True Ritz
By Meda Kessler
Photos courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Dallas
Pamper yourself with a 5-star staycation.
One of our favorite things about a short staycation in a luxury hotel is the fact that we can be close to home yet feel like we’ve traveled to a faraway destination: the sheets are high in thread count, the air conditioning is cold and the room is blissfully quiet thanks to the absence of kids and pets.
The freshly renovated Ritz-Carlton Dallas, the only five-star hotel in Texas, reopened in late June with a pair of package deals that are good through the end of the year. Of course, necessary precautions pertaining to cleanliness are in place throughout the property — from the in-house restaurant to the pool and everywhere in between.
And while nearby cultural destinations may be closed due to COVID-19, you don’t have to leave the property to enjoy a brief escape from reality. Make time for a little self-care by booking a spa treatment, including Dean’s Margarita Salt Glow. Or lounge poolside with cocktails while gazing at the skyline or getting through a few chapters of a new book.
Doing nothing can work up quite the appetite. Fortunately, there’s Fearing’s, the casual but cool restaurant of noted chef Dean Fearing. Graze through his varied menu of elevated Texas cuisine: crispy barbecued Gulf oysters; a filet and chicken-fried Maine lobster combo; pan-seared Alaskan halibut; or your choice of grilled prime cuts of beef. A vegetarian menu includes summery specials such as watermelon crudo and mesquite-grilled cauliflower steak. Forget about counting calories and revel in Granny Fearing’s Banana Pudding with Toasted Meringue & Cinnamon Sugar Beignets.
If you’d rather sip and snack, head to the Rattlesnake Bar and enjoy potent margaritas along with small bites that include buffalo nachos, dips and chips, or a substantial burger served on a toasted pretzel bun.
Or order Champagne and a grilled cheese sandwich from room service, slip into clean sheets and revel in doing nothing at all.
THE DETAILS
The Suite Staycation includes an executive deluxe suite with the option of a complimentary rollaway bed, in-room breakfast for two daily, $50 credit for use in the Rattlesnake Bar or Fearing’s Restaurant and overnight valet parking. Prices start at $559 per night. The Local Escape to The Ritz-Carlton Dallas includes a deluxe guest room with a $100 spa credit, in-room breakfast for two and overnight valet parking. Prices start at $479 a night. 2121 McKinney Ave.,
214-922-0200, ritzcarlton.com/dallas