Adolphus Hotel

I have known and loved this hotel for 30 years, and have turned to it for birthday dinners in The French Room and afternoon tea for a long time. I have stayed overnight probably 10 – 15 times in that period, but I must say a stay this past Sunday night was disappointing in the extreme. I was put on a floor that had not yet been remodeled, which is no big deal, except the floor was almost entirely stripped of its public area furniture and décor, and my room also was greatly pared down. The guide to the hotel — room service, amenities, etc. — was completely missing. Ink stains and a long tear on the bed linens. Bathtub would not stop up for a bath. The Bistro for breakfast is in terrible shape, with big splits in the booth upholstery, frayed rugs, and scarred tables. I have stayed in Hampton Inns in better shape, and at $ 327 for the night and $ 13 for a 2-​cup pot of coffee, the Adolphus is terribly over-​priced for value given. The hotel is in the process of remodel, which it needs, but be prepared for internal construction noise that starts at 8 AM.
I love this once-​grand place and wish it well for the future, but value here is seriously upside down and I won’t stay here again without visiting a proposed room first.

Walking inside, I felt like I just stepped back in time to 70 – 80 years ago. They do a great job keeping the old feel and classic look to this place without making it look old and run down.
The room is very spacious with extremely nice touch of all the antique décor. The walls could be a little thin, but it was NYE when we stayed there, so couldn’t really blame our neighbors for being loud and partying.
Rumor has it that the hotel is haunted, unfortunately (or fortunately?) I did not encounter anything, haven’t asked my companion if he did, since I told him I didn’t really want to know about it lol.
Be prepared to pay about $ 27 for valet parking (the only option, no self parking available), unless you want to park somewhere else couple blocks away and just walk here with all your stuff. The whole staff is extremely nice and courteous however.
As far as the view, not so much, since the hotel is located right in the middle of downtown and pretty much blocked by bunch of surrounding buildings. Do check out the French room for their tea time service and the food.

We booked through Priceline and after reading reviews I was afraid we made a mistake. However it was a perfect experience. Every person that greeted us was super friendly. We stayed on the 21^st floor and it was a newly renovated room in immaculate condition. We slept great on the king size bed. I would definitely stay here again.

The lobby of this hotel is beautiful and old world style, but the newly renovated rooms look like any other number of modern hotel rooms these days. We spent my birthday weekend here and the housekeeping of the rooms and the floors is terrible. Here are a few of the things we experienced:
1. Upon washing our hands in the bathroom, we discovered the soap had been used by the previous occupants and stuffed back in the container and left for us.
2. The room has new beautiful crystal bedside lamps, but they hadn’t been dusted in some time, as you could see layers of dirt on them.
3. On our second day, after the room had been made up, the coffee bar was not re-​stocked, so we had no coffee our second day.
4. The bathroom has been remodeled, but the shower wasn’t sealed properly and leaked water all over the bathroom floor.
5. The glass that surrounded the shower was never cleaned the entire duration of our stay. It was clean upon check-​in, but never again.
6. For this hotel to tout itself as being a 4-​star hotel, you would expect nice towels. Our towels were ratty and frayed on the ends. My car washing towels look better than these.
7. The windows in the common area of our floor were so dirty I wrote «clean me» on one of them. Those word were there all 3 days we were there, and I would guess if you go to the 21^st floor today, they are still there.
Upon check out, we asked to speak to the manager. A woman who seemed very harried stopped for a second to act like she was listening to our concerns. She never wrote any details down, but said she would file a report and that she was sure our number was on file somewhere and someone would get back with us.
This hotel is a Dallas landmark, but if they continue down the path of missing all the details, I seriously doubt others will continue to stay there.

Beautiful hotel, terrible service. Took an hour to get some overpriced tea (just tea) from room service. The walls were paper thin, so we heard everything going on outside the room, especially late into the night. And when we got our car from the hotel valet, they had opened the windows in the rain, ruining the leather interior of our car. The car floors were also filthy, as if more than one person with muddied shoes were riding in it as well.
I would NEVER recommend this hotel to ANYONE, not even my worst enemy. If you must visit, stay somewhere else and stop by for a drink and to walk around, but I would caution against booking a room.
Edit: After further inspection, we are almost 100% positive the car was taken from the hotel and driven around. The mileage shows at least 100 miles more than it was when we arrived. And the entire interior needs to be fixed, and some possibly even replaced.

I love this historic hotel. I had my birthday party here one year and we stayed in the presidential suite. It was amazing! It will be a birthday I will never forget! They always take care of their guests and have great service!

Not a big fan of this place. Traveling across the country, I stayed in a la Quinta last night that was less than half the price of this place with a nicer room. Someone forgot to stock soap in my bathroom, and the paint and molding and furniture in the room are all dented and chipped and otherwise unsat. The lobby is nice and the staff is super friendly, but I seriously don’t recommend this place, especially for the money.

Horrible, horrible, horrible. This is a hotel that has not been upgraded in the slightest for years, and has not been maintained well enough to make it an antique room. The end result is a dated, dirty, incredibly unappealing room. It’s shocking to me the Adolphus is rated 4 stars. I would literally rather stay at the Hyatt house because at least that is cfresh with lots of amenities.
Note: The staff was all very helpful and welcoming.
Note: They are undergoing a remodel on the upper floors, so maybe that will fix those. But I would not stay here again in its current condition.

You Unilocalers are really too harsh on this place.
I have to thank Priceline for introducing us. I named my price, and was set up with the Adolphus. After reading all of your reviews I was instantly regretful. But really, it’s not that bad here.
The room was super clean and spacious. Loved the bedding. I slept like a baby. No qualms with the bathroom, either. It’s not trendy, it’s not modern, but it wasn’t a homogenized Ramada Inn, either.
We were high up. The view was pretty until I realized that I was looking into the rooms at the Magnolia. Oopsie.
I do have to thank you guys for the heads up on the parkinh situation. Okaaayyy, I agree: parking was effing lame. We drove around before settling on valet. $ 28 bucks, guys. No more random Priceline set ups for Dallas. I’ll never take hotel parking lots for granted. Because of other reviews (stolen items, take forever for car pick up), I avoided these issues by a) not leaving valuables behind and b) calling ahead before picking up the car.

I came here for a work trip and found this hotel completely charming! The front desk staff were friendly and did not penalize me when I accidentally checked out late because my meeting ran over.
Some might be turned off by the age of the hotel, but I truly found it charming. The only time the age of the place stood out was when I went to take a shower and didn’t have hot water… but staff came to fix it promptly. Oh and also there were no in-​ceiling light fixtures, so when I wanted to go to bed I had to scurry around and turn off all the lamps.
I had a huge room that was very quiet and clean. However, one of the windows was cracked and there was an odd stain on the floor at the front of the room.
This is a great hotel if you want a lot of space.

This is not a four star hotel. The old world charm, elegance and luxury of the lobby and The French Room stop at the elevators. The room décor is mismatched and smelled like crazy Aunt Sue’s house. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see a few cats running around in there. The bathroom was cramped and modeled with fixtures from Home Depot and not some century old mansion!
While we were waiting to check in the receptionist was on the phone to a guest, explaining that room service stopped at 10pm and if the guest wanted a bottle of water they could go across the street to the 7-​Eleven. In downtown Dallas. At night. You get better service in a Hampton Inn.

Booked this hotel last minute when I got into DAL late for a really good rate through Hotel Tonight. I wasn’t expecting much since it cost as much as the 2.5 to 3 star hotels near the airport. Even though we booked through a third party, we were still given a very spacious room with separate living area and dining table which was much appreciated. Could easily entertain 4 – 6 adults in there. Arrived around 11:30PM on a weeknight and saw a bow tie, vest wearing bartender still at work. Check-​in was down the escalators.
ROOMS: The bed and pillows were comfortable but one of the pillows had a large ripped corner. Not sure how housekeeping would’ve missed this. No minibar but there was a mini fridge where I was able to keep things chilled. There was a sign that said the water bottles were complimentary but there were no water bottles in sight so we went thirsty that night. Luckily I had snagged an extra can of water from the airplane before deplaning (LUV SW!). There was free coffee in room though.
It is listed as a «Luxe» hotel on the app I was using and although the reception areas were quite nice, historically charming, and romantic even, the rooms do feel run down. Luckily, they are in the process of a renovation. Also it is listed as having 24-​hour room service which I was looking forward to ordering from but when I arrived, due to renovations, their room service stopped at 10PM. I noticed a DVD player underneath the TV which might be nice for kids.
All in all, if you’re not expecting much you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If you are staying here for a special occasion and not just hanging out in the common areas, you might be disappointed.
Oh and Queen Elizabeth stayed here in 1997. There is a commemorative picture near the escalators.
TIP: We just needed overnight parking and didn’t want to pay the ridiculous ($ 28?) valet fee so we parked at a covered deck down the street and only paid $ 7. The flagship Neiman Marcus is also within walking distance.

We just returned from a 4-​day get-​away in Dallas and our stay at The Adolphus was disappointing.
Advertised as a «4-​Diamond luxury hotel of imperial European elegance and a baroque masterpiece where every guest is treated like royalty» we were looking forward to a relaxing stay.
We were «greeted» by a bored receptionist and then showed ourselves to our room.
Unfortunately we picked the elevator that is being used to transport building materials for the ongoing renovations and was decked out in plywood boards.
Once we got to the 5^th floor we noticed a musty smell in the hallway. Carpet, window treatments and furniture were old and worn, unfortunately not in an antique way though. «Art work» and lighting were horrible. Randomly placed pictures looked like something you might find in a thrift shop, many were missing leaving holes and dirt rings on the wall. Very odd!
The room and bathroom were spacious. Linens and towels were clean. And that’s all the positive we could find.
Our «view» was toward a concrete wall with construction workers working right in front of the window. Lots of hammering, drilling and yelling. This continued at 8am the next morning.
Old carpet, old sofa, empty mini bar, inadequate lighting and power outlets, unpleasant smell.
The coffee table was worn out with the wood chipping and a huge nail polish stain. Stains on lamp shades, sofa seats and cushions.
No outlet on one side of the bed. Pillows were older and smelly. Mattress not overly comfortable and kind of worn. Doors to closet wouldn’t close correctly and had mismatched handles on it. Over all just subpar for what is being advertised.
In the bathroom the crown molding had a huge nasty stain, the vent was truly disgusting and a screw was sticking out of the soap dish in the shower.
Building materials laying around in areas open to hotel guests don’t just look bad but are potential safety hazards.
By the second day of our stay the «historic lobby living room» was cordoned off with yellow tape and huge industrial sized fans were placed all over making for a fancy crime scene ambience. Two days later the situation was still not resolved nor did anybody ever apologize for the inconvenience or offered an explanation.
As a guest I did not feel welcome, employees overall had a «I don’t care» attitude.
Having worked in hotel management in Germany and Switzerland I was really surprised and taken aback at how this place is run. What a shame. So much potential, so little effort.
Disappointed and will definitely not be back or recommend.
See pictures of our recent stay

Got a deal on
for a very good rates and after reading the reviews negative and positive I was kind of skeptical to stay here. When we arrived we were greeted by Phillip who made us feel very welcomed and made me feel a lot better about stAying there. The bellhop Mario was wonderful also. Their customer service skills are excellent but the guy that was at the front desk not so much. The room was clean, needed minor repairs in bathroom but overall nice and large in size. They are renovating so the rooms will be beautiful according to the pictures we saw. The woman bartender was very friendly and made us some excellent drinks. The Blue Devil she made was on point. Overall I had a great experience and will definitely stay here again when I’m in Dallas.

Stayed here by chance due to booking with Hotwire. Thinking back, I should have just chosen a place on my own. The Adolphus isn’t a terrible place, just not somewhere I would have chosen to stay myself. When I first arrived everything was great. Valet, front desk, bellhop. The room is big … really big, but it feels dirty, smells dingy and musty and the sheets are hard and feel scratchy. One of the elevators is scary. It was loud and opened like it was ready to swallow you. It’s tiny and all the mirrors made you feel like you were trapped. The décor overall is really weird. I know it’s supposed to be classic but things just didn’t go well and it just looks old and dirty. They’re supposed to be renovating in 2015 though and I’m sure once that’s done it will look and feel a lot better.
When returning from dinner that night we pulled into the valet area. No one was around for a few minutes. When the valet did come around, he ran up to the car, pulled the keys out of the ignition and ran to help a Porsche that had just pulled up behind us. I had barely gotten out of the car, the door was still open and we were just standing there. My windows were also rolled down and he left the car unattended so we stood there until he came back. The next day getting my car out of valet took 15 minutes. They came back and told me it was taking so long because my car wouldn’t start and they had to jump it. That’s odd. I’ve never had any problems with it and haven’t had problems with it since then. I wish I would’ve been able to self park instead of having to pay $ 35.

We live just outside of Dallas and we stayed here with a group of friends for the weekend in order to do a local’s guide to Dallas tour. When we told our adult kids where we were staying they commented. «oh, that old place!» Well. this is a welcome step back in time. This 100+ year old hotel is full of beautiful reminders of a slower time in history.
We marveled at the beautiful hotel lobby and bar. It was very welcoming and we felt comfortable in our surroundings right away. The front desk, parking and valet staff are wonderful, friendly and efficient.
Our room was very large with a sitting room and plenty of old fashioned couches and chairs. I settled right in to read my paper and enjoy our 16^th floor view.
After a day of touring, the hotel arranged for Kevin to give us a back stage tour of the hotel and its secrets. It was fun to learn of how Adolphus Busch of beer fame, ran the hotel during the time of prohibition. Trap doors and sub basements hid the hootch whenever the cops did an alcohol raid. This was the place where all the gangsters, politicians and whose who of the day hung out for food and drink.
Anyway, if you are looking for a swank modern hotel, this is not the place for you. If you want to stay in a hotel that is part of part of Dallas history for the last hundred years and are ready to enter a fun time warp, then I think you will more than enjoy your stay.
I did separate reviews of the hotel restaurants, which were also wonderful.

*****PLEASE READ*****
I would give this hotel MORE stars if it was possible… I definitely will be returning to this hotel. I am celebrating my 1-​yr anniversary (currently laying in the bed– while my husband is sleeping from a long night)…
This place gives you «1^st Class on the Titanic» (w/​o it going under)… But– whether or not if you’re on a date night; celebrating an event; bringing your in-​laws in town; or just want to feel like Royalty… I would definitely get a room here. (We’re in a King Executive Suite on the 22^nd floor)
I found a great deal on KAYAK​.COM
Also– the front desk clerk Roslyn was DELIGHTFUL!.. She spoke with her manager & surprised us with the 22^nd floor suite and a $ 40 food/​beverage voucher. Thank you Adolphus Hotel & staff for everything you’ve done.

This historical hotel is beautiful gem that really beautifies the downtown Dallas scene.
The Adolphus was built in 1912, it remains one of the most popular luxury hotels around the metroplex. I found myself experiencing Adolphus’ scene last week for a friend’s birthday party and was rather impressed. Her suite was spacious and comfortably accommodated our party. With vintage décor, though some a bit too dated for my taste, it was a wonderfully comfortable, cozy, and an overall elegantly unique space to gather. I appreciated it’s unique character. The bar downstairs was great too: lots of counters pace to order, friendly bartenders, and lots seating in a cool, dark atmosphere. It was bustling with mostly older groups of guests– not much of a surprise, but was enjoyable nonetheless. Great location and great experience here.

The cheapest hotel on our list of recommended hotels just happened to be the haunted one. Flew into Dallas late on a Saturday night and was welcomed to the Adolphus Hotel by a long line of guests checking in and only one gal working the front desk.
While waiting in line I decided to read some reviews after checking in to kill time, which was when I realized this place had more than just paranormal problems. For those curious to know the ghost story:
«The hotel is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a jilted bride, who has been seen wandering the 19^th floor of the hotel. She was due to be married one day during the 1930s, but her fiancé didn’t show, leaving the bride-​to-​be embarrassed and broken-​hearted. Later that day her body was found, hanging a few feet from the spot where she was due to say her vows.»
I imagine all the weddings that take place here only anger this spirit even more, along with the poor selection of music during the receptions.
The elevator ride reminded me of a house of mirrors fun house minus the fun. Each floor has a lobby area with freaky-​looking circular mirrors hanging on the walls and vintage paintings. Finally got to my room only to be greeted by the same creepy circular mirror hanging above my bed.
Paranormal problems aside, the room was very spacious and comfortable. House cleaning forgot to clean the empty beer bottle chilling on my window, which made me question the cleanliness of the room.
The blow dryer is in the closet in a black bag… not sure why it’s not in the bathroom. They were short staffed that night so it took close to 45 min before I got what I had requested. Their kitchen also closed before 11 so I had to venture out for food (there’s a 7 – 11 down the block and a late-​night pizza joint).
Being from out-​of-​town, the overall experience was unpleasant and I won’t consider staying here again. I can definitely see the convenience of staying here for locals, though.

The Girlfriend has always wanted to stay at the Adolphus, so when we did our weekend in Dallas a few weeks back, we gave it a try. As mentioned in other reviews, the Adolphus is a historic landmark in Dallas. When we walked in, we were greeted by the very warm and courteous staff.
I will say, the interior of the Adolphus definitely does demand a visit, be it to stay or at least to sit at the bar and soak in the historic surroundings. The interior and the bar area were probably my favorite aspects about the hotel. It reminds me of some old Victorian-​aged hotel you may see in England and it is easy to envision burly old mustached vets recounting their exploits in the Boer Wars.
The hostess also checked availability on our floor to ensure we stayed in the corner room, since the corner rooms on each floor offer up great views of downtown. The room was as she described, which definitely enhanced our stay.
With all that being said, the Adolphus is a historic hotel. That also means it is lacking some conveniences we have all grown accustomed too in newer hotels. The pillows were a bit odd and I definitely would recommend outfitting every room with a refrigerator, for instance.
One reason you stay at the Adolphus is for the location too. We were able to hit up all of our destinations with ease and they offer a free shuttle (limo) to areas within close proximity of the hotel.
All in all, it was a pretty good stay. I think it is more of a bucket list item for most, as with our next trip to Dallas, we will probably find a newer hotel with more amenities for the same price, but we definitely were not disappointed.