Sure, there are countless hotels in Texas to choose from when you’re traveling for work or pleasure. Many have impressive amenities, or are conveniently located near the attractions or offices you’ll be frequenting during your stay. But, what if you want to be wowed from an aesthetic standpoint? What if you want to make your friends back home drool over pictures of your stay? If memorable (and documentable and sharable) is your goal, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve rounded up some of the state’s most Instagram-worthy hotels, so make sure your phone is charged and you have your favorite filters selected.
Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, The Adolphus Hotel was initially built in 1912 on what was intended to be the location of Dallas City Hall. Hotel founder Adolphus Busch—also co-founder of Anheuser Busch—wanted the location so badly that he paid to move City Hall a few blocks down the street.
The hotel boasts two beautiful restaurants, City Hall Bistro (light, bright, and just waiting to be featured on Instagram) and The French Room (a fine-dining restaurant that features timeless European architecture to achieve a stunning and memorable atmosphere full of natural light). The hotel also features a new coffee shop, Otto’s Coffee and Fine Foods, that serves perfect-for-snapping latte art in an appropriately moody environment. Otto’s also features a walk-up waffle window offering fresh waffles individually wrapped and tied with a bow.
Another highlight of the hotel is its barbershop, which features two barber chairs unique to the hotel. It offers straight-razor shaves and classic cuts. You will likely have to wait, though, because the chairs are typically occupied. The Adolphus has a retail shop, Commerce Goods + Supply which, among other items, sells a custom-to-The Adolphus Stetson. The shop is full of local merchants’ goods and artwork, making a distinct effort to keep it Texan.
The Adolphus’ rooftop pool deck boasts a view of the Dallas skyline right from the center of the pool, and the pool bar serves unique, handcrafted cocktails.
Located on the shores of beautiful Lake Austin and across the water from the Balcones Canyonlands Nature Preserve, Lake Austin Spa Resort sits on 19 waterfront acres with amazing, Instagramworthy views.
With just 40 guest rooms, the intentionally small resort creates a relaxing, residential feel, and the space is full of great places to read a book or relax by the water. The resort’s organic gardens provide herbs and vegetables for guest meals, as well as drawing beautiful birds and butterflies to the property.
The resort’s overall vibe is Hill Country luxe. There are elements of Texas, such as cedar posts, limestone buildings and huge magnolia trees throughout, but there is also modern elegance in the beautiful furnishings, interesting art and scenic outposts.
“Everything about Lake Austin Spa Resort whispers relaxation and quietude,” says New York guest Milana Knowles. “From the guest rooms to walking the grounds or strolling through the organic gardens, every turn is picture perfect, and the surroundings definitely allowed me to take a much-needed break from my daily demands.”
This is not your average hotel. Located on 21 acres on the edge of Marfa, El Cosmico is a community lodging concept meant to create a communal retreat that cultivates artistic engagement and offers a temporary retreat from the modern world. The artistic campground consists of trailers, yurts, tepees, tents and communal hangout spots.
From an accommodation standpoint, visitors can choose from a restored vintage trailer featuring vibrant décor, a safari and scout tent, a Siouxstyle teepee or a yurt campsite. The tent, teepee and yurt options offer a more rustic experience, but they all have access to the communal outdoor kitchen and bath house.
El Cosmico is located within walking distance of Marfa’s main attractions, but within the campground itself there’s limited access to digital connectivity, offering true retreat. The lodging concept encourages a “get your hands dirty” philosophy through creative workshops, and cooking, craft and live music events, as well as activities like stargazing and biking.
The Omni Frisco celebrated its first birthday this summer, and it features 300 guest rooms as well as exceptional dining and retail experiences that stand out. Because Frisco is home of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters, the hotel has incorporated the Cowboys’ legacy into the room décor and throughout the hotel in a subtle way, helping its strong football heritage act as a differentiator of this hotel experience.
The hotel offers a one-of-a-kind retail experience with the Charlotte Jones Collection, which is named for Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer (as well as notable trendsetter), Charlotte Jones Anderson. This store is a destination retail experience, including clothing, jewelry, home goods and more—and even some exclusive and tastefully branded Cowboys items.