Any "Must Do's" if staying at the DFW Marriott?
 

Hi all,

I'll be taking a last minute detour on my way home next week to LIT from Tampa and flying into Dallas (DFW) for a Friday meeting at the DFW Marriott. Since I'm staying on the airport property, I won't be getting a rental car but will be arriving mid-afternoon on Thursday. I've never stayed at the hotel before so wanted to ask if anyone has any advice on any places to see during my free time that night (any nice views of airplanes taking off/landing, resteraunts, shopping. etc.) instead of just sitting in the hotel room working?

Regards,
Michael

Moving thread to Marriott Forum.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

I can't think of anything to do there...it's on the airport proper. Stayed for a week last summer. Without a car you'll be isolated. There is, however, a good steakhouse in the hotel.

Looks like they "got ya". I bet it's expensive.

There are two DFW airport Marriott's(North&South) I think the general concensus on FT is that the South property is nicer FWIW.

Ahh, great! I am in the South airport. ^ I didn't know the North/South were 2 seperate hotels (a colleague booked me a room).

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I stayed at the North DFW Marriott several times a few years ago.

FWIW, I would request a high room on the airport facing side and brought a radio shack type of scanner with me, with the aviation band (118-136mhz), and watch & listen to the activities on the 5 runways clearly in view below. The guys in the tower are simply amazing given the amount of traffic they are handling especially around "rush hours". One pilot even remarked at the incrediable job this one guy was doing, giving rapid fire instructions in a clear and concise cadence. You can get the frequencies for any airport at airnav.com if so inclined.

I was studying to be a pilot at the time and found it very helpful in earning my license. Also, there was a small park adjacent that was good for jogging laps around.

Once I went to an American Airlines muesum or visitors center that was definately on the south side. It was free and a decent way to spend an hour, a good IMAX movie of flying that was a bit of a commerical for AA. It was free but don't know if its still open. Perhaps the hotel shuttle bus will take you to and fro?

Unless I'm mistaken, neither the North or South Airport Marriotts are actually on the airport grounds. There are two Hyatts that are in the airport though.

Unfortunately, that doesn't change the lexdevil's apprasial that there isn't much right around the hotel. Since you are staying at the South airport Marriott, you could walk over to all the AA buildings around the corner from the hotel if you wanted. :p There is a Jack in the Box and a Wendy's just across the street. Down the street a block is a fairly nice Chinese restaurant. If you can snag a car, you can hop on Hwy. 360 going south and within a few miles are a number of restaurants, a Six Flags park, and the Ranger's ballpark. If you go north of the airport, there is the Grapevine Mills mall. There is a lot of shopping and restaurants there as well.

Oops!
 

You're right. Travel too much and they all blend together. I was at the Hyatt Regency. Decent hotel located in no man's land.

And it's the steakhouse at the Hyatt that's really pretty good (and spendy). You could get there on the cheap by taking a Marriott shuttle to the airport and a Hyatt shuttle to the Hyatt. http://www.hyatt.com/hyatt/images/ho...sDMNreview.pdf

One tip...don't bother w/ Grapevine Mills unless you enjoy pretty pedestrian low end shopping.

One of the guys that I'm meeting with on Friday is working on a project based in Dallas (the firm I work for has projects in many different places in the US). I spoke with him yesterday and he's going to come pick me up Thursday night and we'll go out to dinner somewhere in the Dallas area. I go to Dallas a few times a year but never spend any time near Fort Worth, so at least this way I'll be in familiar territory (downtown Dallas, northern areas, Plano, etc.). I'm already getting hungry for Blue Mesa or Cantina Laredo. ^ ^ :D

The Hyatt steakhouse sounds good though, too! I'll mention that to the others when the topic of Friday's lunch comes up.

Thanks!!

Michael

If you're going to go as far as the Blue Mesa, I'd head over to Fogo de Chao in Addison. Absolutely my favorite place to eat when I'm in Dallas, and the best of the Brazilian all-you-can-eat meat fests I've encountered. What can you say about a salad bar w/ Serrano ham and a basket of bacon as big as your head? Caipirinha to die for as well.

I definitely enjoy Fogo de Chao as well. Its very very good especially if you like various types of meat/steaks. But depending on the time of day, that area in Addison gets a lot of traffic backup. So plan your time and routing according.

The CL in the DFW Marriott North offers the most diverse selection of canned soft drinks (and four varieties of milk, including chocolate) that I have ever seen. It's all Pepsi-distributed brands on display but Coke and Dr Pepper are available, if you ask.