Dallas, Texas Hotels And Resorts

The FTF Staff reviews the most family-friendly, comfortable hotels in Dallas, Texas, where budgets range from fancy enough for the TV show “Dallas” to funky drive-by motels. Since the city is so spread out and DART public transit is limited, you might want to choose your hotel based on its location.
 

Dallas Hotels in Downtown

With that in mind, our family loves the refreshed Dallas downtown area, site of Klyde Warren Park, an urban oasis packed with food trucks, lawns, an outdoor reading room stocked with children’s books and fun play areas. Downtown hotels have easy access to the museums in the Arts District, the new Winspear Opera House and the Wyly Theatre as well. Read more about the top Dallas attractions for families, then choose from this short list of the family-accommodating places we like best in downtown Dallas.

Omni Dallas Hotel
555 S. Lamar
Dallas, Texas 75202
214/744-6664
Rates: $-$$
This startlingly modern hotel rises from the Convention Center boasting sparkling glass, steel, Texas artwork, and impressive environmentally-efficient standards for lighting, maintenance and room design. A beautiful exterior pool deck, enormous infinity pool spilling over the skyline and sauna will appeal to kids as much as the lobby coffee shop that puts out “samples” of the day’s muffins, chocolates and pastries for guests to nibble on. There’s lots of fine dining, whether you’re into a big Texas steak or the lighter farm-to-market fare at Texas Spice. Teens and up will enjoy the Owner’s Box, a state-of-the-art interactive sports bar with a 16-foot screen among dozens of others. The hotel has many seasonal and weekend discounts, making it a good value most of the year. In addition to 1,000 comfortable spacious rooms — this place is really big — families with younger children will appreciate the Omni Sensational Kids program which provides loaner toys inside suitcases filled with games and books, gives out an activity backpack upon check-in, and features menu choices prepared especially for young travelers. Parents are provided with a list of top family attractions in Dallas, local emergency numbers and a safety/first-aid kit which includes a night light and outlet covers.

Aloft Dallas Downtown
1033 Young Street
Dallas, Texas 75202 
214/761-0000
Rates: $-$$
This super modern and hip boutique hotel from the Starwood brand boats brick walls, bright color accents and lots of window space, similar in feel to a SoHo loft apartment. It’s convenient to the Convention Center, downtown attractions and Business District, and takes advantage of the renaissance in arts and performance venues (and the restaurants that follow them) in the nearby Arts District. Comfortable double rooms have a living area with couch and work station, providing a good amount of space for the traveling family. The hotel also offers free WiFi, 24-hour minimarket, a state of the art exercise facility, outdoor pool, pet-friendly rooms, and a fun Re:mix Lounge with a pool table.

Hilton Anatole
2201 Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, Texas  75207
214/748-1200
Rates: $-$$
Plunk a big meetings center and 1,600+ room hotel in an eight-acre garden a few miles from downtown; then, add three swimming pools, racquetball courts and a world-class art collection with its own audio walking tour, and you have Trammell Crow’s signature Anatole. This long-popular Dallas landmark does holidays, weddings and family events in equally big measure, as you can see in this account of Christmas break at the Anatole. Because of its size and business-orientation, however, there are terrific bargains available on weekends and facilities to keep all ages busy. 

Hyatt Regency Dallas
300 Reunion Blvd.
Dallas, Texas 75207 
214/651-1234 or 800/233-1234
Rates: $$-$$$
This stylish business hotel is well equipped and offers an excellent location in modern downtown Dallas next to several DART train lines with easy access to Cowboy Stadium. Its many amenities include 1,120 renovated guestrooms, among them 41 suites, surrounding an 18-story atrium. Public facilities include a southwestern cafe, several restaurants, big fitness center open 24/7, and access to the next door 50-story Reunion Tower, which glitters like a big lollipop in the skyline. It’s topped by a revolving Wolfgang Puck restaurant — Five Sixty or 560 feet above sea level — and a lounge that the kids will love. The Hyatt also offers its guests cribs, a heated outdoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, health club, and tennis, basketball and golf at the Hyatt Bear Creek Golf & Racquet Club.

Rosewood Crescent Hotel
400 Crescent Ct.
Dallas, Texas 75201
214/871-3200
Rates: $$$-$$$$
A very posh hotel modeled after the Royal Crescent in England is almost reminiscent of a manor house in the clubby, dark wood style of its furnishings. The Rosewood Crescent Hotel near the Oak Lawn neighborhood has nearly 200 rooms — among them 29 one and two-story suites with up to two bedrooms, some with kitchens — located above a very high-end, air-conditioned shopping mall that is perfect for taking the little ones out in the stroller. Guests have access to The Crescent Club, an exclusive private dining club and bar on the 17th floor of an adjoining office tower with great city views. (It’s also known for the leather dance floor open weekend evenings when a live band performs.) The hotel offers lavish service and amenities, a pool, cribs, and babysitting services upon request, and some very fine dining on the premises, including a branch of the world-famous Nobu.

Dallas Hotels in Other Neighborhoods

The Highland Dallas
5300 E. Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, Texas 75206
844/442-8746 or 214/520-7969
Rates:  $$-$$$
Now a part of Hilton’s boutique Curio Collection, the stylish Highland Dallas is very conveniently located  across from the DART stop at Mockingbird Station (a mall with an Angelika arthouse theater, and American Apparel and Smashburger for the kids), and within sight of Southern Methodist University (SMU). Large rooms are playfully designed with vintage furniture; our one-bedroom with sofabed connected to king rooms on both sides making it ideal for a multigenerational group. Rooms have plenty of closet space and all the amenities; niceties like Keurig coffeemakers, fine linens and plush bathrobes. Some are hypo-allergenically maintained, some are pet-friendly, and some have deep jacuzzi style soaking tubs in addition to large shower stalls. Comfortable work areas with free WiFi mean everyone can stay in touch. Overall, the feeling is homey, friendly and casual. The cozy lobby offers a nightly manager’s reception, complimentary morning coffee, newspapers, and cookies before bedtime. There’s a large sundeck surrounded by hip cabanas with an outdoor heated pool (we swam in 40º weather), hot tub and nearby, an indoor workout room. A small hotel, the Highland Dallas is comprised of two nine-story glass wings. The residential wing adjacent to the hotel has a popular Exhale Spa with wellness treatments and classes, and Knife, a well regarded steakhouse from hot Dallas chef John Tesar. We also loved being next to the lowrise Highland Park neighborhood where we could join the 8-mile-long Katy Trail, a former K-T Railroad line converted into a bike and running path, for morning walks.

Le Meridien Dallas, The Stoneleigh
2927 Maple Ave.
Dallas, Texas 75201
214/871-7111
Rates: $$-$$$$
This 11-story art deco hotel, a 1923 landmark, is more posh, polished and business-oriented since it joined Starwood’s le Meridien brand. Its location in Uptown has long attracted celebrity and long-term guests who are pampered with twice-daily maid service, the proximity of Dallas’ top bars and restaurants, and its pet-welcoming attitude. The hotel also has the new farm-to-table Graze restaurant with a varied kids’ menu, 24/7 business services, fitness center and a laundry.

Mansion on Turtle Creek
2821 Turtle Creek Blvd.
Dallas, Texas 75219
214/559-2100
Rates: $$$-$$$$
Situated just north of the downtown area, this very plush, converted 1926 mansion offers its guests country quiet in the middle of the bustling city. Considered Dallas’ finest hotel because of its exceptional service, the beautifully restored hotel contains 143 spacious rooms, some with hand-carved fireplaces, wooden floors, and stained glass windows. It’s decorated throughout with European antiquities and some of the art bought abroad by its original cotton baron owners, who took their family on a Grand Tour of the Continent. Guests can enjoy a nationally acclaimed restaurant, health club, pool, cribs with fancy linens. It’s the perfect place to stay if the grandparents are hosting your clan to a Big D vacation or if you’re planning a traditionally romantic getaway.

Planning a night on the town in Dallas?

All of the above hotels are affiliated with Dallas area babysitting services. They provide you with the phone numbers in order to allow you to select which service to entrust the care of your children.  One of the most highly accredited babysitting services used by area hotels is Babysitters of Dallas (214/692-1354), who’ve worked in this city since 1955. They are state licensed and bonded. Call before arrival and you can even book some babysitters to interview.

For general information on the Dallas, Texas area, contact the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800/C-DALLAS or 214/571-1000.