Downtown Dallas / Main Street

Hotel Indigo Dallas Downtown

★★★★★

Hotel Indigo Dallas Downtown is the history buff's budget-friendly choice in the center of Dallas: a mid-priced boutique hotel in a 1925 tower at the corner of Main and Harwood that holds a special place in hotel history. It was built by Conrad Hilton as the Dallas Hilton, the first hotel to carry the Hilton name, and the building's tall, slender silhouette and handsome brick and stone facade still mark the eastern side of downtown's Main Street. Today it is part of IHG's Hotel Indigo brand, which builds each property around its neighborhood story, and the hotel is currently undergoing a renovation timed to its 100th anniversary, so expect fresh rooms and public spaces, with some work possibly still under way during your stay. Rooms range from standard queens and premium kings to suites with separate living areas and two-queen options for families, plus accessible rooms. Titches Bar and Bistro in the lobby serves breakfast and dinner along with cocktails, and a 24-hour grab-and-go market covers late arrivals. The location is the main appeal: the Dallas Arts District, with the Dallas Museum of Art, the Crow Museum and Klyde Warren Park, is a short walk north; Main Street Garden and the downtown dining strip are around the corner; Deep Ellum's live music clubs are within a mile to the east; and Dealey Plaza, the American Airlines Center and the Farmers Market are a short ride. Downsides: parking is valet only and expensive, rooms in a century-old building can be compact, and the hotel's pet policy is inconsistent across its own pages, so confirm before bringing an animal.

The Hilton connection is more than trivia. Conrad Hilton bought his first hotel in Cisco, Texas, and the Dallas Hilton of 1925 was the first he built from the ground up and the first to bear his name, beginning the brand that would become one of the largest hotel companies in the world. The building has worn other names since, and its Hotel Indigo era has emphasized its heritage with design touches nodding to its long history.

Room craft: choose a premium king for more space, a suite or two-queen room for families, and ask for an upper floor for downtown views. If renovation work is ongoing, ask at booking which floors are complete. Parking is valet only, at a high overnight rate, and vehicles taller than about six feet nine inches cannot use it, so travelers with large SUVs or vans should plan on nearby surface lots — or skip the car entirely, as downtown, the Arts District and Deep Ellum are walkable and DART light rail runs a few blocks away.

Who it suits: history lovers, couples and solo travelers who want a central, characterful base without a luxury price, and visitors planning evenings in Deep Ellum and days in the Arts District. Those who need a pool, resort amenities or cheap parking should look at the Hampton Inn and Suites nearby or the hotels outside the core.