The Adolphus: Dallas’ First Luxury Hotel…Is It “Queen Worthy?”
In today’s edition of I only stay in hotels where the Queen has stayed, I bring you…The Adolphus.
Yep, that’s right. Dallas’ first luxury hotel hosted Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip on their official state visit in 1991 and their portrait now hangs in the lobby. Imagine how impressed I was to walk in a see that. Okay, sure three US presidents have stayed there (Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George HW Bush), BUT THE QUEEN. Well, that’s the kind of place this is.
Here’s the background: Anheuser-Busch founder Adolphus Busch opened the 22-story hotel inspired by a Germanic castle in 1912 as what would be Dallas’ first luxury hotel. Well I love a historic hotel that’s been updated with modern luxury, plus I was looking for something downtown AND it’s part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection? You don’t have to do much to convince me.
Location
Downtown Dallas. Like downtown downtown (one way streets, valet parking, somewhat walkable-for Dallas). I’ve been to Dallas quite a bit, but never this far downtown and it’s a cool area! It’s right across the street from the AT&T Discovery District which is a fun outdoor hangout/public art area and walkable to the 6th Floor Museum (where Kennedy was shot) and the historic West End.
The Vibe
Very cool, but in a historic “we’re not trying very hard, it’s just who we are” way. You got that? A dark color palette, a design style that’s refined and elegant but inviting and not too stiff, and every onsite amenity you could think of.
The Service
Check in was smooth, but if you’re arriving on a weekend or near check in time you might run into a bit of a traffic jam on the street. There’s no turnout at the portico so valet happens on the street. They try to keep the lane clear, but if they’re running behind, you’re probably going to need to wait with your car until somebody makes it over to you.
Overall the service at this place was good when you needed it. It’s hard to know what’s COVID related and what’s not, but I would say that you could always find someone when you needed them, but it’s not really luxury service. Plenty of help at the front desk, at the shop, restaurants, spa, but not totally 5 star service. It’s 100% nothing to complain about, but just more of a reference point if you’re comparing it to another luxury property like Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton (both in Dallas). However I was there during the middle of the week and it was pretty quiet so maybe there’s more staff around when it’s busier.
The Room
The rooms match the rest of the hotel really well…modern comfort with historical touches. The design and layout were good and I thought the room was a pretty good size for a city hotel.
The bathroom had an efficiency layout with really luxe finishes. FYI even though this is a Marriott property, there wasn’t an option to stream Netflix on the TV.
The Pool & The Spa
The rooftop pool is a real stunner. A pool at a downtown hotel feels like such a luxury, but they’re more common than not in Dallas. I stayed at the Adolphus during the winter and they had these cute little igloos setup that you could rent!
Also, I haven’t tried the spa here yet, but it’s supposed to be top notch!
The Food
Since this was a quick stay, I didn’t eat at any of the hotel restaurants, but I have it on my list to go back to the French Room next time I’m in town. It looks very cool! I did stop by Otto’s Coffee in the morning and it’s a great coffee shop. If you’re looking for something quick (or everybody can’t agree where to eat), the Exchange food hall is just across the street and they have a bunch of different vendors.
What I Loved about Staying Here
This is such a cool hotel. I’m in Dallas fairly often and always end up staying somewhere kind of “meh,” but I feel like I’ve found my go to hotel now. It just has such a cool vibe design wise, but every modern/luxury comfort you could think of. Love the onsite coffee shop, the food hall and hangout space across the street, and that this area of Dallas is pretty walkable (such a rarity in Texas!) And I think the price is a bargain compared to other downtown Dallas luxury properties.
The Downsides
Uhhh…nothing really! The only thing that I didn’t 100% love is that it’s right downtown and I only had the option to valet (and downtown valet parking sometimes takes longer because the lot is further away) and one way streets are hard to figure out when you’re in an unfamiliar city. But seriously, that’s about the only downside.
Pricing & Booking
Not unusual to find this hotel in the $200-300 price range. There’s an $18 “daily amenity fee” which covers things like the fitness center, internet and inroom coffee (I think it’s dumb to charge a resort fee at a city hotel, but it’s becoming the norm) and valet is $36/day (no self parking lot so if you don’t use valet you’ll have to park on the street and pay attention to meters/fees).
I ALWAYS recommend booking directly and not through a third party (you have so much more control if something goes wrong). If you find my blog and info AT ALL helpful, the absolute best thing you can do to help me out is to click through my links (there’s a few sprinkled throughout this post) to book directly with Marriott. I make a small commission on your bookings and if you’re going to book a hotel anyways, it’s a WIN WIN. Seriously, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.
Check rates at the Adolphus here.
Thanks so much!
More posts about the area:
Giddy up! 13 Things to Do at the Fort Worth Stockyards
Hotel Drover in Fort Worth, TX: Make Your Wild West Dreams Come True
Dallas Museum of Art: America’s Most Underrated Art Museum?
Ritz Carlton Dallas: Nightly Guacamole & Margaritas? Sign Me Up!