The Best Hotels to Book Near the Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas   

You’re in for a weekend of full-contact entertainment at this boutique Uptown hotel. The Cotton Bowl Stadium is less than a 10-minute drive away, while the American Airlines Centre – home to the NHL team the Dallas Stars – is less than five. What’s more, the hotel’s car service will gladly shuttle you with style to any destination within a 3mi (5km) radius. Once you’re back, don’t miss out on the award-winning menu at the fine-dining restaurant Dragonfly, which serves up dishes such as burrata bucatini.

Home is where the art is, or so the Joule would have you believe. From the moment you step foot into this Downtown boutique, it’s clear that the works adorning the walls are a notch above the stock stuff found in most hotels. From the stunning Millard Sheets mosaics to original works by artists as diverse as Andy Warhol and Tony Cragg, it houses an astounding collection. And the rooms aren’t bad, either, decked in Italian-milled fabrics and merbau wood floors.

From one arty hotel to another: the CANVAS is less about art in the traditional sense and more about fostering a creative environment. Its rooms and suites blend raw, unfinished surfaces (exposed-redbrick walls, concrete ceilings and pipework) with crisp, white walls and a mid-century color palette of pastel pinks and greens. It’s also no further than 3mi (5km) from the Cotton Bowl Stadium, leaving you plenty of time to unwind to skyline views from the rooftop pool.

Thinking of Dallas as a football-loving, steak-eating, rodeo-riding cowboy town? Well, it is – but the luxe lodging at the Stoneleigh proves that’s not all it’s about. From the neon-lit front entrance, flanked by stone lions and resplendent with art deco details, to its soaring lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows, and its wood-paneled library, this boutique hotel is a masterclass in subtle sophistication. Even its restaurant, Perle on Maple, is on theme – adding a cosmopolitan French twist to Texan classics.

The whole of downtown Dallas is your oyster when you book into the Aloft. Within minutes, you can be at the Dallas World Aquarium, Reunion Tower, Museum of Illusions or the historical Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. After a full day of sightseeing, slip into the crescent-shaped outdoor pool, unwind in the industrial-cool lobby, or relax with a cocktail at the W XYZ Bar.

For that signature warm Texas welcome, look no further than the Fairmont Dallas. An icon of the hospitality scene in the city for over 50 years, this hotel knows how to please guests looking for a more traditional idea of luxury. Rooms are elegant as can be, decorated in shades of champagne pink, oyster grey and cream, with cut-glass table lamps and gold-framed black-and-white photos, while a bellman and grocery shopping service allow you to focus on what you should be doing: relaxing.

Standing on the rooftop terrace of the penthouse at the Rosewood Mansion, you might be struck with a knee-buckling feeling. No, not vertigo – it’s the realization that, at some point, you’re going to have to check out. A pool surrounded by magnolia trees, fireside al fresco dining and generous massage services will prompt you to make the most of every minute. And, for when you’re ready to explore Downtown Dallas, the staff will even toss you the keys to a brand new Lexus so you can tour on your own terms.

The Hotel Crescent Court experience will wow you with a 22,000sqft (2,044sqm) spa, Caroline Rose Hunt’s personal art collection, and a bar with dozens of champagnes for you to sample. And, if you came to Dallas to eat, loosen up that belt. Opt for a cup of Starbucks coffee, a giant cinnamon roll and eggs benedict at the Conservatory; then, fast until the main event: dinner at Nobu. This renowned Japanese restaurant serves up special Dallas favorites like ranchero rib-eye steak that’ll add a few notches to your belt.