Dallas Hotel Motel

August 15, 2006 7:47 AM

Suggestions for a fun hotel in Dallas, Texas?

My sister just had a baby! My SO and I are heading to Dallas for a day or two and we'd like to find an interesting and/or quirky hotel. It could be anything from a top of the line fancy place to a sort of run down motel with creative architecture or a great old sign.

We were looking at the Belmont but they're all booked up when we want to go. Do you know of a place?

Some perimeters: wifi in the rooms is always nice, cable TV is a plus. But we can forgo that if the place is weird in a nice way. They live near the Dallas Arboretum. Downtown or off I-30 just East of DT would be good locations too. Thank you so very much in advance!

posted by dog food sugar to travel & transportation (15 comments total)

If you don't mind being just north of the DFW airport, the Gaylord Texan was a great stay. It's set up like a big arboretum, with displays and restaurants that are all texas-themed.
posted by SpecialK at 8:10 AM on August 15, 2006

Hotel ZaZa is supposed to be interesting. And the W just opened up. Both are near downtown, both are expensive.
posted by erikgrande at 8:25 AM on August 15, 2006

Second on Zaza. I stayed there for a few nights a couple of years ago, and it remains one of the best hotel experiences I've ever had.
posted by LDL_Plackenfatz at 8:38 AM on August 15, 2006

That new W looks very cool from the outside. The Lawrence looks pretty nice, though I've never heard anything about it. The Stoneleigh is on the wrong side of downtown for your convenience, but I've heard good things about it and the neighborhood is fun.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:46 AM on August 15, 2006

Most of the motels you're gonna find off that stretch of I-30 (most any stretch of I-30, as far as I can remember) are ratty little places or chains at best. I don't know anything about the Stoneleigh itself but I used to live in that general area and it is not, actually, a bad shot from there to the area of the Arboretum, and it is one of Dallas' prettier neighborhoods. Zaza might be a little more conveniently placed though.

The Gaylord is certainly... something... but it is way the fuck out there for where you're going to want to be and god help you if you have to get there from East Dallas during rush hour. On the other hand, just a day or two? Well...
posted by furiousthought at 10:12 AM on August 15, 2006

Also downtown is the Hyatt Regency. It's not too interesting, but you could eat at the revolving restaurant atop Reunion Tower.
posted by mattbucher at 11:00 AM on August 15, 2006

I have to second the Gaylord. It's an amazing place! But like furiousthought said, it is a bit out of the way.
posted by Sufi at 11:32 AM on August 15, 2006

The Magnolia in downtown Dallas is very cool and a little less pricey than ZaZa or the W.
posted by Zebtron at 11:36 AM on August 15, 2006

If you like old stuff there's the Adolphus downtown.
posted by erikgrande at 11:45 AM on August 15, 2006

i've had good luck using tablet hotels to find funky places to stay around the world. tablet mentions zaza and this mansion as cool places in dallas.
posted by bruceo at 3:20 PM on August 15, 2006

The Mansion on Turtle Creek is considered legendarily expensive in Dallas, to the point of shorthand.
posted by furiousthought at 4:20 PM on August 15, 2006

The Mansion = expensive in Dallas. It's legendary for being far, far too expensive for you poor little peons. And everyone is a peon.
posted by MadamM at 7:26 PM on August 15, 2006

There are some interesting places just off the interstate, but they're definitely on the run down and quirky side. There was some place, I think it was off I-20, called camelot or something like that, that looked like a castle. It was just down from a steak joint that offered free 100 oz. steaks if you could finish the whole thing. That was years ago, I have no idea if either place is still around.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 7:29 PM on August 15, 2006

Thank you everyone this is an excellent list.

Lyn Never - thanks for mentioning the Stoneleigh - I had stayed there before, loved it, and forgotten the name. furiousthought - thanks for the traffic tips. And I've also heard about how expensive The Mansion is. The Gaylord won't be on this trip but I'm glad to hear of it.

Mr. Gunn you made me laugh - that sounds like a King of the Hill episode!

Thanks again each and every one of you.
posted by dog food sugar at 6:56 AM on August 16, 2006

Wow. If you're curious here's the daily rates for The Mansion. Definitely outside of my peon budget.
posted by dog food sugar at 6:59 AM on August 16, 2006