2 Fort Worth hotels lauded in Travel + Leisure's 2023 World's Best Awards

Hotel Honors

Photo courtesy of Hotel Drover

Two Fort Worth hotels are among five in North Texas to earn nods in the 2023 edition of Travel and Leisure's highly coveted "World's Best" list.

Winners of T+L's awards are decided by more than 165,000 readers who completed World's Best Awards survey in 2023. Each hotel was critiqued based on their rooms and facilities, their location, guest service, food, and overall value.

The DFW winners, in order, are:

No. 1 - Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas
No. 2 - The Ashton, Fort Worth
No. 3 - The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas
No. 4 - Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection, Fort Worth
No. 5 - The Joule, Dallas

Downtown Fort Worth's The Ashton, which ranked second, is over a century old and claims the title of the city's "only historic boutique hotel." Unique to The Ashton, guests and visitors can enjoy an afternoon high tea service on Saturdays by reservation only. Guests can also take advantage of the fitness center and the corner pantry that operates 24 hours a day.

The beloved, Western-glam Hotel Drover, Autograph Collection (No. 4) is a relatively new hotel in Fort Worth (it's only been in operation since 2021), but it has been at the top of several hotel recommendation lists and made last year's T + L World's Best list.

The Hotel Drover draws its inspiration from Fort Worth's past as an overnight stop on the cattle trails. Western ambiance is on display throughout the lobby and in every room, from cowhide rugs to rustic wood furniture.

"Proud of where we came from, we welcome all with a tip of the hat and a firm handshake," the hotel's website says. "Inspired by the pioneering spirit of the West, we focus on simple pleasures and genuine hospitality."

The top hotel in DFW for 2023, according to T + L, is Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, a storied luxury hotel in Uptown Dallas. The iconic 142-room Mansion sits on more than four acres of land, bringing lusciously green views to guests looking for memories on the estate.

"Voters loved the Mansion Restaurant for its elegant setting and French-inflected American cuisine, while the pool was a highlight for the resort-y vibe it adds to the property, despite being located just minutes from Downtown Dallas," the report says.

Not surprisingly for a grand beacon of old-school, old-guard Dallas prestige, the Rosewood Mansion has seen countless national dignitaries and celebrities as visitors or residents who enjoy the regal, refined aesthetic.

"Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek is glamour writ large, set within a palatial circa-1920s manor that has hosted such high-profile guests as President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Tennessee Williams," the report says.

Rosewood Mansion ranked No. 3 in Travel and Leisure's 2022 report of the best Dallas-Fort Worth hotels.

In another win for Uptown Dallas, The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas rises into No. 3 in 2023, after ranking one spot lower in 2022. This hotel is a sophisticated combination of Southern hospitality and elegant aesthetics, embodying the vision of Dallas as a "vibrant destination" for travelers. It's central location is vital to this concept.

"The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas puts hotel guests near the city's top attractions, including American Airlines Center, the Cotton Bowl Stadium, and the House of Blues Dallas," the hotel's website touts. "And the vintage McKinney Avenue trolley stops in front of the hotel, carrying visitors to nearby shopping, restaurants and attractions throughout Uptown Dallas."

Rounding out the top five as the newcomer in Travel and Leisure's rankings is The Joule. This downtown Dallas hotel possesses a neo-gothic vibe that was carried over from its past life as the Dallas National Bank.

"Aptly named after the international unit of energy, The Joule brought a charge to downtown Dallas when it opened in 2008," their website proclaims.

Opulent amenities guests can enjoy at The Joule include a four-star spa, popular rooftop pool bar and full-service summer pool cabanas, four different acclaimed restaurants and bars, and a library.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Drover

Hotel Drover in the Fort Worth Stockyards is barely two years old and racking up the accolades.

More information about the resorts can be found on travelandleisure.com.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Drover

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

stay here

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 bar The 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.

Ad Placement 300x100

Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

'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.

View All Listings