Until very recently, the notion of a stay-cation held only limited appeal for North Texans. Then a host of haute hotels arose, and suddenly you have your pick of lovely lodgings for the quickest of elegant getaways. But of all the new options in Dallas, the most impressive is surely the Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa.
The grande dame opened as a residential hotel in 1923 and was, in the 1930s, embellished with a penthouse and interior styling by the lauded Dorothy Draper firm in New York. The Stoneleigh stood as a center of glamour and the arts for decades, becoming a residence for people like theater maven Margo Jones and a favorite stop for guests like Jack Benny, Katherine Hepburn, Oliver Stone, Andy Warhol, and Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.
Because she occupies a most desirable patch of Uptown real estate, between Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs and near Turtle Creek, her gradual fade from glory seemed both sad and scandalous. A year-long, $36-million redo, however, has now transformed the worn old gal into a stunner that’s both sophisticated and sexy. And while you can find other classy models right in the neighborhood – the Crescent Court and the Ritz-Carlton come to mind – the Stoneleigh stands apart as a place whose legacy has long involved fashion and grace.
Book a weekend stay and see for yourself. Here’s what you’ll enjoy.
>> Luxe, and then some: Here’s a showplace that would be at home in Beverly Hills or New York’s Upper East Side. Acclaimed design firm ForrestPerkins played up elements of the original Art Deco styling, reviving its energy with new color and the occasional modern tweak that enhances rather than clashes: witness, for example, bold teal, cinnamon, aqua and ivory patterns to complement dark chocolate mahogany furnishings and platinum detail, all highlighting original crown and door moldings and enormous windows, along with fantastic tiny tiles in the bathrooms.
You’ll find what pampering-plus mean with free wi-fi connection, 24-hour concierge service and room service, and free fitness studio use; in your room, an iPod docking station, Baronessa Cali Olive luxury bath products, high-def flat-screen TV, laptop safe, giant closet and lighted make-up mirror spoil you for stays at other hotels.
Indeed, it’s hard to think of why you’d leave your room: Of the 170 lavish rooms and suites, 57 are huge studio suites that offer a king bed at one end of the room and a sitting area with sofa at the other, separated by a large double-sided dresser topped with TV console that swivels for viewing on either side. Penthouse suites, which open onto a sprawling rooftop terrace, were given a new polish by Carlton Varney, the illustrious designer for New York’s Dorothy Draper firm, which did the original interiors way back when. If you don’t book one, ask if they’re open for a peek; a glimpse of the 500-year-old English oak paneling once belonging to William Randolph Hearst is a jaw-dropping sight.
>> Spoiled in the spa: One terrific reason to wander from your room is to spend a morning or afternoon in the chic new spa, which offers everything from skin and body treatments to hair and nail services and steam/sauna rooms. Most guests choose a treatment “platform,” those that involve products and services for aging well; focus on organic products; services that center on the mind-body connection; or scent-free, skin-sensitive options.
Dozens of a la carte choices exist, but it just seems so much easier to bundle several in a package, right? There’s the Day Dreamer, which gives you a cucumber body treatment, a 25-minute massage of back, neck, scalp or shoulders and an “Urban Detox” deep-cleaning facial, a three-hour affair ($290). The men’s three-hour experience includes a skincare treatment, deep-tissue massage and manicure ($255). But the ultimate is the Dorothy Draper Sweet Escape, a six-hour event that gives you a Jet-Setter Recovery Rx aromatherapy massage, geared toward anyone familiar with travel fatigue; a body sugar scrub and body butter wrap; 80-minute facial; and an aromatherapeutic, hot-paraffin mani-pedi combo ($625).
>> When evening falls: Wander downstairs and take a seat where the sleek, color-dappled lobby unfolds to the magnificent bar. Big, artful light fixtures and streamlined furniture give this spot a heady feel. Settle into a Bollatini, a blend of Ketel One vodka, vermouth and a jalapeno-stuffed olive; or a Bolla lemonade, made with Patron silver and lemonade, garnished with fresh jalapeno and cucumber, both perfect alongside nibbles like tuna carpaccio and bruschetta topped with prosciutto and Parmesan.
But don’t fill up – you’ll want to save room for dinner from chef David Bull, whose star rose at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, where he was designated a best new chef by Food & Wine magazine and where he won a James Beard Award nomination. At Bolla, his foray into urbane Italian cuisine. Bull layers one temptation upon another, offering first course options such as heirloom tomato salad or beef tartare; second-course diversions such as roasted sea scallop with spinach and brown butter or risotto primavera; and entrée selections such as veal cheek piccata with preserved lemons or charred beef tenderloin.
>> In the neighborhood: If you’ve set aside a long weekend, you can wander nearby for all manner of distraction. Listen to a great jukebox, shoot a game of pool and nosh on a killer burger (do get the chipotle mayonnaise) right across the street at the Stoneleigh P, a legendary watering hole at 2926 Maple Avenue; walk a few doors down the street for a sensational bone-in rib eye with truffled mac and cheese at Nick & Sam’s (ask for a table in Willie’s section) at 3008 Maple Avenue; take in an indy film at the Magnolia Theatre, a three-minute drive to the West Village, 3699 McKinney Avenue; shop for antiques at Uncommon Market, an easy walk around the corner to Fairmount at Maple; or see a new play at Theatre Three, a two-minute drive to 2800 Routh Street.
>> Stick around: If you’re so fond of the Stoneleigh that you can’t bear the idea of leaving, buy a home here. The residences now under construction will be The Heritage at the Stoneleigh is a 22-story tower immediately behind the hotel, attached by a landscaped walkway and gorgeous swimming pool. Crafted from cast stone and brick and designed to blend into the hotel’s elegant, vintage styling, the building will star a landscaped private terrace that looks like a small park, and a great place to share a bottle of wine with a friend or sit with your dog and read a book. One bedroom homes start at $360,000 and two-bedrooms are from $600,000.
>> Details: Nights at the Stoneleigh begin at $240, but good summer packages include the Summer Suite deal that includes a night in a Studio Suite with a bottle of bubbly for $265, and the Honeymoon Extravagance deal includes the studio suite stay, champagne and strawberries, brunch for two and spa treatments for two, from $519. 2927 Maple Avenue, Dallas; 800.921.8498. www.stoneleighhotel.com.
