Hotel News

The Clara Hotel to open in Plano with shiny $4 million renovation

The Clara Hotel will debut this spring.

Photo courtesy of Clara Hotel

A newly transformed hotel will spring up in Plano, taking over where one left off: Called The Clara Hotel, it's a new hotel brand that will debut at 8201 Preston Rd., in the former NYLO Dallas/Plano Hotel space.

According to a release, it'll open in the spring, following a $4 million renovation.

Located on the Plano-Frisco border, the NYLO property was acquired in August 2025 by Dallas-based investment firm NewcrestImage, whose portfolio of hospitality and real estate assets across the U.S. includes partnerships with hotel firms such as Coury Hospitality and Summit Hotel Properties. Other renovations in which NewcrestImage has been involved include the Elmore Hotel in Southlake; they also acquired the Beeman Hotel near SMU in 2024.

The NYLO originally opened in December 2007. It was the first property launched by the NYLO Hotels brand and according to Wikipedia, was also the first loft-style lifestyle hotel to open in the U.S.

The Clara will maintain The NYLO's affiliation with Hilton's Tapestry Collection, but nearly every guest-facing element — interiors, food & beverage, service approach, and brand positioning — has been reimagined under the new ownership.

“We saw an opportunity to thoughtfully transform this property into something that feels deeply connected to its surroundings and to today’s traveler,” says NewcrestImage Managing Partner Mehu Patel in a statement. “The Clara Hotel represents our commitment to creating places that are not only beautifully designed, but intentionally experienced. From the materials and textures to the programming and hospitality approach, every element is being reimagined to deliver something distinctive for this market."

Decor
With 176 total guest rooms — including eight suites ranging from Junior Suites to One-Bedroom and Presidential Suites — the hotel is designed to serve both business and leisure travelers seeking comfort, intention and a sense of ease.

The design will incorporate natural textures, wood finishes, greenery, and a warmer color palette, conveying a more residential feel, anchored by tactile materials and calming tones.

Dining room at The Clara HotelThe Clara Hotel

Food
The Clara Hotel will incorporate two distinct new hospitality concepts:

Field & Vine, the hotel’s reimagined restaurant, will offer an approachable yet elevated dining experience designed for both guests and locals
The Library, a newly transformed space within the hotel, will operate as a library-inspired lounge by day and an intimate, reservation-only speakeasy Thursday through Saturday evenings.

Courtyard and event spaces
An already-existing heated outdoor pool will remain a central feature, but with a refreshed patio and courtyard experience. The courtyard is a 4,000-square-foot outdoor space that will receive new landscaping, turf, and flexible seating, creating a venue for events and gatherings of up to 300 guests.

Indoor meeting spaces include two meeting rooms with capacity for 30 or 50, as well as two boardrooms with capacity for 4 or 10 people.

hotels openings

Aerie in the sky

Nature-inspired hotel checks into Texas' tallest tower in Austin

Photo by Chase Daniel

Rooms at 1 Hotel Austin settle in simple and natural design.

A luxury hotel chain is checking into Austin, adding the Texas capital to a cohort of a dozen North American cities. Called 1 Hotel Austin, the 252-room stay is designed to blend with nature and tap into sustainable hospitality in the new Waterline building — the tallest tower in Texas. Reservations are open now for the hotel, opening in August.

A press release explains that 1 Hotel Austin looks at its surroundings where Waller Creek and Lady Bird Lake meet "through a contemporary, biophilic lens." Designers used natural materials, textures, and transitions from inside to outside — like balconies and terraces with plants, or floor-to-ceiling windows — to create a feeling of connecting with the natural world.

Foodies may already know that a highly regarded restaurant from Denver is moving in as the hotel's signature restaurant. Called Alteño Austin, the concept by Chef Johnny Curiel shows off cuisine from the Highlands of Jalisco, where he has a family connection.

$Alte\u00f1o Austin$ Alteño currently only has one location — the original — in Denver, Colorado, and one more on the way in Charleston, South Carolina.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels

“There’s a respect for tradition in the way [Chef Curiel] cooks, but also a willingness to reinterpret it, and that balance is what makes his food so compelling," said Nicholas Demasi, senior vice president of food and beverage at Starwood Hotels, in the release.

There will also be two other food and beverage concepts: Watr, a "Japanese-leaning" rooftop restaurant and lounge designed to entertain guests from day to night, and Neighbors, a café and wine bar that can be accessed from the lobby and the street for coffee, juice, small plates, draft cocktails, and more, depending on the time of day.

1 Hotel Austin rooftoop Watr This rooftop restaurant will serve a Japanese-inspired menu.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels

Focusing more on the amenities than the rooms, which include 60 luxury suites, the release draws attention to the building's proximity to the Rainey Street District and downtown, making both day and night activities easily accessible. Guests also have a direct connection to the more outdoorsy portion of town via the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail around the lake.

Wellness amenities include a run club, sound baths, a 2,000-square-foot fitness center, and a yoga studio. Bamford Wellness Spa will operate a space offering retail and treatments, including couples' experiences. The spa claims inspiration through Hill Country bathhouses, placing a premium on simplicity and restoration.

1 Hotel Austin guest bath This guest bath is spa-like with a dramatic view.Photo by Chase Daniel

The hotel is working on its LEED Gold certification, which would verify that the property has earned certain credits in materials, energy, waste management, and more. Gold is the second highest certification. Sustainability initiatives at the hotel will include adopting waste reduction practices for hosted events, supplying reusable in-room glassware, and introducing travelers to the 1 Less Thing program, which encourages them to leave behind a piece of gently used clothing to donate to a local organization.

“I’ve long admired Austin for its creative energy and entrepreneurial spirit,” says Barry Sternlicht, founder of 1 Hotels and chairman of Starwood Hotels. “It’s a place where innovation thrives alongside a deep respect for the environment and community. Even as the city continues to grow and evolve, it has managed to balance progress with preservation."

1 Hotels Austin entrance The dramatic entrance exemplifies the transitional design from inside the building to nature outside.Rending courtesy of 1 Hotels

1 Hotel Austin is located at 96 Red River St., Austin. Reservations are open now at 1hotels.com. Available August room rates are currently discounted and start at $377.

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