Hotel Review: Marriott Dallas Las Colinas
Earlier this year, my parents flew out of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport to return to South Korea. Since the flight was early in the morning, we decided to spend a night in Dallas. Because DFW is the third largest airport in the world, you can imagine the number of lodging accommodations surrounding the airport. Surprisingly, one of the affordable hotel options I found was in Las Colinas. Las Colinas is an urban residential, commercial, and corporate community located less than 10 minutes from DFW International Airport. Most hotels in the area catered toward corporate businesses, so I couldn’t find a unique hotel to stay at. After researching, I decided to stay at Marriott Dallas Las Colinas. The hotel's strategic location was attractive, but the overall lodging experience suffered compared to my previous encounters with the Marriott brand. Here’s my review of Marriott Dallas Las Colinas:
Marriott Dallas Las Colinas is located at 223 W Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, TX 75039.
What Card(s) Should You Use to Book?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on dining and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens doors to endless points-earning opportunities.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card does come with a hefty $450 annual fee but offers tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, the mid-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
$300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit that can be applied towards your room rate
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Access to Priority Pass lounges
15 elite night credits that can prove helpful for chasing Bonvoy status
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee.
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have, in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card that offers benefits that outweigh the annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Bonvoy Brilliant Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSMaWs?xl=cp19&mpt=v0
If you are looking for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card with a low annual fee, consider the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of three Free Night Awards after spending $1,000 in three months, each covering up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. I personally value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each, making the 105,000 points offer worth $840. The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card earns 6X points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases every year on dining, grocery stores, and gas stations, and 2X points on all other purchases.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card’s annual fee is $95, and it offers useful perks to offset the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 elite night credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status (this cannot be combined with 15 Elite Night Credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card above)
Be aware that 15 elite night credits from the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card can’t be combined with 15 elite night credits from the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.
Please note that you can only earn 15 elite night credits from a personal credit card and the other 15 elite night credits from a business credit card. Thus, if you own both AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, you would only earn 15 elite night credits.
If you’d like to apply for the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! https://www.referyourchasecard.com/252f/QJPU5UFB4R
The last Marriott Bonvoy credit card you could use would be the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card. It currently offers a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. Considering that the annual membership costs $125, you get paid to have the card! The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card’s annual fee is $125, and it offers valuable benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 elite night credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is the only Marriott business card on the market.
As you can see, the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the Bonvoy Brilliant card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual free night certificate perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 elite night credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSN1lx?xl=cp19&mpt=v0
Location
Marriott Dallas Las Colinas is located in Las Colinas–a planned residential and commercial community with many corporate offices. The hotel is only 10 minutes away from DFW International Airport and is walkable to Toyota Music Factory as well as countless restaurants nearby. This lakefront hotel has a jogging trail around Lake Carolyn, which is rare for hotels close to a massive international airport.
Lobby & Check-In Review
The hotel offered an onsite covered parking garage for free, so I parked my car with ease. If you prefer valet service, the fee was only $10. The lobby was uncomplicated with modern touches and was furnished with trendy furniture.
The use of natural materials like leather and wood suited an image of Texan hotel.
Since the Marriott Hotel brand is aimed at business and leisure travelers and conferences, the lobby was curated with all-encompassing interior design in mind.
The lobby had plenty of TVs for guests to catch up on news or games.
The hotel bar was still booming with guests continuing a discussion from a conference they had attended earlier, and the bar shelves were appropriately accessorized with Texas-themed objects.
The bar had a causal vibe, and it was booming with guests even late at night.
In my opinion, the Marriott Hotel brand After looking around the lobby, I went to the front desk to check in, and with three check-in desks, I didn’t have to wait at all.
Only one of the three check-in guests was operating at night, and my check-in process was seamless.
The front desk agent acknowledged my Titanium Elite status and gave me a breakfast voucher for two. I asked if a bigger room was available for an upgrade since I was traveling with my parents, but unfortunately, the hotel was sold out for the night. After receiving my card keys, I went up to the 10th floor where my room was located.
Bedroom Review
Because I stayed with my parents, I chose a double queen room. There was nothing to write home about both the bedding and mattress. Given the hotel’s location, I didn’t think luxurious bedding or plush mattress would be the biggest concern among business travelers.
The bedroom was pretty muted, and the abstract art on the wall was the only source of vibrance in the room.
Each bed came with its own headboard, but an elongated piece of back panel essentially supported both beds. Above the long headboard, a piece of abstract art filled empty space. The queen beds shared a floating nightstand between them, and the only reachable source of light was the one above the nightstand.
The nightstand provided little to no room for personal items, especially since it was shared by two beds.
The beds weren’t equipped with reading lights, so sharing lights could get tricky unless both parties went to sleep at the same time. Moreover, the nightstand was already tiny, but more than half of its real estate was occupied by an alarm clock and a corded phone—certainly not enough to charge many personal devices at once. Next to my bed was a small side table and a lounge chair, but I didn’t see much practical use for them.
The coffee table and the lounge chair were awkwardly close to the bed, and I didn’t see much use for them.
The rest of the bedroom was occupied by a long work desk that also housed a mini-fridge at the end. The in-room coffee machine was a basic coffeemaker, which I didn’t bother to try to use it.
The Marriott Hotel brand is a premium hotel brand, and I expect to see improved amenities.
A smart TV was wall-mounted right above the desk, and I didn’t encounter any connection issues while catching up on some K-drama at night.
The smart TV was the only noteworthy tech feature of the bedroom.
This may not be a fair comparison, but the bedroom at SpringHill Suites Dallas DFW Airport South/CentrePort was superior to the one at Marriott Dallas Las Colinas. It came with more practical amenities such as reading lights and a bigger nightstand that I would genuinely appreciate if I were to share a room with people.
You can enjoy the view of Lake Carolyn from your room.
Bathroom Review
Similar to the bedroom, the bathroom was quite rudimentary and didn’t have much character. It featured a single sink vanity with lots of countertop space.
You could feel how old the bathroom is from the color of the electrical outlets on the wall.
However, the sink was on the smaller side, and I had to consciously watch out not to splosh water when washing my hands.
The bathroom sink was really tiny with respect to the countertop size.
The hotel provided thisworks as its choice of toiletry, and if you are a follower of PointsMier, you know I am a big fan of the brand. It is mild yet fragrant and does not harshly dry out my skin. thisworks offers other exceptional products, and I recommend its sleep spray if you desire calm aromatherapy before falling asleep.
I am a big fan of thisworks products for their gentle and calming profiles.
The bathroom had a walk-in shower with a sliding glass door. Though it was clean, the showerhead was faulty, and the water stream wasn’t consistent. The shower booth was roomy and had a recessed light directly above it to help make it welcoming.
The walk-in shower had much improved lighting, but the overall experience suffered due to the damaged showerhead.
Aside from the shower, the entire bathroom desperately needed extra help with lighting. It was dim in general, and the bathroom didn’t deviate much from the typical bathrooms at Marriott hotels. Again, I couldn’t help bring myself to compare it to the experience I had at the SpringHill Suites property nearby and doubted the value of staying at Marriott Dallas Las Colinas.
Gym Review
The gym was located on the first floor of the hotel. Given the hotel’s corporate ambiance, the design of the fitness center followed suit, and it remained generic, lacking character. A row of LifeFitness treadmills was aligned facing windows, but because of trees and bushes, I couldn’t really see much from the inside.
The gym was not a state of the art facility but surpassed my expectation.
A separate carpeted area was catered for weight lifting exercises. I’d preferred more padding on the floor, but the carpeted area was better than the rest of the laminated gym floor.
I wish the floor for the free weight area had extra padding to maintain the quality of dumbbells for a long time.
The hotel effectively took advantage of the spacious floor plan of the gym and offered various gym equipment for specific strength exercises.
The gym had a couple of strength machines that targeted specific muscle groups.
Furthermore, there was a dedicated open area for yoga and HIIT workouts at the end of the gym.
The open space at the gym allowed guests to engage in exercise routines that may require extra room.
The hotel technically came with an indoor swimming pool adjacent to the gym. It was similar to any budget hotel pool and was a hotspot for families with kids.
The pool was quite small, and it was a popular destination for families with kids.
As a whole, I was satisfied with the gym. The lighting was bright, and though the gym gears were neither the fanciest nor the most diverse, the fitness center featured more than essential kinds of equipment and space needed for a complete workout.
Breakfast Review
Breakfast was served on the first floor at Bistro Fiera from 6:30 AM and 9:30 AM daily. Thanks to my Titanium Elite status, the breakfast fare for myself and another companion was covered.
Bistro Fiera is also open for lunch and dinner.
However, because I was with my parents, I still had to pay for one additional person, which cost me $23.95 before taxes and fees. Since we were dining at an actual restaurant, I figured the food would be worth the money. The dining area was mostly empty, and we were seated almost immediately. The breakfast buffet was tucked in the corner and was pretty standard, serving pancakes, sausages, scrambled eggs, and fruits.
The breakfast buffet was not worth $24 unless you need to consume an astronomical amount of food.
I tried a little bit of everything, but the food was lukewarm, and some were barely heated. For instance, the breakfast potatoes were hardly warm, and the pancakes were the same.
My breakfast plate may appear appetizing from the picture, but it was quite the opposite.
Even when I considered the convenience of dining onsite, the breakfast at Bistro Fiera was not worth the money. If you have a little more time and money to spare, I highly suggest dining elsewhere for breakfast.
Positives & Negatives
Positives
As the name suggests, the hotel's location is in Las Colinas, an ideal location for business travelers and families alike. DFW International Airport is only 10 minutes away, and there are great restaurants nearby the hotel. If you want an upscale Mexican dining experience, I recommend Hugo's Invitados.
The gym was not the best hotel gym, but compared to other aspects of the hotel, it was more than satisfactory. Don’t expect too much from the indoor gym, but you could do more than a complete workout with essential gym equipment at the onsite fitness center.
Negatives
The bedroom and bathroom in my room call for future renovation. The showerhead was damaged, and the bedroom was inferior to some recently built budget hotels. The Marriott Hotel brand is an upscale brand, and in-room amenities unquestionably didn’t meet the expectation.
The breakfast service at generic Marriott hotels continued to disappoint me. Unless you have Platinum Elite status or above, I highly suggest you steer away from paying out of pocket to enjoy breakfast on site.
You can jog along Lake Carolyn or even dine outside when the weather is pleasant.
Summary
Marriott Dallas Las Colinas was tactically located in Las Colinas—an ideal location for business and leisure travelers as well as families. Surrounded by corporate offices and restaurants, this lakefront hotel was close to DFW International Airport and Toyota Music Factory. However, aside from its strategic location, the overall lodging experience didn’t impress me. The bedroom had no notable attributes other than the smart TV, and the bathroom was outmoded with a broken showerhead. I saw a glimpse of hope from the gym, but the breakfast at Bistro Fiera was undoubtedly miserable. Across the board, I felt distant and unattached to the hotel. The Marriott Hotel brand serves a wide spectrum of travelers, and while it needs to differentiate itself from internal and external competitors, each property is limited in capacity since the brand’s generic manifestation is deeply embedded in the design language. With the constraint in mind, what Marriott Hotel properties could do is reinvent ways to connect themselves with guests. I hope to see Marriott Hotels building that meaningful connection with guests, including Marriott Dallas Las Colinas, in the near future.
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