The Zaza, Dahling!
In my travels over the last many years, I’ve stayed in a great number of hotels. Most are pretty similar, as if cast from the same mold (which they probably are). And then there’s the Hotel Zaza in the upscale Turtle Creek area in Dallas, Texas.
Words like eclectic, funky, trendy, intimate, and stylish are words that come to mind to describe the Zaza. The hallways are decorated with both vintage and modern photographs, the latter appearing to be those of (or similar to) Annie Leibowitz. A fair part of the furnishings and trim are dark teak and mahogany with an Indonesian flair.
The rooms are spacious, the beds incredibly comfortable, the ceilings tall, and the wall decorations engaging (above the kidney shaped desk I’m typing this at is a photo of a young David Bowie standing on a old pedestal, striking a pose).
It’s the sort of hotel one might expect rock stars to stay at - perhaps like a Hard Rock Hotel, but on a smaller more intimate scale.
And, with a world class Spa here, it would make a nice place to take a spouse or significant other for a romantic getaway.
The turn down service includes leaving lit candles in the room to create a soothing atmosphere (especially nice after I’ve spent a long day at a client’s office nearby). And the chocolates on my pillow are non-traditional as well. Ghirardelli last night, and Payday candy bar tonight. Of course, on my low carb diet I can’t eat them, but they do make a fun treat to bring home to the kids.
The in-house restaurant, Dragonfly, offers a fusion menu, and a pleasant and (again) intimate atmosphere. There’s a well equipped work out room, a variety of themed suites, and an outdoor swimming pool (unheated by my standards though). And the restaurant’s patio which adjoins the pool is quite the “in” spot on weekend nights, apparently.
And, of course, there are dozens of excellent restaurants within reasonable walking distance should the fare not appeal.
And did I mention the free high-speed (T-1 quality) Internet access in every room?
Service is excellent and efficient as well, whether it be at the front desk, concierge, or room service, on par with four- or five-star hotel. The room rates reflect this as well, although still lower priced than the more formal high end hotels nearby.
The Zaza is certainly the most unique property I’ve stayed at, and as this is my third visit back, obviously one I enjoy. Probably not the best place to bring children however, although I do know I will need to bring my wife here one day when I have some spare time and am not busy in meetings or working.
The Hotel Zaza rates a solid 9.0 out of 10.0 on The Richter Scale.
