Hotel News

Fairmont Dallas joins wave of downtown Dallas hotels reopening

Poolside service will resume Thursdays-Saturdays.

Photo courtesy of Fairmont Dallas

One of downtown Dallas' most iconic hotels is set to return, following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic: The Fairmont Dallas will reopen on July 31, after being closed for three months.

The hotel will reopen with new cleaning protocols, as well as some food & beverage options.

The Starbucks located on the hotel's lobby level will reopen and will be open every day.

The Pyramid Bar will reopen with limited hours: Thursday-Sunday from 4 pm-12 am. Poolside service will also resume Thursday–Sunday.

The Pyramid Restaurant will not be open when the hotel reopens on July 31, but a spokesperson says they'll have more information regarding the restaurant's schedule in August.

The hotel had been closed since March 31.

General manager Sven-Erik Richter says in a release that their top priority is the safety, care, and well-being of the Fairmont Dallas family.

"Welcoming, safeguarding, and taking care of others is at the very heart of what we do and who we are,” Richter says. "Today, this means keeping our guests and employees safe by preventing the spread of COVID-19 – partnering with top experts to implement new standards of safety and enhanced operational protocols and procedures which are among the most stringent in the hospitality industry."

The new operational standards being implemented at Fairmont Dallas and at Fairmont properties across North & Central America were developed and vetted by a team of expert advisors to ensure maximum efficacy in preventing the spread of all viruses and pathogens, including COVID-19.

New measures include

physical distancing
mandatory screening for all guests and employees, which may include temperature check
masks provided to guests and worn by all employees
48-hour "settling period" for occupied rooms post-departure

Other actions include cleaning and disinfecting, employee training, a dedicated on-property rollout committee, and an audit program, validated under the global ALLSAFE Cleanliness label.

The Fairmont is among the last downtown hotel properties to open, joining other recent openings that include:

Joule Dallas, which reopened May 22.
Cambria Hotel Downtown Dallas, which reopened in mid-June.
Adolphus Hotel, which reopened Memorial Day weekend after being closed for 60 days.

Some downtown hotels never closed, including the Omni Dallas Hotel, AC Hotel Dallas Downtown, and W Hotel in Victory Park.

hotels

lets go camping

Llama ranch near Dallas roams onto America's 50 favorite camping spots

Courtesy of Hipcamp

undefined

A family-owned, llama roaming ranch just an hour outside Dallas was just declared one of America's 50 favorite camping spots in 2026.

The field guide was compiled by online marketplace Hipcamp following a review of campsite ratings from users, regional trends, cultural relevance, and a "spirited debate" of Hipcamp experts. Campgrounds were chosen from 35 different states and organized into seven regions: the Pacific Northwest; California and Hawaii; the Southwest; the Mountain West; the Great Plains and Midwest; the Northeast; and the Southeast.

Llama Land Ranch in Tool, Texas was one of nine total campgrounds featured in the Southwest region. The ranch is the perfect place for families to go on core memory-making excursions like meeting the free roaming llamas or watching out for other wildlife like wild boars. The ranch spans 101 acres, and a 50-foot deep creek also flows along the property lines for fishing and swimming.

"The llamas will come to greet you and so will many more things in this wonderful place," the ranch's listing says. "We are conveniently located in a secluded area, but just a short drive from many local conveniences."

The listing also specifies that the pastures are only mowed three times a year and some of the property is on rough terrain, so campers are welcome to bring their own machetes if they want to explore the area thoroughly.

There are 14 sites available for guests to set up camp, with a mix of tent-only, RV/tent, and RV-only sites. The ranch is also very affordable; sites can be booked for as little as $15 per night.

Many reviewers enjoy getting out into the country to reconnect with nature, and many also praise the ranch's owner, Judy, who says the ranch has been in her family since 1987.

"I went with a group of women for an overnight camp at the pond," one reviewer wrote. "It was so beautiful and a much needed break from city life. The host was wonderful and kind. She was also very accommodating to our group."

A second Dallas-Fort Worth-area campground tucked away in Texas' newest state park was also highlighted in the report. Warbler Ridge Campground, located in Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, was the only other Texas representative on the list.

The pet-friendly campground's listing doesn't offer many details, but it says there are 22 RV and tent campsites for visitors, as well as showers, toilets, potable water, and picnic tables. There are activities galore for visitors, including a 68-acre lake for swimming, fishing, and boating, and over 16 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says campsites at Palo Pinto Mountains State Park start at $13 per night (plus a daily entrance fee) for hike-in primitive sites. Walk-in campsites with water are $15 per night and campsites with electricity are $30 per night.

camping travel vacations ranches campgrounds