Best Boutique Hotels in Dallas

A glamorous, ultra-hip hangout, the 153-room Hotel ZaZa is a cool alternative to the luxurious but sometimes stuffy hotels in Uptown Dallas. Guests and locals mingle at the gourmet restaurant, Dragonfly, and at Poolside, the site of outdoor cocktail parties year-round. Rooms have a similar trendy vibe, with animal print accents and black-and-white Old Hollywood photographs.

This 198-room Kimpton property is a stylish pick in the affluent Park Cities area, across the highway from the Southern Methodist University. Spacious, contemporary rooms come with the standard high-tech amenities (flat-screen TVs, iPod docks), plus nice perks like Nintendos and free yoga equipment. One of the hotel’s top features is its lovely outdoor infinity pool, surrounded by lounge chairs and a couple of cabanas. The property also has an American restaurant with chic, modern design, and a bright, state-of-the-art fitness center.

The Aloft Downtown Dallas is located in a historic building, and has a trendy, loft-inspired feel, with sleek, colorful rooms featuring large flat-screen TVs, exposed brick accents, and concrete ceilings. Rooms are on the smaller side (typical for a historic building) and the attempts to make the best use of space can be a bit odd -- in some rooms, the mini-fridge is located under the bathroom sink. Nonetheless, the hotel has become popular due to its outdoor pool, large industrial-chic lobby complete with a 24-hour snack bar, and overall value.

Hotel Indigo feels more like a beach hotel than a hotel located on Main Street in Downtown Dallas. Rooms are decorated with bright yellows, nautical stripes, and large floor-to-ceiling photographs of mussels or flowers, all of which adds to the hotel's boutique charm. Most feature flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and microwaves. The beach-chic decor is also present in the bright lobby and Phi Restaurant.

This 330-room boutique is a breath of fresh air from the many generic hotel chains in Dallas. Though the building itself is located in an historic area of downtown (a major plus), the attractively designed rooms look and feel modern with clean bathrooms, iPod docks and comfortable beds. Even though the hotel is located within walking distance of plenty nightlife options, the on-site lounge holds its own. And the free milk-and-cookies reception every night is cute, homey touch.