Virgin Hotels Dallas Opens Doors in Design District

Virgin Hotels, the lifestyle hotel brand by Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, opened doors on an anticipated new-build hotel that features 268 rooms and suites that also count two penthouses. Also of note: The Pool Club, a fourth-floor rooftop terrace and pool to complement multiple dining and drinking outlets.

The brand’s flagship restaurant, bar and lounge: Commons Club and Funny Library Coffee Shop, can be found on property and the hotel also offers some 15,500-square-feet of versatile indoor and outdoor event space.

Virgin Hotels Dallas is the first hotel in the booming Design District, where wanderers will find a vast array of furniture shops, interior design studios, art galleries, museums, and restaurants.

The property was developed in partnership with Bill Hutchinson of Dunhill Partners and is operated by Virgin Hotels. The hotel features collaborative designs from the interior designer of record Dallas-based SWOON, the studio and Austin-based Joel Mozersky Design. Under SWOON, the studio’s creative vision, the hotel embraces an artful design sensibility that celebrates Dallas’ arts and culture scene while creating a sense of place through natural textures and materials and touches of fun and whimsy.

Ranging from 323 to 1,395-square-feet, guest rooms – called “Chambers” —  are bright and airy with warm textiles and Design District-sourced accessories and lighting. The Dressing Room includes a full vanity tucked between two white oak closet systems, sit-down makeup desk with mounted illuminated mirror, and an extra-large shower with a bench. A sliding wooden door (complete with peephole) separates it from The Lounge, which features Virgin’s patented ergonomically designed bed with a channel-tufted headboard, a red mini-fridge stocked with street-priced snacks, High Definition TV and yoga mat. Other design touches include striped flannel wallcoverings, crisp white bedding trimmed in red piping, a plush curved sofa and sculptural brass fixtures.

All Chambers feature custom lighting on sensors that automatically illuminate when guests move and ample outlets for smartphones and other electronic devices.

The hotel offers guests three dining and drinking options including, Commons Club, a dynamic restaurant, bar and lounge designed to feel like a modern social club in a playful, sophisticated environment. Commons Club includes The Kitchen by Matt McCallister, where the celebrated chef showcases a driven menu with French influence. The Bar offers a cocktail program rooted in classics and features specially curated live entertainment. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the ground-level restaurant features an open kitchen with community chef’s table, wrap-round dog-friendly patio and The Shag Room, a ’70s-inspired space ideal for cocktails or an intimate reception.

Located on the ground floor, Funny Library Coffee Shop pours coffee by Laughing Man®, the brand co-founded by actor Hugh Jackman, with a mix of pastries and fresh and healthy lite bites. The coffee shop is a communal workspace that houses an assortment of funny books and games. Walnut wood-paneled walls and a coffered ceiling with brass inlays intermingle with checkerboard tables to create a playful environment to work or recharge.

The Pool Club is a magical rooftop space with Moroccan lanterns around a pool overlooking the Dallas skyline. Adjacent to the outdoor space is The Pool Club bar, which features glass walls that slide open in warm weather.

The Dallas property joins Virgin Hotel’s rapidly growing roster, which already includes Virgin Hotels Chicago and Virgin Hotels San Francisco, and will employ Virgin Hotel’s celebrated “No Nickel and Diming” policy of street-priced minibars items, free Wi-Fi, and zero resort, urban or amenity fees. Guests at all Virgin Hotels can access Lucy, a mobile app that allows guests to integrate their device into their hotel experience, and sign up for The Know, a guest preferences and loyalty program for rate discounts, room upgrades, exclusive dining and event offers and a complimentary cocktail hour dubbed “The Spirit Hour.”

Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value and a seamless, personalized hotel experience. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a comfortable and inclusive environment for travelers.  Currently the brand operates in San Francisco, Dallas and Chicago with locations planned for Nashville, New York, New Orleans, Miami, Palm Springs, Edinburgh, and Las Vegas.