Dallas boasts a remarkable arts and culture scene, with 20 walkable blocks packed with public art pieces (the eyeball sculpture is a must-see), world-class museums, and the convivial Klyde Warren Park, where there’s always something going on like the water fountains that dance in the evening, complete with choreographed light and music.
Centrally located, Fairmont Dallas is a luxury hotel with a storied tradition of artistic collaboration, showcasing an impressive array of works that comprise the hotel's distinguished collection.
The Fairmont Dallas can accommodate just about any group size in its 70,000 square feet of meeting room space (including some “legendary” ballrooms—more on that below). When the meetings wrap, attendees will find plenty to do and see close by.
Keeping in the spirit of creativity and wellness, the Fairmont Dallas also can lead yoga classes and some good ol’ line dancing classes for groups.
“We are in the heart of the arts district and are within walking distance of a number of museums, restaurants and bars, and the Klyde Warren Park,” says Rob DeCanter, Senior Director of Group Sales at Fairmont Dallas. “There’s something for everyone.”
Delicious Group Meals
Last spring, Fairmont Dallas tapped north Texas native Adam Reson to be the hotel’s executive chef.
Reson is passionate about sourcing locally, from the mushrooms he scouts out at weekend farmers markets to juicy peaches and stone fruits from the fertile soils of the nearby Texas Hill Country to finding the best cattle and game from Texas ranches. His own brand of Texas cuisine is influenced by his extensive European travels. Meeting guests can get a taste of this at the cacio e pepe station, with the peppery Italian pasta served out of hollowed-out Parmesan wheels.
For groups, Reson says his goal is for the banquets to feel like elevated dinner parties, complete with stations, with dishes like ratatouille, a classic and colorful Provençal dish featuring thin-sliced vegetables as well as salmon, brisket, and prime rib.
Presentation is key, too, with a colorful Le Creuset serving dishes set up: “It looks like Martha Stewart’s dinner party,” Reson says.
Stand-Out Meeting Spaces
The 545-room Fairmont Hotel Dallas has ample meeting space that can accommodate groups ranging from small executive board meetings to full company gatherings numbering 800. The Fairmont Dallas’ meeting and event rooms have a great flow, and 70 percent of the 70,000 square feet of space receives natural light and shows off views of Dallas’ downtown.
The event space also has some fascinating backstories. The Venetian Room was once a supper club and cabaret that’s hosted Ike and Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Sonny and Cher, Ella Fitzgerald and more. The stage these legends performed on still exists and the room features original artworks from Italy and rare, custom-made candelabras.
An Abundance of Arts and Culture
Did you know that Dallas boasts the largest urban arts district in the nation? Fairmont Dallas is a perfect match, with its own rich artistic heritage where meeting attendees can step out the hotel’s doors and find much to see and do. Some highlights include the Nasher Sculpture Center featuring 300 modern sculptures and the Dallas Museum of Art’s treasure trove of over 22,000 pieces. These works span the third millennium BC to present day and feature works of greats like Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Claude Monet and Jackson Pollock.
Meeting attendees can step out the hotel’s doors and find much to see and do, with some highlights that include the Nasher Sculpture Center featuring 300 modern sculptures and the Dallas Museum of Art’s treasure trove of 22,000 plus pieces spanning the third millennium BC to present day and featuring works of greats like Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Claude Monet, Jackson Pollock.
The Dallas Museum of Art has a Frida Kahlo exhibition through Nov. 24, 2024, with the artists drawings, paintings, and vintage photographs on display. Thursdays on Tap at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a seasonal event that’s a fun way to engage groups. The adult nights at the museum include music, food trucks, adult beverages, and outdoor games.
Excellent programming at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra can make for memorable group experiences.
The five-acre Klyde Warren Park, a short walk from the hotel that hosts concerts, croquet games, yoga, and more fun programming.
A Love for Pups
Animal lovers in town for a meeting will have a chance to meet Bondi, the hotel’s “chief happiness officer.”
Bondi was adopted from Dallas-Fort Worth-based Operation Kindness, and she’s the hotel’s canine ambassador in charge of promoting positivity and happiness among guests. She graces the hotel with her presence five days a week, and can be found welcoming guests in the hotel’s lobby, romping on the rooftop terrace, and attending special meetings and events to spread a little extra joy.
Fairmont Hotel Dallas, a partner of Operation Kindness, can also bring in adoptable puppies and cats for aerobics classes.
A Prime Location
For groups spread out throughout the country, arriving in Dallas is a breeze. More than 2,000 daily flights come into the city daily to two major airports. Dallas’ central location is a four-hour flight from almost anywhere in the United States.
In addition to being well-connected, the cost of doing business in Dallas is 7% lower than the national average, so conference budgets stretch further here.
Planners have no shortage of offsite events to choose from since Dallas has seven professional sports teams, 200 golf courses and 20 entertainment districts.