Escape the ordinary Dallas hotel at The Joule

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Dallas is not a city known for boutique hotels, but that’s been changing thanks to properties like The Joule, a unique 129-room upscale hotel that first opened in 2008. Constructed in a former 1920’s Neo-Gothic bank building, this sophisticated retreat combines contemporary design with the unique architectural touches, world-class artwork by the likes of Andy Warhol and on-site fine dining and nightlife. Cookie cutter business hotel this is not. Earlier this month, Gadling stopped by The Joule to take a closer look at this intriguing boutique property. Want a peek at one of Dallas’ most unique hotels? Let’s take a look.

Check-in and The Lobby
The minute you step inside The Joule’s front door, the property’s slick design is on display. Luxurious wood-paneled walls hung with artwork by Andy Warhol and Richard Phillips frame an understated lobby of low-slung couches and chairs. A collection of artsy coffee-table books is scattered about for browsing. We felt as if we had entered the living room of a high-class penthouse – comfortable yet intriguing.

Anchoring the back of the two-story lobby are two massive rotating gears, a play on the hotel’s energy-focused theme (a joule is a unit of energy). The cogs are so huge in fact, they manage to hide the check-in desk. We wandered around for a few minutes before locating the desk and beginning our check-in. The hotel had our reservation on file and we were on our way to our room in no time.

Keep reading below to find out about The Joule’s one-of-a-kind pool and the in-room experience.

%Gallery-92690%The Rooms
In keeping with the unique decor of The Joule, guest rooms follow a similar high-end design motif. Our Deluxe Room’s interior was slick and modern, yet still inviting, set off by the same hardwood touches found in the lobby. Though the room was small, it managed to be well-organized. A stack of intriguing music and art books lined a table and custom Dallas-themed photography on the walls lent the room a personalized yet sophisticated air.

The toilet and shower are laid out in self-contained spaces on opposite sides of the room’s entrance. The “Rainforest” shower head was a joy to use and gets our thumbs up. The sink and vanity area (right) was also tiny but arranged to maximize space. All rooms come with Gilchrist & Soames toiletries and a small unit under the sink with additional amenities like tissues and cotton swabs.

The bed in our room was more than comfortable. With 300-thread count sheets, Down pillows/comforters and chrome reading lamps above each side that flip out, the sleeping area made for an excellent sleeping and late-night reading experience.

Other in-room amenities include a 42″ flatscreen television, an iPod docking station and Bose Wave Radio, and a full Martini station for cocktail fans.

As much as we liked the room’s sophistication and stylish elements, sometimes they can come at the expense of ease of use. When we tried to plug in our large-size Apple laptop charger at the outlets over the desk, it didn’t fit thanks to a curiously placed ledge. Many of the room’s other electrical outlets seemed to be hidden or occupied – a curious move considering the number of gadgets travelers carry these days.

Infinity Pool, Charlie Palmer and PM Nightclub
Not only does The Joule excel with unique in-room design, the property’s intriguing on-site amenities are also worth a visit. First is the hotel’s 39-foot Infinity Pool, one of the The Joule’s most stunning architectural features. Located on the 10th Floor, the pool juts several feet off the building’s edge, creating a dramatic visual effect. We were able to swim underwater up to its edge, gazing down at bewildered street-level pedestrians staring from up at us from below. A Fitness Center and range of Spa Suite services like in-room massage complement the offerings.

Just off The Joule’s lobby is Charlie Palmer at The Joule – a modern take on classic American cuisine that pairs nicely with the hotel’s upscale design interior. In addition to an artisanal and locally-sourced menu, Charlie Palmer features a lineup of signature cocktails and fully-stocked bottle shop at the in-house Next Vintage Wine Shop. Next Vintage is a particularly nice touch for wine-lovers and thrifty customers looking to pick up a convenient bottle for their night out. Just across the lobby from Charlie Palmer is PM Nightlife Lounge, an upscale high-design nightspot for those who want to continue the fun.

The Bottom Line
The Joule isn’t a hotel for everyone – those looking for a simple no-nonsense spot to rest their head should look elsewhere. But for the discerning hotel customer, The Joule’s attention to detail, understated design and top-notch amenities can’t be beat. High-concept boutique hotels can easily be over the top and silly, but The Joule managed to win us over with its combination of understated luxury and cutting edge style. Give it a try the next time you’re in Dallas and you’re in the mood for something different.

A taste of Cleveland: Shopping the historic West Side Market

by Leigh Caldwell on

I did not have any idea what I was going to find when I hopped a cab in downtown Cleveland one morning last week and headed to the West Side Market. Sure, the folks charged with marketing Cleveland as a vacation destination said the market was great, but that’s their job.

So, I had low expectations. All I was hoping for, frankly, was to find a vendor who was selling a muffin and perhaps some coffee.

And then, I stepped into the yellow brick building that has housed the market since 1912.

Dozens of food booths stretched out before me, selling everything from cannolis to whole suckling pig. There are more than 100 food vendors at the West Side Market, and they represent dozens of different ethnicities. Many of the booths have been in the same family for generations.

It’s one of those rare places where you can buy both tamales and liverwurst, pierogis and lo mein, gnocchi and apricot stilton.

It wasn’t packed, (this was a Wednesday, after all) but the market had a big-city bustle that made for great people watching. The ladies who lunch carried their purse pooches on an outing to get the best price on organic produce, students carried worksheets and took notes on the different ethnic foods available and regulars from around the corner ran in for a dozen eggs and a pound of ground sirloin.

Besides the people watching, the West Side Market is a great stop for travelers looking for a quick bite. Many of the vendors have ready-to-eat foods or foods they are willing to heat for you. There’s also a short-order restaurant, the West Side Market Cafe, adjacent.

Admission to the West Side Market is free. It’s open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at West 25th and Lorain, in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood.

And, by the way, I did find that muffin. But not until I had found the a freshly made crepe filled with lemon curd and mascarpone, chocolate bacon bark and caramel cheese popcorn. My apologies to the baker; there simply wasn’t room.

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Foreign travel spending in U.S. up for first time in 15 months

by Tom Johansmeyer on

International visitor spending in the United States is finally on the rise! Last February, travelers from overseas spent $10.4 billion on travel and travel-related purchases, an increase of almost $180 million from February 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. This was the first increase in more than 15 months.

The money wasn’t spent on travel itself, however. Passenger fare receipts received by U.S. carriers and vessel operators from visitors outside the country fell 6 percent to $2.2 billion for the month, a drop of $134 million. Meanwhile, purchases of goods and services related to tourism and travel in the United States reached $8.2 billion, representing a 4 percent year-over-year increase. These purchases include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment and local transportation.

Dream bachelor party trip: Watch Major League Baseball from the FanCave

by Leigh Caldwell on


The Cleveland Indians have introduced “the ultimate sports suite” at Progressive Field this baseball season. They call it the FanCave.

The suite above first base offers a pool and ping-pong table, sports-themed furniture, arcade games and six HDTVs.

The best part just might be the private restroom. The Indians change out the toilet paper before each game, ensuring that the roll features the opposing team’s logo.

Cleveland Indians officials say the FanCave is part of a new trend of theming the luxury suites available for rent at sports stadiums.

The FanCave can be rented for any Cleveland Indians home game. The price of $3,000 includes tickets to the game, as well as food, beer and soft drinks.

Hotel Review: The Distrikt Hotel, New York

by Melanie Nayer on

New York’s Distrikt Hotel opened its doors on Feb. 1, welcoming travelers to a new type of hotel concept: a convergence of culture in one space. The Distrikt pays homage to the various neighborhoods of Manhattan by featuring montages of each neighborhood’s unique personality on various floors throughout the hotel.

New York-based design firm OTTE Architecture designed the hotel alongside local artist Chris Rubino. Each floor of The Distrikt is said to feature a scene that describes one of New York’s iconic neighborhoods including Chelsea, Greenwhich Village, Midtown West, Midtown East, Central Park, Soho, the Lower East Side, Tribeca, Harlem and the Financial District. Located at 342 West 40th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, the hotel is set in the center of it all: Times Square.

On his recent trip to New York, I sent Gadling Editor Grant Martin into the hotel to explore and check out the new digs. Here is what he found:

“The building is narrow, very narrow,” said Grant. However, due to the size of the narrow building the hotel has only five rooms on every floor, which means a lot less foot traffic and less noise than a bigger hotel.

First stop: The Lobby.

The focus of the lobby is the 11-foot green “living wall”, meant to represent Central Park.

In the lobby, there are three Apple computers connected to the Web, which are free of charge to guests. The green wall was filled with live green plants, adding a nice ‘fresh’ aspect to the hotel lobby.

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The subway themed elevator bank is what makes this hotel so unique. “Special city detailing on the walls and city streets carved into the woodwork behind the desk and around parts of the lobby was probably the most unique and my favorite thing about the hotel. This custom woodwork is also in both elevators.”The Rooms

Each floor in The Distrikt Hotel is designated to a specific “district” of Manhattan. Neighborhoods are divided up roughly 3-5 floors per district, and the only thing that really separates them from the other floors is the collage on the walls. The hotel claims they took 10,000 photos to make these collages, and while we didn’t count, the collages are pretty cool.


As far as the rooms go, they are pretty standard. There is no distinctive difference in ‘districts’ once you enter your room, but Grant gives credit where credit is due: “The beds are big, warm and very comfortable. The iPod/phone enabled clock radio was nice, which I appreciate, as was the giant LCD TV that did not default to the hotel channel every time I turned it on.”

Bathrooms

While the bathrooms are small by American hotel standards, they are pretty average for New York standards. The typical amenities were included in the bathrooms, and the bonus was free toothpaste and a toothbrush (if you walked down to the front desk to get it). The bathroom also came complete with a robe and slippers – a nice touch if you decide to lounge around for a while.

Restaurant

The Distrikt Hotel is home to Collage restaurant, which debuts a menu of New York-inspired food and local beers. As the building is narrow, so is the restaurant, which means seating for approximately 50 or so people.

Additional amenities:

Should you choose to stay at The Distrikt Hotel, you can expect free wifi in the rooms, a business desk with ergonomic chair, and Ecru New York soaps and amenities.

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