The Stoneleigh to Open in Dallas in Late Fall
August 22, 2007 by Paris and John
Filed under News and Festivals
Dallas has many excellent hotel from which to choose and starting this fall, there will be one more: The Stoneleigh Hotel and Spa Dallas. This is presently one of the largest historical renovations underway in Texas, a project designed to bring the property back to its 1930s-era art deco splendor.
About the Building: First opened in October 1923, The Stoneleigh is listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Historic Hotels of America.” Today $30 million worth of restoration is being undertaken in consultation with The Texas Historical Society and the National Register of Historic Places. First built for $1.5 million, The Stoneleigh was once the tallest hotel west of the Mississippi, hosting stars from Judy Garland to Tom Cruise as well as noted playwrights.
The Stoneleigh’s revival is taking place under the talented eye of hotelier Jeff Trigger, whose talent has transformed such notable hotels as downtown Austin’s The Driskill Hotel and Dallas‚ The Mansion on Turtle Creek and The Adolphus Hotel.
The Renovation
The renovation includes extensive exterior work as well as the construction of an adjacent lavish 21-floor luxury high rise with one-, two- and three-bedroom custom homes and penthouse suites surrounded by elegantly landscaped gardens, a courtyard and pool.
Many of the hotel’s original materials are being retained with the goal of staying true to the hotel’s original facade and interiors (including renowned designer Dorothy Draper’s art deco touches; Draper was recruited from New York City in the 1930s and helped turn the hotel into a coveted showplace.)
As a nod to the 30s, two Historic Suites are being recreated and brought to modern standards including kitchenettes with leaded glass, restored porcelain fixtures and furnished with period electric lights, fans, and telephones. Tribute Suites are also being created to memorialize some of the celebrities and luminaries who stayed there.
The legendary Stoneleigh bar, known as the watering hole for some of Dallas’s most influential people, is being expanded and repositioned along the Maple Avenue side of the hotel lobby. The bar will offer guests the choice of a relaxed indoor atmosphere or an outdoor terrace experience.
The hotel’s new signature restaurant will feature the cuisine of Chef David Bull, an Iron Chef Challenger and 2007 James Beard nominee for “Best Chef in the Southwest.”
Also to be unveiled in the fall will be plans for the lavishly revamped Stoneleigh Spa, a 5,200-square-foot sanctuary offering private and couple’s treatment rooms, wet treatment rooms, salon, and a fully equipped fitness center.
