Sheraton Dallas Hotel
by the TopOfHotel team
Sheraton Dallas is the family pick that leans on a central downtown location at a price you can actually swallow — kids up to 16 stay free on the existing bed, there's an outdoor pool and a rooftop skyline garden for them to burn off energy, and DART plus the Arts District are an easy walk; it wins on location and value rather than full-on water-park play.
Sheraton Dallas is the family pick that leans on a central downtown location at a price you can actually swallow — kids up to 16 stay free on the existing bed, there's an outdoor pool and a rooftop skyline garden for them to burn off energy, and DART plus the Arts District are an easy walk; it wins on location and value rather than full-on water-park play.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
As your ride turns into central downtown Dallas, you'll see the tall form of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel standing among the city's other skyscrapers. This isn't a small place but a massive complex of roughly 1,840 rooms spread across three buildings — South, North and Tower — linked by indoor walkways. Step into the lobby and you hit a wide, open hall in a modern, lively city-hotel style, with seating corners, cafés and restaurants dotted throughout, so it feels like walking through a small self-contained town. Because this is one of the largest hotels in Dallas, the overall mood reads as a grown-up, polished downtown business hotel mixed with comfort a family can actually use. Kids enjoy riding the elevators for the city views and exploring the big common areas, while parents settle in with a coffee in the lobby and watch the city move. If you like a hotel set in the buzz of downtown rather than a quiet resort out of town, this atmosphere should land well. Some rooms sit in older buildings, so it's worth asking for an updated building or floor for a fresher feel.
Food and amenities
For families, the highlight here is the leisure floor with its outdoor pool and rooftop garden that opens up to a full view of the Dallas skyline. The pool is an open-air spot where kids can swim and cool off while parents keep watch close by, and a late-afternoon dip with tall buildings all around really does feel like resting in the middle of a real city. The rooftop garden is an open space for kids to run around in the breeze and stretch their legs after a day in the car or out sightseeing, and it's a corner many families love for photos together, especially at dusk as the city lights flick on one by one. What parents like most is the policy that kids up to 16 stay free on the existing bed, with free cribs for little ones, so you can bring several kids without worrying about extra charges. On top of that, the hotel has several restaurants on site, a Starbucks café and a full fitness center, so on a day you'd rather not go out, the whole family can live comfortably inside.
Location and getting there
Location is genuinely the strongest card here. Sheraton Dallas sits right in central downtown Dallas, walk-everywhere close. The handiest part is a DART station serving every line about a 3-5 minute walk away, so families who'd rather not drive in and out of the city can ride the train wherever they need, cutting both the hassle and the city's fairly steep parking. A few minutes on foot from the hotel puts you in the Arts District, one of the largest arts quarters in America, home to the Dallas Museum of Art, theaters, and Klyde Warren Park with its food trucks and room for kids to run. There are plenty of restaurants around the hotel to walk to as well. If you've flown in, it's roughly a 20-25 minute drive from DFW international airport, or it's handy from the closer Dallas Love Field. In short, if you want a family trip planted in the heart of the city, walking around, riding DART and finding food with barely any need for a car, this location delivers.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. The most important point first: this is not a full kids' water-park resort like the ones in Grapevine. The pool is mainly for a swim and a cool-off, with no giant slides or lazy river, so if the main point of the trip is serious water play, you may feel it falls short. Set that expectation right. Second is the matter of sheer size and conventions. With roughly 1,840 rooms across three buildings, this is one of Dallas's main convention venues, so at times a big event fills the lobby, elevators and common areas and makes them busy. The mood isn't the quiet calm of a pure family resort, so if you can, check whether a big event is on for your dates and ask for a room on a floor away from the event zones. Third, on-site costs run high in the city-hotel style, both parking and the hotel's own food, so using DART instead of driving and walking out to eat nearby helps you save. Finally, since it's a multi-building hotel and some of it is older, the room decor can look plain and less fresh than a recently renovated property, so try to pick a room in an updated building or floor for a newer feel.
Our take
Pulling together a lot of real guest reviews, Sheraton Dallas Hotel is the right fit for families who care about a central location at a fair price more than being a full water-park resort. If you're planning a Dallas trip where you want to be downtown, walk the Arts District, and ride DART in and out of the city without driving, and you'd like to save with the kids-up-to-16-stay-free policy plus free cribs, this place fits well. The outdoor pool and rooftop skyline garden where kids can run around are a nice bonus on top. But if the heart of the trip is taking the kids to a water park with slides and a lazy river, or you want a quiet, private feel with no conventions mixed in, this may not be the answer, and you should budget for the city parking and on-site food. Overall we give it 8.0/10, best for families who want to plant themselves in the heart of Dallas at a price they can manage, then use the location and DART to get out and enjoy the city to the fullest.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The family policy is genuinely good value: kids up to 16 stay free when they use the existing bed, and cribs are free for little ones, which cuts a real chunk out of a family trip's cost.
- It's a walk-everywhere spot in central downtown Dallas. The DART station (all lines) is about a 3-5 minute walk for easy trips in and out of the city, and you can stroll over to the Arts District with its museums and theaters.
- There's an outdoor pool and a rooftop garden looking over the city skyline, so the kids can run around in the breeze and cool off in the water while parents take in the view.
- As a large hotel of roughly 1,840 rooms, it has everything on site: restaurants, a Starbucks café, a fitness center and roomy common areas, so you don't have to go far for food or essentials.
- The starting price is approachable for a 4-star right in the city, good value for families who want to be downtown without paying luxury-hotel rates, and using DART helps trim parking costs.
- This is not a full kids' water-park resort like the ones out in Grapevine. There's a single outdoor pool, mainly for a swim and a cool-off, with no slides or lazy river, so a child set on serious water play may feel it's not enough.
- It's a very large property of roughly 1,840 rooms across three buildings, and it hosts conventions and events often. During a big event the lobby, elevators and common areas get crowded and busy, so the mood isn't the quiet calm of a pure family resort.
- Parking and on-site food run on the high side, the way city hotels tend to, and some rooms sit in older buildings where the decor can look plain and less fresh than a recently renovated hotel, so it's worth checking that you get a room in an updated building or floor.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Confirm the kids-stay-free policy clearly when you book: children up to 16 stay free on the existing bed, and if you need an extra bed or a crib, flag it ahead (cribs are free) so nothing extra pops up at check-in.
- Use the DART station, about a 3-5 minute walk away, as your way in and out of the city instead of driving. It saves on the hotel's fairly steep parking, and the kids get a fun train ride out to the Arts District or downtown.
- Ask for a room in an updated building or floor near the pool and elevators when you book, especially when a big convention is on, to dodge long walks and the bustle, then head up to the rooftop garden at dusk for the city lights.