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    sprinkles of fun

    Sweet Dallas couple's new Waco Airbnb is an over-the-top ice cream dream

    Amber Heckler
    Apr 7, 2023 | 3:17 pm

    A dynamic Dallas couple is promising some sweet dreams with their new dessert-themed vacation rental in Waco.

    Jessica Serna and Ismail Mpiana, wife and husband behind My Curly Adventures travel blog and My Culinary Adventures food blog, respectively, have debuted an ice cream-themed rental home called “Casa Kumwesu.”

    The name pays homage to Serna's Hispanic roots and Mpiana's Zambian-Congolese heritage. It roughly translates to “our place/our house/our village.”

    The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house spans 2,300 square feet on several acres of land, and can accommodate up to eight guests.

    Highlights from the listing include:

    • one king-sized bed, one queen-sized bed, and two single beds
    • kitchen with stainless steel appliances
    • formal dining table and long island with seating reminiscent of a soda fountain
    • coffee bar stocked with syrups and toppings in a nook with seating
    • large soaking tub
    • plush bedding in each bedroom
    • four parking spots
    • two outdoor security cameras

    But beyond the nuts-and-bolts, it's the Instagrammy design details that make the house a whimsical wonder. It's sprinkled with ice cream decor throughout, from ice cream cone seating and bathroom wallpaper to dish towels and pulls on the kitchen cabinets. On the walls, bright pastel colors and quirky patterns (one looks like "melting" ice cream) would make Willy Wonka proud. A photo-worthy ice cream cart bearing the name "Casa Kumwesu" stands outside on the patio.

    Other fun features include a full-size Ms. Pac-Man machine and a super trendy flower wall with neon sign that says, "Treat Yo' Self" over a bed.

    Mpiana says the ice cream theme wasn't due to any great love of the frozen treat (although Serna did recently have an ice cream named after her at Picole Pops). It was essentially marketing presentation that came to life.

    “Jessica was doing a keynote seminar to destinations about the importance of owning a particular niche and going all out with it,” Mpiana says. “She ended up using an example of an ice cream theme."

    As she was researching, she ended up falling in love with the colors and fun of ice cream and "just ran with it,” he says, adding that they both ended up enjoying the design process.

    It was important to them to fill Casa Kumwesu with pieces and products that support Texas businesses, they say, from beautiful custom artwork created by local artists to personal care items by H-E-B’s Field and Future line. Many items were sourced through Etsy and Instagram. For instance, kitchen towels were designed by artist Volta Voloshin-Smith (@colorsnack on Instagram), a fringe wall was done by Oh My Darling Party Co (@ohmydarlingpartyco); and Home Airbnb designer Erica Dike (@ericaoohdesigns) helped bring it all together, with a cherry on top.

    But, why Waco? Serna says its proximity between Austin and Dallas made it the perfect location for them.

    “We spend so much time passing through Waco on all our travels across Texas, and we just started to fall in love with it,” she says.

    Casa Kumwesu
      

    Photo courtesy of Casa Kumwesu

    Guests can share a meal at the large island, which resembles an old-fashioned soda fountain.

    The home is located minutes away from a few of Waco’s most popular spots: Magnolia Shops at the Silos, Lake Waco, and Baylor University.

    Casa Kumwesu has quietly opened for reservations via Airbnb and Vrbo. According to the booking sites, pricing starts around $550 per night (before cleaning and service fees), with a two-night minimum.

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    Hotel News

    Grand Hyatt hotel at DFW Airport to deploy million-dollar renovation

    Teresa Gubbins
    May 14, 2025 | 3:06 pm
    Grand Hyatt DFW
    Courtesy photo
    Grand Hyatt DFW hotel at DFW Airport

    DFW Airport is undergoing updates and now the remodeling bug has bitten the on-site hotel: Grand Hyatt DFW Airport, located inside Terminal D, is deploying a renovation of the property beginning in July.

    It'll be a multi-phased renovation that includes updates to guestrooms and suites, improvements to event spaces, enhancements to the restaurants and bars, plus re-envisioned lobby, guest lounges, and corridors throughout — anticipated to be completed by the end of 2025.

    In a statement, Grand Hyatt DFW Airport general manager Jeff Babcock notes that the hotel is celebrating a key anniversary.

    “We are thrilled to announce Grand Hyatt DFW will undergo a transformation to provide international and domestic travelers and local residents with new, more refined accommodations, enhanced culinary experiences, and modernized conference and event spaces for meetings and groups,” Babcock says. “In honor of our 20th year, the renovation will reinforce the hotel’s legacy as the premier hotel and event center supporting the international airport and connecting travelers to the Dallas Fort Worth culture and community.”

    The renovation at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport marks its biggest investment since it first opened in 1974. The plan, called DFW Forward, will invest $9 billion in capital improvements to transform terminals, increase the number of gates, enhance the airfield, and improve roadways. Highlights include the addition of a new Terminal F south of Terminal D, with room for up to 24 gates; rebuilding Terminal C; more gates for Terminal A and C; and a rebuilding of Terminal C's parking garage.

    “The remodeled Grand Hyatt – already known as one of the premier airport hotel experiences – will complement the ongoing enhancements and expansions across the airport as we create a smooth and enjoyable experience for our guests,” says DFW CEO Sean Donohue in a statement.

    Rooms
    Updates include:

    • An increase in the number of guestrooms and suites from 298 to 315
    • A new aeronautical design complemented by the style of a Texas landscape featuring local woods like Red River Pecan and Yellow Pine, with by a color palette that includes subdued greens and shades of natural blues
    • Stitched leather headboards and integrated lighting on the beds
    • Large HD flat screen televisions and new charging ports
    • Eco-friendly occupancy thermostats, enhanced lighting controls, and automatic blackout sheers and shades
    • Expansive closets and modern bathrooms with enlarged vanities, showers, and tubs

    Restaurants and lounges
    Food: A reimagined Grand Met restaurant and lounge will showcase a new style in dining at the airport, and its refreshed seasonal menus will offer new culinary experiences celebrating artisanal traditions combined with modern upscale dining. Keeping with the elegance of a jet-set lifestyle, the updated menu will serve international and modern cuisine with fresh ingredients sourced locally.

    Atmosphere: Seating capacity at the restaurant and the lounge bar will be increased with modernized tables and chair. Newly designed private and semiprivate dining rooms will be available for large and small parties. An acoustically-designed ceiling will keep conversations private.

    Meetings and events
    With more than 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a 6,600 square foot ballroom, the final phase will unveil a new a top-floor executive boardroom, and a one-of a-kind indoor/outdoor rooftop event space overlooking the airport runways.

    The renovation will include state-of-the-art technical facilities for corporate meetings and gatherings, plus in-house audiovisual support for all types of events, with a redesign that incorporates the style of Texas and the beauty of the West.

    Lobby, corridors, and pool
    Steps away from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)’s checkpoint in Terminal D, the newly envisioned hotel lobby will include marble tile flooring, specially-designed ceiling finishes, enhanced accent lighting, wood paneling, and artwork created by local.

    New corridors will connect the hotel to the airport. The hallways will feature a plush carpet with a pattern inspired by the airport’s design and airline flight movements, accented with blues and browns.

    A newly transformed fitness center with Pelotons bicycles will be located on the first floor, while an outdoor rooftop pool will overlook the runways.

    Each Grand Hyatt hotel is uniquely designed to be a captivating destination within a destination, boasting restaurants, spas, fitness centers, and business and meeting facilities.

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