Hotel News

Sam Moon Group to open plush new Marriott hotel by Dallas Arts District

Marriott Arts District is anticipated to have good views.

Courtesy rendering

A new hotel is coming to Dallas' Arts District: Called the JW Marriott Dallas Arts District, it's scheduled to open in spring 2023 at 800 N. Harwood St., in downtown Dallas.

According to a release, this will be the first JW Marriott hotel in Dallas. JW Marriott Hotels are the chain's the most select and significant properties. The release describes it as a luxurious and artistically inspired respite.

This one is from the Sam Moon Group, which previously had plans to open a Marriott at the address of 2000 Ross Ave. Same block, just different address, which they changed to improve egress, says Sam Moon's Director of Sales and Marketing John Klukan.

"The design of the hotel has evolved and changes have been made to the original plans in order to enhance the guest experience and deliver a luxury destination to the city," Klukan says. "One of the changes involved the hotel's entrance which was shifted from Ross Avenue to North Harwood Street for ease of access to valet parking, resulting in the hotel's confirmed address to be 800 N. Harwood St., and the name of the street-level bar and lounge, 800 North."

That block where it's being built was formerly a street-level parking lot, across from First United Methodist Church. It's a block across Ross Avenue from the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and Crow Museum of Asian Arts.

That area does not exactly lack for hotels with the Fairmount two blocks west, a regular Marriott one block east, the Sheraton Dallas two blocks southeast, and the Hall Arts Hotel three blocks northeast.

This hotel will feature:

entry lobby at ground level, with express elevators that shuttle guests to the reception and Sky Lobby on the 11th floor
267 rooms
three restaurants
spacious lobby and cocktail lounge
meeting and conference areas
ballroom
fitness center

The expected showstopper is a mid-air pool and deck with 40-foot ceilings, terrace bar, cabanas, and outdoor event space offering prime views of the downtown skyline and beyond.

The building is a "sheathed transitional modern style" emphasizing views of downtown, with marble floors, wood millwork, dramatic lighting, and vaguely mid-century furnishings. HKS, Inc. is the project design architect, and Looney Associates is the interior designer; they've both worked on previous Sam Moon Group developments.

"This hotel will be the new destination for luxury in the heart of the Downtown Dallas Arts District. Inspired by the simple beauty of the natural world, our hotel is created to stimulate memorable experiences crafted by inspiring design, authenticity and a humble approach to luxury," says Daniel Moon of Sam Moon Development Group.

Sam Moon Group began as a family wholesale/retail business and has extended its reach to real estate with a portfolio that includes shopping centers, hotels, conference centers, mixed-use developments, and a golf course.

They opened their first hotel, the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West, in 2017. They've since opened Hyatt Place Alliance in Fort Worth, and Hyatt Regency Stonebriar in Frisco in 2020.

hotels downtown

Culinary Star

Canyon Ranch appoints Michelin chef for swanky new Hill Country resort

Val Cantú/Facebook

Well, shucks. Chef Val Cantú is all about masa.

A Central Texas-born chef with Michelin cred will return to his birthplace to head up the forthcoming Canyon Ranch Austin resort: Val Cantú, the chef behind two Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant Californios, will lead the kitchen at the resort's restaurant, Estella.

Canyon Ranch is a premier wellness destination resort and spa headquartered in Fort Worth, where there's a spa location at the Crescent Hotel. Canyon Ranch Austin is set to open in September 2026 in Spicewood, a Hill Country town just outside Austin.

The original Canyon Ranch, which opened in Tucson, Arizona in 1979, is highly regarded as one of the top health resorts in the world, earning three keys from Michelin — the highest ranking a hotel can get — and the chain lauds the wellness benefits of both modern science and "ancient wisdom."

The Austin restaurant will follow that same ethos, a release says.

“Estella will be light, bright, fresh, and clean,” says Cantú in the release. “It’s a distilled version of what I do that will be focused on seasonality, sourcing, and the kind of delicious food that makes you feel good after you eat it.”

Canyon Ranch operates some of the country's most acclaimed spas. Facebook Canyon Ranch

Cantú is developing the menu with experience from fine dining and his personal Texas heritage; he was raised in Brownwood, about 150 miles northwest of Austin, where his father owned a Mexican restaurant. Tortillas are an important part of what's to come at Estella.

“When I’m making tortillas, I feel connected at a root level,” says Cantú. “It reminds me of making tortillas with my grandmother and my dad.”

Canyon Ranch CEO Mark Rivers emphasized Cantú's well-balanced approach: “Chef Val brings a rare combination of technical mastery, cultural authenticity, and emotional intelligence to his cooking," he says. "His approach aligns perfectly with how we think about wellness as intentional, thoughtful, and rooted in real life.”

Californios dishes If Estella is anything like Californios, presentation will be a huge factor.Photo courtesy of Californios

Although the release does not share how much Estella will have in common with Californios, it's easy to imagine that the artistic plating and education about the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica will carry over.

“This is a homecoming for me," Cantú says. "Cooking in the Hill Country allows me to return to the flavors, ingredients, and traditions that first shaped who I am."

spas resorts wellness openings mexican cuisine chefs