Downtown Fort Worth / Sundance Square

The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel

★★★★★

The Worthington is the classic place to stay in downtown Fort Worth, and the best base for seeing the whole city. It sits right beside Sundance Square, the red-brick heart of downtown — a pedestrian-friendly district of restored buildings, restaurants, bars, shops and the open plaza where Fort Worth gathers for concerts, festivals and, in the holiday season, one of the tallest live Christmas trees in Texas. The hotel is part of Marriott's Renaissance brand, which favors local character over chain uniformity, and it combines the scale of a full-service convention-class hotel with a central location that lets you walk to dinner, to shows at Bass Performance Hall and to the Fort Worth Water Gardens. Rooms are spacious and comfortable, many with views over downtown; the hotel has its own restaurant and bar, a fitness center and meeting and event space, and service is professional and friendly. From the front door, the Stockyards are about ten minutes north by car and the Cultural District with the Kimbell and the Modern about ten minutes west, so you can do both of Fort Worth's headline experiences in a day without moving hotels. Downtown Fort Worth also has the TEXRail station connecting to DFW Airport and the TRE commuter line to Dallas, which makes the Worthington a practical choice for travelers splitting time between the two cities. It is the sensible, central, mid-priced option among this guide's hotels, and a good alternative for those who prefer a city-center base over the Stockyards scene.

Sundance Square is one of the great downtown revival stories in Texas: decades of patient investment by the Bass family turned a run-down district into a lively, safe, walkable core, with restored early-twentieth-century facades, public art and the plaza at its center. The Worthington has been part of that story for decades, and its position — at the edge of the square but away from the noisiest bars — gives it the convenience without the late-night noise of some nightlife hotels.

Staying here: rates are generally moderate, rising during big events, rodeo season and conventions. Rooms are larger than average, which suits families. There is self and valet parking at a daily fee; once parked, downtown is walkable, and Molly the Trolley, the free downtown circulator, has historically connected key points. Dining options within a few blocks are excellent — Tex-Mex, steakhouses and casual spots around the square — and the hotel restaurant covers breakfast.

Who it suits: travelers on a Fort Worth-focused trip who want the Stockyards and Cultural District within easy reach, families who need space, and visitors to Bass Performance Hall or events downtown. Couples looking for romance will prefer Hotel Drover's Western character, and Dallas-centered trips should sleep in Dallas. For a central, comfortable base in Cowtown, the Worthington is the dependable choice.