I loved the Thompson Dallas and found the service and amenities to be top-notch at this Hyatt-affiliated hotel in the heart of the Big D.
Thompson Dallas Review
I booked this hotel for $320/night, which is on the lower side of $300-600/night range this hotel typically fetches. As a Category 6 hotel, free nights run from 21,000 (low) to 25,000 (standard) to 29,000 (peak) points per night. The property offers 219 guest rooms.
After arriving via Dallas DART (mistake), I checked in at the front desk and was informed I had been upgraded to a suite by Kyle, who warmly welcomed me to the hotel. If you’re traveling via car, valet parking is available (and although downtown Dallas has a number of parking structures within walking distance, I felt I was not in the best area of town).
The hotel is located inside The National, a multi-use building in a Midcentury modern style that also includes restaurants and apartments. I loved the opulent lobby.
Guest Room (National Suite)
My suite, 2011, was also in the mid-century modern style and included a king-size bed, walk-in closet, large bathroom, separate parlor area with a large dining table (seating for six), a living room, a mini bar, and a half bath (796 square feet in total).
I loved the crisp bedding, modern decor, floor-to-ceiling windows, and quality of the furniture (leather, marble) in the room. If I had a city apartment, this is exactly how I would to decorate it.
The bathroom included a huge walk-in shower, but no bathtub.
Speaking of the minibar, it really was not all that mini…the bottles were large and priced accordingly.
Snacks too:
The room also had an illy espresso machine as well as tea bags.
I re-shot some of the pictures in daylight and have to say this was one of my favorite hotel rooms of all time in terms of style (and like night and day compared to the tired Four Seasons Dallas where I would move the next day).
Swimming Pool
On the ninth floor rooftop is a large swimming pool with cabanas. It was cold during my visit and I did not swim. The pool is open till 10:00 pm.
Fitness Center
One of the great features of this hotel is the massive fitness center, which makes sense when you consider it is a shared facility (along with the pool) with the residents of the National Building. The gym features a wide assortment of equipment (though curiously no machines which specifically target the torso or abs) including cardio, machines, and free weights.
I showed up at the ninth floor gym about 8:00 am to workout before breakfast and it was packed…I was not the only one who wanted to start his day off with a workout. Nevertheless, the gym was so big I was able to get a workout in and returned later to take the pictures above.
Spa
Right around the corner from the pool and fitness center is a full-service spa, offering treatments ranging from massages to nails to haircuts. Of interest to me, the facilities included an infrared sauna, steam room, and traditional barrel sauna on the sun deck. Complimentary access is not included for hotel guests and ran $65 for a day pass (or was included if booking a treatment).
Dining
The Thompson Dallas has several dining options.
Monarch
A friend told me that the Monarch is a must-try. I arrived just as it was closing at 10:00 pm and was told I was too late for dinner, which was disappointing. The wood-fired Italian restaurant was inspired by two Michelin Star chef, Danny Grant. I’m not a gourmet foodie, but I will will say that the food I saw in the dining room looked and smelled wonderful. The restaurant is located on the 49th floor and opens at 5:00 pm.
Nine at The National
I took breakfast at Nine at The National, ordering two cortados, a smoothie, a glass of orange juice, a vanilla bean yogurt parfait, and a smoked brisket Benedict. The parfait was a total disaster – it had carrot jelly sauce and meringue on it. Nasty. However, the beef brisket topped in eggs Benedict was a great treat and delicious.
Service was not all that attentive…I was left alone for far too long and when I ordered a second coffee after finishing my breakfast, the dishes were not cleared away.
Nine at The National services breakfast and lunch (7:00 am – 11:00 am and 11:00 am – 4:00 pm).
Catbird
Catbird is located on the 10th floor and is another bar offering drinks and dinner (small plates). It is open from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm during the week and until 12:30 am on weekends. Outdoor seating is available.
Kessaku
Kessaku is a sake lounge also offering fresh seafood. It is located on the 50th floor of the hotel and opens nightly at 6:00 pm.
Room Service
I did not partake in any room service, but there was a breakfast card sitting on my bed (Globalists, however, must take their breakfast benefit in the Nine at The National only).
The Thompson Brand
This was my first time at a Thompson hotel, which joined the Hyatt family in 2019. I think this video best sums up what Hyatt is trying to achieve with brand:
CONCLUSION
I really enjoyed the hotel, particularly the style of my suite and the expansive fitness center. Breakfast was also a treat and I can see the appeal of his place if you’re out with friends. With so many restaurants and bars, you do not even have to leave the building. I would certainly return to this hotel.
Nice review, maybe I missed it but what is your Hyatt status? Very nice getting a suite upgrade on this visit.
Globalist.
You paid $320 for a hotel in Dallas? If you’d stayed with me, I’d have only charged you gas money and the cost of BBQ ribs and the sides.
If you’re wondering about the midcentury modern architecture, that building used to be the First National Bank building, opened in 1965, and the tallest building west of the Mississippi at the time. Across the street (where the DART store is) was the flagship Sanger-Harris department store. Relatively speaking, the area around the Thompson isn’t the worst area of downtown, though if you go a few blocks down the train tracks to West End, that’s certainly not an area I’d hang out after dark.
Remember that was the night you were busy! 😉
But one day we will enjoy BBQ together…or your mother’s cooking.
Great review, Matthew. A few things I would add after three stays there: Valet parking is a bit of a mess if coming in during dinner hours. Though Monarch has it’s own valet area they sort of share staff and it gets insane at certain times. In fact, they had the entire street backed up with traffic as people were trying to valet park. They need more attendants. Also, Monarch is absolutely fantastic. But do not make the mistake and think you can charge to the room…though it appears on the Hyatt website as a “Hotel dining option” it is not at all part of Thompson – so bring your wallet and forget about adding it to the hotel bill. Finally, let’s hope that this area begins to flourish a bit as a result of The Thompson. Right now there is little there and it’s not pleasant at any time of day. I did try Catbird twice. It can be a bit of a scene there with screeching women out for girl’s night…sorry but not sorry for saying it. But the outdoors in good weather is very nice and less “screechy” given the lack of acoustics.
“Finally, let’s hope that this area begins to flourish a bit as a result of The Thompson. Right now there is little there and it’s not pleasant at any time of day.”
Unfortunately, the odds of that happening are slim. I worked at Thanksgiving Tower next door for several years, and I witnessed downtown’s renaissance during the 2010s, when it really was starting to become a legit destination. Then the pandemic hit, remote work took all the workers out of downtown, all the people who’d moved there realized it sucked, and it was largely abandoned again. The action has now moved to Klyde Warren Park and points north/east, and I doubt you’ll see a second downtown revival honestly.
I was looking forward to this review.
I was at this hotel last month after having been bumped there from the Westin across the street. Definitely an upgrade from the Westin, and I do agree with you that the decor is interesting and my bed at least was comfortable.
I do not have Hyatt status and did not get an upgrade, of course. My room was nice, but it had a bit of an awkward layout due to the structure of the building. One thing that was disappointing to me was that my room did NOT have that Illy coffee maker yours did. I would have loved to have had that. I had the mini bar with the huge b0ttles, but not the coffee maker, which would have been useful. Also, I was there for business, and there was no ironing board or iron anywhere to be found in my room, so I left the hotel in wrinkled clothes. I had breakfast where you did and it was good, service was so so. They tried to present me with the bill when I checked out – $600 for the night. I had to clarify to them that the Westin was comping me, and that they were taking care of it. That was resolved, but had I had to pay $600 for what I got, that would have felt like a rip off. I probably would not go back to this hotel or this area of town. I’ve lived in Dallas before and there simply isnt much in downtown. The only reason I was staying in this area was for a work conference. Otherwise, I’d have stayed up in Oak Lawn or along Turtle Creek. Much more happening area. Glad you had a good experience.
$600 and no ironing board or coffee maker?
The dichotomy of Dallas is that you can pay $320 a night so stay in a hotel above a corner where people sleep every night and eat out of garbage cans.
What you experienced on the DART is what people that live there experience every day and pay far more than $320 for.
It’s the San Francisco of the South.
“I loved the opulent lobby, which was”
Which was…what?