Hôtel Swexan

TL;DR

• Sleek design: Modern boutique hotel with striking vertical glass walls.
• Eclectic interiors: From polished Southern glamour to roadhouse neon and orientalist pool vibes.
• Dining variety: Multiple themed restaurants and bars offering upscale comfort.
• Upscale comfort: Each area is a distinct yet top-notch experience.
• Check prices here

Texas isn’t the first place we think of when we hear ‘ultramodern global swank’, but seeing is believing, and this sleek boutique hotel in Dallas’ Harwood District has us convinced.

A relatively new offering, Hôtel Swexan is a lovely addition to Uptown’s nest of Texas-size buildings, with Coruscant-esque walls of windows and an elegant verticality.

Insides are equally glamorous, if a little less cohesive.

You’ve got the polished southern glamour of the lobby, roadhouse neons in the halls, and an orientalist flair by the pool.

Restaurants range from Pinterest-fueled velvet jungle to sexy library to steakhouse in a cowboy hat museum.

Even if the hotel is just the sum of its parts, however, each part is a grand experience of upscale comfort.

What are the rooms like?

• Number of rooms: 134 in total with varied styles and layouts.
• Guest rooms: Elegant gray-blue tones, marble accents, and city views.
• Suites: Unique designs inspired by Texas and Japanese styles.
• Features: High ceilings, natural light, plush beds, minibar, desk, and smart TV.
• See all the rooms in detail here

Guest Rooms are the same kind of offhand elegant as the lobby, all grays and blues, creamy leather and shining marble.

In contrast to the rest of the hotel, here nothing really stands out, everything is too busy working together to make a chic, relaxing space.

They include King Singles, Queen Doubles and stunning Corner Kings with truly insane views of the city. There many accessible options as well.

Suites are all unique, some leaning into the leather and supersize of Texas, others inspired by Japanese design, sporting artwork from the owner’s personal collection.

Whatever you choose, you’ll enjoy soaring ceilings with plenty of natural light, cozy linens and cushy pillow top mattresses.

Rooms include a coffee machine with cups and glassware, a minibar, a desk, and a smart TV.

What are prices like?

• Check dates and prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

• Main restaurant: Léonie offers Italian-inspired cuisine in a lush velvet setting.
• Texas flavors: Stillwell’s Steakhouse delivers local flair.
• Bars: Babou’s speakeasy and Isabelle’s bistro provide cocktails and brunch.
• Wellness: Full-scale gym, yoga patio, wet and dry saunas, cold plunge.
• Pool: Rooftop pool with Mediterranean dining and private cabanas.

Whatever you like, we’re pretty sure you’ll be able to find it here.

The hotel’s main restaurant, Léonie, is a plant-filled, velvety paradise worthy of an Austen heroine in a Spike Jonze adaptation.

Moodily lit yet bursting with life, the restaurant offers Italian-inspired cuisine from breakfast through dinner. We highly recommend trying out the afternoon tea service.

If you came to Dallas for a taste of Texas, head to Stillwell’s Steakhouse and Bar. Babou’s is the basement library bar, a speakeasy-style spot for cocktails and intrigue.

Pomelo is the rooftop poolside offering, full of pan-Mediterranean inspiration and incredible amounts of sun.

Romantics can head to Isabelle’s, a small, bistro-esque spot with a stylish continental breakfast, weekend brunch, and lunch on the daily.

Now that food is out of the way, we can turn to leisure.

We have been open in the past about the deep desire for a well-done hotel gym, and Hôtel Swexan has finally answered.

This is no basement treadmill lineup with some vinyl mural someone’s aunt printed off of Etsy, no; this is a full-on, patio-having, event-hosting gym, in a hotel.

You can enjoy both wet and dry saunas, a cold plunge, or the yoga patio. Check out the hotel schedule for classes and other activities.

The pool is also excellent, next to both Leonie and Pomelo, with private cabanas for rent.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

• Location: In Dallas’ Harwood District near Uptown.
• Nearby: Bars, cafes, and restaurants within walking distance.
• Cultural sites: Dallas Museum of Art, Symphony, and Aquarium close by.
• Nightlife: Deep Ellum offers live music, bars, and party vibes.
• Further afield: Bishop Arts district is a 15-minute drive away.

The Harwood District is on the edge of Uptown Dallas. It’s not notably walkable (welcome to Dallas) but it’s not impossible and there are plenty of bars, cafes, and restaurants to explore.

Head southeast towards Klyde Warren Park, a 10-minute walk, and you’ll be on the edge of Downtown.

From there, the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Dallas World Aquarium are just across the highway.

Deeper Downtown you’ll find classics like the JFK Memorial Plaza, Reunion Tower, and a nice selection of local breweries, cideries, restaurants and bars.

From here head directly east to Deep Ellum, reportedly the Brooklyn-y area of Dallas. In the daytime, you’ll find candy stores, boutique shops, cafes and some nice barbeque joints.

When the sun sets, this is the spot for any of our party-loving readers. There’s live music, and excellent drinks, perfect for a night out.

If you want to check out anything a little further out, you can drive to the Bishop Arts district, a 15-minute drive from the hotel. There’s food, shopping, and plenty of activities.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“Stayed here for an offsite and honestly, it’s one of the nicest hotels ever. Lovely big rooms, plenty of choice for food (including some of the best restaurants in Dallas), meetings and a lovely big gym….”

“The hotel is absolutely gorgeous. Did a quick staycation to celebrate my birthday. The staff for friendly and courteous from valet to check out. Will be back to get the entire hotel experience….”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”The only suggestion that I have is to fill up the ice bucket when servicing the room and at night time for turn down service….”

”Biggest complaint would be the outside noise. The windows are very thin… I was on the 17th floor and could still hear all of the noise from the street below….”

Read all the reviews right here