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Western glam Fort Worth hotel makes top 10 list of best hotels in Texas

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Photo courtesy of Hotel Drover

Though we are in the era of short-term rentals, Texas Monthly is out on the prowl to recognize those truly local hotel gems scattered across our wonderfully vast state. And a Fort Worth hotel has earned the No. 4 recommendation spot.

In the four years since their 2019 edition of “Where to to Stay Now,” Texas Monthly has proved not every home on Airbnb offers as luxe of an experience as a business that was designed for it. Plus, a hotel isn’t going to charge you ridiculously high cleaning fees.

Sliding into No. 4 of the 2023 release is the Western-inspired Hotel Drover in the historic, rejuvenated Mule Alley district. The Drover opened in 2021 as an upscale “urban ranch oasis” for travelers and locals alike to enjoy. Little details like an embossed pattern on leather wallpaper, or a TV framed by rustic wood really sells the look and feel of what TheMonthly calls "Yellowstone meets Dallas" vibes. The hotel's soaring popularity frequently leads to basic rooms exceeding a $1,000 weekend nightly rate, so you'll want to plan your trip accordingly.

Topping this year's recommendations is Houston’s La Colombe d’Or, the landmark mansion that overlooks the historic Montrose neighborhood. It was built over a century ago and named after an inn and restaurant of the same name in France. As CultureMap reported, the hotel underwent a major transformation in 2019, reopening in 2021 with a newly renovated house and bungalows, and a 34-story tower.

Thompson Dallas also earned a nod on Texas Monthly's list. The Thompson hotel opened in 2020 inside The National, a historic 51-story mixed-use tower that was originally built in the 1960's. Guest-favorite amenities include the choice between four different restaurants – Catbird, Kessaku, Monarch, and Nine at the National – and a solid reputation for high-class cocktails.

All 10 hotels on 2023’s "Where to Stay Now" list have either recently opened or undergone massive renovations since the publication's previous edition. Commonalities between the hotels include a love of art, historic preservation, and attention to those tiny details that truly outshine the convenience of a short-term rental.

Texas Monthly's recommendations include:

  • La Colombe d’Or in Houston
  • Hotel Lulu in Round Top
  • Lively Beach in Corpus Christi
  • Hotel Drover in Fort Worth
  • The Loren at Lady Bird Lake in Austin
  • Stanton House in El Paso
  • Grand Galvez in Galveston
  • Thompson Dallas
  • Willow House in Terlingua
  • Commodore Perry Estate in Austin

Texas Monthly also included Fort Worth'sHotel Dryceon their list of honorable mentions. The hotel was one of Forbes most anticipated hotel openings of 2021, and the only Texas hotel to make the cut. The hotel's bar, The Lobby, won Bar of the Year at last year's Tastemaker Awards.

Hotel Dryce lobby barThe Hotel Dryce scored an honorable mention. The Lobby Bar is 2022's Tastemakers Bar of the Year winner. Photo by Celestina Blok

The 10 honorable mention hotels are:

  • The Barfield, Autograph Collection in Amarillo
  • Hall Arts Hotel in Dallas
  • Houstonian Hotel, Club and Spa
  • Cotton Court Hotel in Lubbock
  • Hotel Dryce in Fort Worth
  • Thompson San Antonio-Riverwalk
  • Canopy by Hilton San Antonio Riverwalk
  • Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park in El Paso
  • Austin Proper Hotel
  • Hotel Turkey in Turkey

More information about the hotels can be found on texasmonthly.com.

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'Yellowstone' stars to greet fans at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Yellowstone news

Yellowstone fans, get your comfy shoes ready - there'll be a long line for this one. Cole Hauser a.k.a. "Rip Wheeler" on Yellowstone, and Taylor Sheridan, the show's co-creator, executive producer, and director of the series, will meet fans and sign autographs at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

The event will take place from 4:30-6:30 pm only on Friday, February 3. Location is the 6666 Ranch booth near the south end of Aisle 700 in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Hall.

According to a February 2 announcement from FWSSR, "fans will have the opportunity to snag an autograph as well as purchase some distinctive Yellowstone and 6666 Ranch merchandise while also enjoying all the features the Stock Show offers."

The event is free to attend (with paid Stock Show admission) and open to the public.

It's the second year in a row for Hauser to appear at FWSSR; in 2022, he and fellow cast mates drew huge crowds.

Sheridan, a Paschal High School graduate, is no stranger to Fort Worth; he lives in a ranch near Weatherford and filmed 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, in and around Fort Worth. Currently, another spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is filming in North Texas.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is winding up its 2023 run on Saturday, February 4.

Surprising family-friendly suburb tops this week's 5 most popular Fort Worth stories

This week's hot headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that listhere. Headed to the State Fair? Find a full list of discounts here.

1. Surprising Fort Worth suburb named No. 5 most family-friendly U.S. city. If Fort Worth-area residents are looking for the perfect new place to buy a home and raise a family, they should steer their interest toward Watauga. The northeast Fort Worth suburb, impressively, has been named the fifth most family-friendly city in the U.S. by real estate marketplace Opendoor.

2. Mr Gatti's Pizza returns to home turf Fort Worth with new location. A Fort Worth-based pizzeria concept has opened a location in Fort Worth: Mr Gatti's Pizza has opened a restaurant off Camp Bowie at 2812 Horne St. #100, a space previously occupied by Helen's Hot Chicken, where they're open with pizza, pizza rolls, and their signature ranch dressing.

3. Texas Christian University ranks as No. 6 school in Texas for 2024 by U.S. News. Texas Christian University has achieved a high ranking for its high-quality educational experiences this year. The home of the Horned Frogs earned a top-10 spot on U.S. News and World Report's just-released list of the Best Colleges in Texas for 2024.

4. Ultra-chic Postino WineCafe brings wine and bruschetta to Southlake. A nationally acclaimed wine bar-restaurant has opened in Southlake: Postino WineCafé, specializing in wine, bites, and a chic atmosphere, opened a location at 1440 Main St., in Southlake Town Square, in the no-brainer slot next to Trader Joe's.

5. Quonset hut in south Fort Worth to be transformed into ballroom. A Quonset hut in south Fort Worth is about to make a Cinderella-like transformation: Called the Quonset Ballroom, it's being developed into an entertainment space which will host live music, food trucks, and events.

Cidercade cider and games venue opens mega-facility in heart of Arlington

Cider News

Cider and games are coming to Arlington with the opening of Cidercade, a new entertainment venue opening at 500 E. Division St. in the heart of Arlington on September 29.

Cidercade has hundreds of arcade games, shuffleboard, pool tables, and more, all available for playing with a single admission fee, as well as dozens of drinks on tap. It's all ages during the day then turns 21+ at 8 pm.

Arlington is the fifth location in Texas, following existing Cidercades in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston, and is the largest yet with a huge space spanning 25,000-plus square feet.

It houses more than 300 retro and modern arcade games, pool tables, ping pong tables, shuffleboard courts (a Cidercade first), party rooms, and event spaces for groups of all sizes.

In a statement, co-founder and CEO Joel Malone says that with Arlington's reputation as an entertainment destination, he knew they had to build "something awesome."

"Cidercade Arlington is not only our largest location yet, but it includes a much larger variety of games and experiences," he says.

Cidercade customers pay an admission fee of $12 and get unlimited play on all the games and activities once inside. Cidercade also offers a $20 monthly membership that includes unlimited admissions as well as discounts on drinks and merch.

Beyond the games, multiple bars serve a big lineup of adult beverages on tap, all made by Bishop Cider, and soft drinks from soda machines with unlimited refills.

Customers are allowed to bring their own food or have it delivered from nearby restaurants.

In addition to the Arlington expansion, Bishop is also relocating the Dallas Cidercade to a new site near Love Field Airport, where it will be expanded dramatically to 79,000 square feet, nearly 10 times larger. It will feature concepts, games, and activities that aren’t offered anywhere else in Texas, and will open in 2024. The current location will remain open until then.

Malone and and his wife and partner Laura Malone initially founded Bishop Cider as a quaint 704-square-foot cider bar a decade ago. The company has since grown into a leader in beverage manufacturing and beverage experiences comprising four brands:

  • TexBev, a co-packer for carbonated soft drinks, juice, energy drinks, wine, beer, and RTDs.
  • Cidercade, the cider and game venue
  • Bishop Cider, the hard cider company
  • Wild Acre Brewing, a brewery and beer garden venue in Fort Worth that produces seasonal brews and year-round core beers like Texas Blonde, Juice Slinger IPA, and Sundance Wheat.
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