. I will keep an ear out for thin walls in the future. Street noise was not an issue from the 17th floor. On checking into my room I saw it was missing the complimentary bottled water. I called down and they were surprised to hear that but at 8:30pm, housekeeping brought up 3 bottles in about 10 minutes. Service was excellent all around from my experience.
I was told ALL rooms are king beds including those with 2 beds. They claim to have the largest standard room in the city. Note that the layout of each room can be very different. The floor layouts can be like a maze and quirky, but since the room size is large, that doesn't bother me.
The Concierge Lounge was excellent, compared to U.S. standards. It is open all day on weekdays but only for breakfast on weekends. The breakfast was the same every day and included hot items: eggs, potatoes, bacon, and oatmeal. Standard continental fare as well with good pastry selection. There was always great cut mixed fruit including berries. Evenings had simple appetizers that were reasonable. There seemed to be a theme each night. One night had chicken satay, yellow rice, pita/hummus, and there is always apples, oranges, and bananas. The next night had pretzels/mustard, bruschetta, and cold cut meats. Beer and house wine is complimentary but I did not see any cash bar option. Maybe you have to ask about it. I found the red wine to be very good. The lounge was large enough and was not very busy. There are two big screen TVs and some sofas as well. Only one TV had audio on. Oddly many of the tables appear to be metal outdoor patio furniture which is a little weird.
The lobby area is phenomenal and historic with a nice bar. I did not have time to explore it yet but read great reviews about it!
Note that right now the whole front entrance way is being rebuilt and that is blocking the sidewalk and one lane of the road. There is only one little door in the front that is at the beginning of the construction so if you are getting dropped off, be prepared to pull over early at the generic "Hotel Entrance" sign. There is a secret back hallway that can take you through the adjoining office/condo tower to Main St. during regular hours. I found it open at 7:30am despite being warned that may be too early. It saves walking around the block if you are heading into town.
It was too cold to even bother checking out the pool and I didn't explore the restaurants yet. I did use the fitness center which is huge and was not busy. The heat did come on at times which bothered me but it was short lived. The ellipticals I used are kind of old Life Fitness machines and the touch screens worked very poorly. They only had about 8 channels working with all the local stations having inoperable audio. There appeared to be a good weight machine selection and numerous treadmills.
I will certainly be back and hope it does well as a home for me for the coming months.
The room renovations are very nice such that the rooms meet the modern standards of many U.S. hotels today. I used mobile check-in and noticed that morning that I had been upgraded to an Executive Corner Room. This is pretty much a junior suite with an L-shaped sofa and a work desk. The room was quite large as well as the bathroom. There was a glass surrounded shower and good counter space. Some nice little touches, like every side table and work desk having two outlets and two USB ports built right into the tabletop. Even the phone/clock had two USB charging ports on the side. Heat worked well despite the 18 degree overnights which is not common for Dallas. I had the corner room which included 3 large floor to ceiling windows including a view down on the plaza between the AT&T towers. It was dead quiet although I could easily hear the neighbor closing their shades. They must have been otherwise quiet. I will keep an ear out for thin walls in the future. Street noise was not an issue from the 17th floor. On checking into my room I saw it was missing the complimentary bottled water. I called down and they were surprised to hear that but at 8:30pm, housekeeping brought up 3 bottles in about 10 minutes. Service was excellent all around from my experience.
I was told ALL rooms are king beds including those with 2 beds. They claim to have the largest standard room in the city. Note that the layout of each room can be very different. The floor layouts can be like a maze and quirky, but since the room size is large, that doesn't bother me.
The Concierge Lounge was excellent, compared to U.S. standards. It is open all day on weekdays but only for breakfast on weekends. The breakfast was the same every day and included hot items: eggs, potatoes, bacon, and oatmeal. Standard continental fare as well with good pastry selection. There was always great cut mixed fruit including berries. Evenings had simple appetizers that were reasonable. There seemed to be a theme each night. One night had chicken satay, yellow rice, pita/hummus, and there is always apples, oranges, and bananas. The next night had pretzels/mustard, bruschetta, and cold cut meats. Beer and house wine is complimentary but I did not see any cash bar option. Maybe you have to ask about it. I found the red wine to be very good. The lounge was large enough and was not very busy. There are two big screen TVs and some sofas as well. Only one TV had audio on. Oddly many of the tables appear to be metal outdoor patio furniture which is a little weird.
The lobby area is phenomenal and historic with a nice bar. I did not have time to explore it yet but read great reviews about it!
Note that right now the whole front entrance way is being rebuilt and that is blocking the sidewalk and one lane of the road. There is only one little door in the front that is at the beginning of the construction so if you are getting dropped off, be prepared to pull over early at the generic "Hotel Entrance" sign. There is a secret back hallway that can take you through the adjoining office/condo tower to Main St. during regular hours. I found it open at 7:30am despite being warned that may be too early. It saves walking around the block if you are heading into town.
It was too cold to even bother checking out the pool and I didn't explore the restaurants yet. I did use the fitness center which is huge and was not busy. The heat did come on at times which bothered me but it was short lived. The ellipticals I used are kind of old Life Fitness machines and the touch screens worked very poorly. They only had about 8 channels working with all the local stations having inoperable audio. There appeared to be a good weight machine selection and numerous treadmills.
I will certainly be back and hope it does well as a home for me for the coming months.
Last edited by dmodemd; Jan 4, 2018 at 5:14 pm