Hotel Change-up

Hotel Palomar joins Hilton family as Highland Dallas

As of August 6, the Hotel Palomar Dallas has a new name and owner. According to a notice posted on the Palomar's website, the property is now the Highland Dallas Hotel.

The property will become part of a new Hilton brand called Curio. Kimpton Hotels is no longer involved.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the new owner is Thayer Lodging Group, a hotel investment company with a management division called Interstate Hotels & Resorts. Interstate's portfolio includes 17 hotels around DFW, mostly in the Mid-Cities, including the Hilton Arlington.

A manager onsite said that he came up from the Hilton Houston as part of a task force to take over the day-to-day operations. "Some things will change," he said, but the appearance and staff would mostly be left as is, including the Exhale spa and the hotel's hot new restaurant, Knife Modern Steak, helmed by chef John Tesar.

But Interstate senior VP Fred DeSota was quoted as saying that the guest rooms and corridors would be given a makeover.

Speculation regarding the sale began in May; it does not include the condominium tower next door, which will get a new name, decided upon by the residents who own units there.

The hotel began as a Hilton when it opened in the '60s. During the '90s, it became the "Hiltop," with the lettering remaining on the building for many years. It was also owned by the Maharishi School of Vedic Science, an organization founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Kimpton took over the hotel in 2004.

The Palomar site refers those seeking Kimpton reservations to the Hotel Lumen, with promise of future openings in Austin and San Antonio.

Hotel Palomar: now known as Highland Dallas.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Palomar Dallas

Hotel Palomar: now known as Highland Dallas.

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lets go camping

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

Courtesy of Hipcamp

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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.

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