As a (young, single, female) business traveller I always try and situate myself in a safe area hotel-wise. Hotel Lumen is in a really nice neighborhood that seems pretty safe. The staff was really helpful about my safety concerns as well as giving me recommendations on where to eat. I felt comfortable walking around in the evening alone. The valet people were always super helpful and fast, and housekeeping seemed on top of their game as well. extra points for the Aveda toiletries (score!) and SUPER COMFY bed and pillows. I did not try the restaurant though. it was also nice having a couch in the room. in response to some of the reviews that spoke about noise, maybe it was just where I was situated (in the front of the hotel) but I never had any issues with noise, whether it be from other guests or from housekeeping. However, I was staying mid-week. I will definitely stay here again (as long as I can get another deal from Expedia!) read more

Hotel Lumen, which was previously a Ramada, is an obvious attempt at a boutique hotel -- but the Kimpton Treatment cannot save an old, budget facility. When you can hear every noise from your neighbors and their wall-mounted television, it's hard to enjoy your vacation. Vacuuming at 9:30 am on a Sunday? Maybe at a business hotel, but not at one that clearly caters to parents, weddings, and weekenders. Here's the run-down, in the Thumbs Up: + Location: across the street from SMU and in the Park Cities + Thick mattress, down-filled pillows, excellent linens. The kind that make you want to sleep in and snuggle. + Huge glass-walled shower stall, with one large showerhead and three wall-mounted jets below (at approx. chest, waist, and knee height), Aveda products. + New York Times newspapers + The "poo closet" -- the toilet is enclosed in its own decoration-free area - the sink and the shower are outside. Men seem to enjoy this cavelike experience. + About a block away from a 7-11, should you need anything And the Thumbs Down: -- Parking is $10 a day and this is not clearly stated by staff or signage -- Thin Walls -- Watch out for the modern bedframe. The space between the desk and the bed isn't huge and seems to shrink in the middle of the night. -- Not enough towel bars. Or a soap dish. Seriously, it's a glammed up Ramada. read more

It's okay. The Hotel Lumen is okay if you're visiting SMU but otherwise you'll wonder where you are. The bar is fine, the rooms are nice but not fantastic. They are clean, the hotel is clean, the staff is solid. Yeah, this is a Kimpton property which means things to certain people because they have branded well into many folks hearts. Uh, what else is there to say abut this little hotel The Lumen is not bad at all. read more

I don't know if it's Texas or the Lumen, but the staff included some of the nicest people I've ever met -- Joseph checked us in and saw us off, so a huge shout-out to him! The place is nice, small. They're adding a pool, which is a definite necessity. It's close to a shopping center full of restaurants and it's right across the street from SMU. The rooms are clean, comfortable and well-furnished. In fact, the bed made it slightly difficult to get up and walk to my conference in the morning. It's just so incredibly soft, fluffy and warm! If I were here on vacation, it's very likely I would not have gotten out of it all day. The shower has 2 settings -- overhead and... out-of-the-wall. I didn't use the latter just because I was slightly afraid, but it was a cool touch! The water stayed a bit too warm, though; slightly on the unpleasant side, but not unbearable. Aveda products throughout: bonus. Also, if you eat at Social, get anything with chicken in it. It's prepared to perfection! Juicy, perfectly seasoned, made the salad complete and dee-lish! TIPS: If you sign up for Kimpton Connect (which is free), you get free Wi-Fi! It's a little slow, but it's better than 1. no internet and 2. paying for internet. Coffee and quick breakfast in the morning from 6am to 9am (I believe) Wine hour from 5pm to 6pm. Way to go Kimpton! I would absolutely stay here again. read more

This hotel which is trying to pass itself off as a trendy upscale hotel has quite a few WINDOWLESS rooms. They expect you to be comfortable paying money to stay in a room that lacks a window. I don't even see how this can be legal or up to fire code. When asked to change rooms I was given attitude and only moved once I threatened to leave the hotel. Unfortunately I am staying here for 9 days and the room I was moved to is much smaller and has intermittent electricity. I also have to move back to the windowless room the last night of my stay. Also, there is no heat in the lobby and Dallas in January is not so warm. Its about 30 degrees all through out the first floor. This is more like a motel than a trendy hotel. Couple other thought.... THe wall are way to thin, the towels are close to the consistency of cardboard, but on the upside they have free wifi. I will never stay here again. read more

Kimpton: I have been a huge fan of Kimpton for years now. The brand offers exceptional, personalized service in unique boutique style hotels. Location: Much like Virginia, Delaware, and I'm sure a few other locations "North" is where you want to be and that's true of Dallas, too. If you've never been to Dallas this hotel is in the Highland Park neighborhood of North Dallas. It's one of the wealthiest/safest/prettiest neighborhoods in all of Dallas. The hotel is directly across from SMU campus and a quick walk to the football stadium. There is a Starbucks down the street about .7 mile! Any boutique you could imagine (not kidding hello Giuseppe and Christian Louboutin!) are within 2 miles. The Katy Running Trail is a well maintained paved running/biking trail, the hotel is a short 1 mile run to an entrance. Your run/walk to the actual trail does have sidewalks and pedestrian signals for crossing. Running in the Highland Park neighborhood can be VERY dark and a bit daunting unless you have lights to accompany you, but nonetheless it's a very safe neighborhood. The trail is beautiful and if you're into this sort of thing I highly recommend it. *Ask for helmets/bike locks at valet* sign a waiver with the front desk and borrow a Kimpton bike!! Northpark mall is within 3 miles of the hotel, which means Kimpton's complimentary black SUV will drop you off and pick you up. These guys were great and saved me many a Uber rides to Starbucks, the mall, and McKinney Trolley area. Rooms: I stayed in a Spectra Studio Suite with one king bed on the third floor. There's floor to ceiling window but there is no balcony and the ceilings are pretty low. I recommend checking out a higher room, and possibly bigger than that. There was a couch, coffee table, desk, bed, and bathroom but I wasn't a fan. I did like that the bathroom had a separate door/mini room for the toilet to allow two people to (comfortably??) use the bathroom at once. However I don't like that I was forced to use the bathroom for my clothes, the closets are all in the bathroom. Like I said, I recommend checking out some other layouts. Service: I've stayed in many hotels and no one has been as exceptional as Kimpton. We had a few snafus with the front desk here. The gentleman checking us in asked if we were married and asked if I was stationed here. Both are wildly inappropriate in my opinion and he was making some pretty strong assumptions with both of the questions. This was a snafu and we refused to let it affect our trip, but I did my best to avoid this particular member of the staff for the remainder of the trip. When my boyfriend asked about rental cars they listed off places with exotic/performance car rentals, he laughed and we liked the way they were thinking. Ultimately he did find a very nice car with their help. There were bottled waters, champagne on ice, and pink flowers completed with a signed birthday card delivered to my room. It was not my birthday, but it was my birthday month and Kimpton goes above and beyond to recognize these sort of things. I left my birthday card behind on accident and I'm bummed about it :( Hotel: We stayed in April, the rooftop was occupied/not available for our entire trip. The pool was not available/closed/ covered by an unsightly wedding reception set up for our entire trip. I just feel like some sort of message should be conveyed to guests about pool hours and days of operation, as well as rooftop lounges, since these both may be huge reasons why your hotel was chosen for a trip. Restaurant: We enjoyed this restaurant on several occasions. I wish they had a buffet brunch option but when we did eat there the service and food were great! To get to some great steakhouses we took short $20 Uber trips! uber blacks and SUVs were always readily available here. Check them out! read more

See all

Nice place but didn't care to serve us. Got my own drink after waiting 20 min. At least they took good care of my Tesla. read more

The Lumen - Look Ma no service. Been sitting here at a table for 20 min w no service so I decided to get my own drink. - Hotels Near Me - Dallas, Texas

This is one of my favorite hotels (I am one of the business travelers). I always get upgraded because of my frequent visits, and they are very nice - the valet guy usually recognizes me. I never hear anyone else, and I am a light sleeper/sometimes insomniac, so it's strange that others complain about the noise. I prefer boutique hotels to the big places anyday, and Dallas has more chains than cool places like this. Hotel Lumen will always get my business! Walk to the Starbucks instead of drive - it's not that far and it's a nice neighborhood to explore on foot. And the bathrooms are awesome. read more

First of all, this hotel is BEAUTIFULLY decorated. From the minute you pull up, it screams luxury. The hotel is valet parking only because the surrounding neighborhood is permit parking only for the residents in that area. The valet staff is very friendly and FAST. We were greeted with smiles by every employee we saw on our way to the front desk to get checked in. They keep "selfie sticks" at the front desk for you to use during your stay. The gal at the front desk even took a selfie with my group as we got checked in. Every evening there is a happy hour with complimentary wine, beer, and cheese. Guests are encouraged to come downstairs and mingle/relax. There is also a complimentary shuttle service within a 5 mile radius of the hotel. Andrew, the concierge, is absolutely fantastic. He even took a couple minutes to show us some of the big beautiful houses around the hotel on our way home from dinner. The BEST part of our stay is that they treated our dog like he was a little person! They were so accommodating and so helpful and gave my pup so much love! I am now and forever Kimpton loyal! read more

I stay here frequently and this hotel is very clean, comfortable and the staff is fantastic. There are many different room styles available, some with balconies that overlook the pool or the SMU campus. Restaurant is very good with an eclectic menu. A nice perk is the 5 to 6PM complimentary wine and beer happy hour which gives you a chance to chat with some of the other guests and hotel employees. If you join their frequent stay program, you will get free wi-fi and a newspaper at your door every morning. Free bike rentals and coffee in the AM too. A dog friendly hotel, but the kind of dogs that stay here are very refined and well heeled...so don't worry about barking. Hotel is located in one of the safest and most desirable areas of Dallas and within walking distance to Snyder Plaza, which has a great selection of restaurants and small shops. Excellent hotel, but it's the staff that really earns this place a 5 star rating. read more

If your going to visit Dallas stay at this place super clean fast service and a beautiful hotel. The best part is the shower it has multiple jets similar to a car wash lol it's a great way to stand and get a high pressure water message. Overall great place rooms are super clean with all amenities of a five star resort. Cheers read more

See all

We stayed at The Lumen on a Saturday night. The hotel had a very modern look. Room and bed were very comfy. Multi-jet shower was outstanding. The hotel is pet friendly and they had a complementary beer/wine hour. I would certainly recommend this hotel. read more

Unhappy at check-in, but hopeful that accommodations will be made and I can revise review. Checked in before checkout on a Friday, but was told the only rooms left were king beds--unacceptable bc I am sharing the room. I asked about rollaway beds-"all gone." How could this already be at the start of a weekend? The room also has a loud pulsing AC and the maintenance employee said he would see about another room, but still waiting. Unresponsive front desk. Frustrating bc I have stayed here before and had an entirely different experience. read more

Tv/cable didn't work. Dirty room. Worn furniture and carpet. This is basically a motel- without a working TV.

This place change ownership and underwent a complete renovation a few years back, and the improvement is significant. We always put people here who are in Dallas for a job interview or conference, and no one has complained. Some have even said "nice place." It is conveniently located to Snider Plaza so people can walk to restaurants there or along Hillcrest. SMU is across the street. The area is safe and walkable, a real urban experience in the suburbs. read more

I am a big fan of kimpton hotels. I found them because I needed a nice place to stay where I could bring my great pyr/Newfoundland giant breed dog. Usually when in Dallas, I stay at Hotel Palomar but it was purchased by Hilton so I decided to try their sister hotel, hotel Lumen. I love this hotel. They are so friendly from the minute you step out of your car until you leave the hotel. They have a great mixologist at the bar from Oregon and the concierge, Robin, was funny and knowledgable when it came to recommending a place to get pizza with a friend on a late Monday night. The hotel was completely booked because it was SMU move in week but I was really impressed at how smoothly the operation was running. All my stays at Kimpton hotels are nothing short of perfect. This is definitely a hotel for me. read more

The Lumen - The "Mayor's Suite" was the perfect fit for my stay in Dallas with my giant breed Great Pyrenees / Newfoundland Mix. - Hotels Near Me - Dallas, Texas

If you are willing to pay a decent penny for a great place to lay your head at night while visiting Dallas, this might be your spot. Friendly and helpful staff, this very modern and clean hotel offers a great location for anyone visiting SMU for a weekend. My biggest complaint would be the restaurant on site is just average, but that's not too big of a deal considering the numerous eating options within easy walking distance. Only a few blocks away you can get a great workout on the Katy Trail, where you can run, walk, bike, or roller blade while you people watch. read more

I'm not a hotel guru, so please excuse my most likely poorly written/explained review. I needed a reasonably priced place to stay for 2 nights near SMU (seeing a concert at the McFarlin Auditorium, which was only a 5-minute walk away), and chose the Lumen. I had to work from the hotel room for one of those days, so I was pleased with the speed and reliability of the internet connection, especially after experiencing really shoddy connections with other hotels. The staff is super friendly and helpful, and the valet guys outside are great too. I didn't have a car, but they still helped with my roller bag when I climbed in/out of a cab without my having to ask. I didn't use the hotel pool or gym, but the pool looked pretty sweet from what I could see. You can get a full view of it from the lobby, and I even saw someone take their laptop to work in there. I thought about doing this too, but then I remembered that I am not to be trusted with electronics near bodies of water/open flames/any kind of edge with a sudden drop, so I reconsidered. The room I was in was huge, the bed was plush, and the TV worked. I don't ask for much from the hotels I stay in, admittedly, but this still seemed pretty top-notch to me. I even got $10 credit to use for the room's mini bar because of the Kimpton InTouch program (which is free, so why not?). One quibble: The shower is large, which I dig, but the doors aren't sealed very well so water ends up leaking out all over the bathroom floor. I solved this by pushing some towels near the leak. If I had to stay near that part of Dallas again, I'd book with the Lumen! read more

Amazing hotel, have travelled all around the US for the past 5 weeks and this has by far been our favourite hotel. The restaurant/ bar downstairs is also really great, the staff throughout the whole place are friendly and helpful. The room was spacious and clean and the room service team were happy to make up our room at any time of the day as our schedule was all over the place. Comfy pillows & the curtains really block out the light - so relaxing and homely feeling! By far the nicest hotel in Dallas & in a beautiful neighbourhood. Couldn't recommend more!! read more

This place is great! Hotel staff were very friendly, room was immaculate, location is great, and checking in/out was a breeze. I really liked the soap/shampoo/conditioner/body wash that was provided-it was great quality and smelled amazing. Our room also had a large walk in shower, and thick, luxurious, sparkling white towels. There's a bar connected to it, great place for happy hour! read more

Great location. Wonderful restaurant, the hotel is very quiet clean modern. The staff goes out of their way to welcome you.

Hotel Lumen is awesome! Probably the best hotel I've ever stayed in. The staff is so friendly and helpful. They made us feel so welcome. We brought our 3 year old daughter with us and the front desk even made a treat bag just for her! The hotel is beautiful; the pool area is perfect for relaxation. They even have wine happy hour! I can't wait to visit again! read more

The Lumen - She loved the pool! - Hotels Near Me - Dallas, Texas

The worst experience I have had at a nice hotel. They have events here and the music is very loud till 11pm. Also we where unable to even get into the hotel to have valet park our car. This should be a event location not a hotel! read more

Before moving to Dallas, I flew out and stayed here 1 night. Check-in was fast, and I was put in a handicap room, with plenty of room. My stay was very enjoyable, my only complaint was with the food I ordered in room. Way too salty! I could barely eat the fries that came with my burger..such a waste for a 23 dollar meal. On the plus side, service was fast. read more

Am planning to make Dallas my post work-life home. I spent a week at the Lumen while I got the feel for the area. Loved the Lumen!! The hotel staff members were warm, welcoming, and chock full of southern hospitality. Loved my suite, #350! The suite was contemporary, spacious, and comfortable. Loved the soaking tub and the fact that the suite had multiple thermostats and both auto controlled shades and black-out shades. The only thing that would have made it over the top pleasant would have been an in-suite mini fridge and microwave. The afternoon wine and snacks provided a nice touch. The on-site restaurant also provided for in-room dining. I enjoyed eating in-suite and inside the restaurant; delivery time for in-room dining was more than reasonable. The food was really good, especially the fresh oysters, the heirloom tomato salad, and the Bex Reisling. The hotel is directly across from SMU and within several blocks of the start of the Katy Trail. When we walked the length of the Trail from the hotel, the total distance was 9.1 miles!! The neighboring residential communities were beautiful and were walkable as well. Nice pool and fitness room with the special touch of the availability of bicycles to ride, and a hotel car. Downtown Dallas and the expressway to Ft. Worth are easily accessible from the hotel. So, all in all, my time spent in Dallas was both productive and enjoyable. Will stay at the Lumen again when I return for my next visit! read more

Everything about this hotel was excellent and I can't believe I didn't have to pay two or three times more! The staff were friendly, professional, and incredibly helpful. They took care of everything I asked for and consistently impressed me with what they offered. Even the housekeeping went beyond my expectations - the room was very thoroughly cleaned, with my possessions organized but minimally disturbed. There are many little perks and details that make it a "boutique" hotel: robes in the room, lux toiletries (they smell AMAZING), a nice shower with body jets, and a wine hour every day with free wine and appetizers. This is all on top of what you want in a hotel: clean facilities, a comfortable bed, and a good desk for getting work done. The WiFi works well throughout the hotel and I was able to easily work on my laptop in my room, the lobby, by the pool, or in the restaurant. Note that you need to join their rewards program to have free WiFi, but that is just an e-mail signup. The restaurant/bar is amazing. It isn't cheap, but the cost matches the quality of food and drink that is offered (even if it wasn't in a hotel). Many people come to the restaurant/bar who aren't staying at the hotel, but I never saw it too busy to be seated immediately. Yes, it is dog friendly! While I wasn't traveling with a dog, it was nice to see the different pets in the lobby. At no point did I hear barking or see dog hair on things, so don't worry if you think that allowing dogs would be bad. Yes, it really is as close to SMU as it looks! I had a meeting there all week, and it was a nice short walk. It was pouring rain one morning, and the hotel drove me over to my meeting site. Even if you don't need to be at SMU, there are many restaurants in the area. It was pleasant to walk around and do a little shopping. read more

Cute hotel, however service was terrible. There is a mini bar in the room with nothing in it and no water anywhere to be found. I called the desk and she said there was water in the restaurant. No room service. When I asked about water the person at the desk said that they had it at the desk and if I would have called and asked them to bring it to me they would have, too bad that was mentioned last night. read more

We drove to Dallas from Houston to celebrate my cousin's birthday and for a family weekend get away. We decided to be spontaneous and did not make any reservations. Thanks to yelp, we found this place that accommodated Bella, our four legged child/Shih tzu. Excellent customer service from the beginning to end (valet, check-in/out process, and room service). The room was clean, spacious, and beautifully decorated in contemporary style. The hotel is centrally located to restaurants, attractions (White Rock Lake), and shopping (North Park Center). We had a great and relaxing time. Thank you Hotel Lumen! We will definitely return again read more

See all

This will probably be one of my favorite hotels. From the moment of check in to departure, the staff could not have been more accommodating. Checked in for a much needed getaway and since it is dog friendly - I brought along my "foster" cocker spaniel. This is a totally dog friendly hotel and they even put dishes and a bed in the room for the fur friend. (I had brought all of that as well - but he was very pleased with theirs). The room was clean. A few issues were there was open product on the honors bar and the phones needed to be wiped down. The mini bar fridge was barely cold, and if it wasn't to put the dogs food in it, we wouldn't have noticed. The bedding was comfortable, clean and very relaxing. Our room had robes which were plush and comfortable as well. If you forget a toiletry - no worries- they have a list of items available for you. The room was extremely quiet as well. The lobby is warm and inviting with many sitting areas and a wine happy hour nightly - thank you very much! Also coffee service in the morning. The pool has cabañas on one side and lounge chairs on the other. It's a smaller pool but perfect for size of hotel. Note: the deck is black and extremely hot! (Wear shoes). There is a terrace on the fourth floor with some views and a great spot to enjoy a peaceful morning. The room was never cleaned between nights we were there but it was probably more of a timing issue than a staff. Seemed they weren't available when we were out of the room for the morning. And then of course I would expect them to enter when we had left the dog for a couple hours (with do not disturb sign on door). We had breakfast only in the restaurant and it was not remarkable except for the price (but it is a hotel). There is also a nightly happy hour with a nice selection of discounted wines, drinks, appetizers. We enjoyed the car service that will take you within a few miles of property. And the recommendations of the driver/bellhop we spot on for shopping and dining! Overall the staff made us extremely welcome and I felt extremely thankful to their attention to details. If it wasn't for the few issues I restaurant and with room this would be 5 star for sure. I cannot wait to come back and write a 5 star review - hopefully soon! read more

This hotel has been sold and boy has it taken a turn for the worse. There is no cold water in the room to drink. There is nothing in the mini bar. Room service is over and no longer exists. Why would anyone who needs to stay in the hotel and needs hotel services ever stay here? Furthermore, this week it is $100 more expensive then the Marriott and Hyatt Regency Hotel downtown. Go figure. Whoever is the new owner of this place is screwing up a good name read more

THE BEST HOTEL I HAVE EVER STAYED AT! The employees here are the most genuine people I have met. They not only were every member of the staff extremely friendly, but they were so helpful! Not only do they have a free shuttle service (within 5 miles of the hotel), but they have complimentary wine hour. They even are having an Oscar Viewing Party, complete with a red carpet and extended wine hour. Andrew went above and beyond. He unloaded our bags from our car and delivered them to our room. He encouraged us to take advantage of wine hour. He gave us a quick tour of the hotel and encouraged us to check out their roof deck. He was our driver home from dinner, and he not only safely got us home, but he talked to us and showed us around the neighborhood. He even called us and delivered a free cake from the executive chef to our room! Robin is incredible. She was a joy at the front desk. Check in was such a breeze and her happiness was contagious. When I had a friend and her son come to visit, Robin gave the little guy a toy airplane to play with. Overall this staff goes above and beyond and you would be SO lucky to stay here. :) Plus they are DOG FRIENDLY! Who doesn't love seeing a cute furriend around the halls and in the lobby. I hope to come back here someday! read more

I have just returned from an 11 day business trip to Dallas. Our client made our reservation at the Lumen and I was please to see a lot of positive recommendations before arriving. We were so impressed with both the hotel and the staff. The hotel is clean, with a modern boutique style - gorgeous lobby. Fresh coffee and tea every morning, fruit flavored water in the afternoon, and a happy hour in the early evening. The sculptor, Brad Oldham has placed small and large sculptures all over the hotel and we had fun looking for them, including the roof patio. The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the pool is small, but has nice cabana chairs and is perfect. What really made our stay wonderful was the front staff. Juanita, Fernando and Justin took wonderful care of us. They were friendly, gave great recommendations of things to do and places to go in Dallas. They will even give you a ride to a restaurant in a 3 mile radius and then come an pick you up! We also liked the location next to SMU - a beautiful campus to walk around in. There are restaurants within a few minutes walk as well. We tended to go over the the Lower Greenville area for dinner, but the Knox/Henderson area has some great options and shopping as well. We highly recommend this wonderful hotel. Next time we come to Dallas, we will be staying here again. Thank you Lumen staff! read more

Nice, modern and clean hotel across from SMU. We stayed here the night before s music audition and found it comfortable and charming. The restaurant in the hotel is also very good. read more

A Vampire's Dream Hotel If you're a vampire looking to vacation, or simply feed, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, boy have I found the hotel for you. Initially, I thought this was one of the worst hotels I've ever stayed in. But upon closer examination I realized that it wasn't the hotel that was the problem, it was me. I'm a human, and the Hotel Lumen is actually a hotel for Vampires. It's chock full of amenities that vampires will love; stuff you won't find in hotels that cater to mere mortals. Vampire Feature #1: No Windows I was put in a room with no windows. Yup -- my hotel room, on the second floor, had no windows. Have you heard of any other hotel in America that offers a room without windows? Obviously, humans would go crazy in a room without windows, which I did. But vampires? Well, no windows means no sunlight and no incineration -- a great feature for a sharptooth. Imagine waking up at noon and not seeing an ounce of sunlight. Sucks for people, but it's vampire luxury at its best. Vampire Feature #2: No Chairs After realizing my room had no portal to the outside world, I thought I'd take a seat and watch some TV. Just one problem: no chairs. Why would a room, at a self-proclaimed boutique, upscale hotel have no chairs? Because they know that if you're a vampire, you aren't sitting in chairs. Oh no. The only thing you're doing is having crazy sex on the bed. That's what vampires do. They have ridiculous, hanging from the ceiling, tearing the wallpaper off the walls sex sex sexy sex sex. And they don't sit in chairs. Vampire Feature #3: No Bathroom Countertop As I may have mentioned, I'm a human. That means from the moment I was born, my body has been slowly deteriorating towards death. So, I need to take care of it with stuff like soap and toothpaste and moisturizer. And, when I'm at a hotel, I tend to like to put that stuff on a counter in the bathroom. Vampires, on the other hand, well, they live forever and have immaculate, porcelain skin. They have absolutely no use for ritualistic preservation products. And, as such, they have no use for a counter to hold said toiletry products. Moisturizer, schmoisturizer. And, subsequently, counter schmounter. Vampire Feature #4: Flashy Leopard Skin Robe Lots of hotels have a complimentary robe in the room, but this hotel's robe was special. It was 100% real fake leopard skin. Now, out of context, I'd find the robe rather odd. But at the Lumen Hotel for Vampires it made perfect sense. Vampires luhhhhhve tacky clothes. Capes, silk shirts, medallion necklaces -- they dress like blood-sucking Huggy Bears. A leopard skin robe is just the kind of thing a vampire might wanna throw on after 48 hours of sex and not looking out the widow. Plus, the robe was sandpaper scratchy, so no human would ever want to wear it. But a vampire with skin that can heal faster than it takes to make a blood-filled hot pocket? Bingo! The perfect vampire accoutrement. Vampire Feature #5: Empty Minibar Further proof that this hotel was built for vampires and not humans: the minbar was almost completely barren. Simple humans would appreciate basic amenities like water, or soda pop, or even alcohol. But this hotel knows that vampires will be drinking one thing and one thing only: blood. And it can't be found in a grocery store. Unless you were a vampire and you sucked someone's blood in a grocery store, in which case, I guess you could find blood in a grocery store. Either way: empty minibar = another reason this hotel is obviously for vampires. Vampire Feature #5: Vampire Conscious Staff I requested to move to a room with a window five or six times and the front desk refused each and every time. No matter how hard I tried, they wouldn't give me sunlight. They insisted that I stay in the room without windows. As a human, it pissed me off and made me never want to stay in that hotel again. But I realized that if I were a vampire, it's the exact response I would need if I wandered in drunk requesting human niceties like a window. A Couple Vampire Tips: - No one goes to the bar so you will have to look to feed elsewhere. - Southern Methodist University is across the street, presumably with plenty of virgins to feed on. - The walls are incredibly thin, so if you have a loud feeding, people might know. - I ordered a coffee machine and it was delivered by a young man. The coffee maker had two dried up bags of instant coffee in it, but as a vampire you'll probably be more interested in the person bringing the coffee maker to your room than the coffee maker itself. One more thing. The toilet paper holder was broken so the toilet paper was constantly falling off onto the floor. But, in reality, that was the only minor inconvenience and something that can be easily fixed in a hotel that was built for high-class, but not too high class, vampires. For a coffin-like experience in the guise of a luxury hotel, look no further. read more

So, let me start by saying that the concierge, Andrew, was a very nice guy and his counterpart, Jay, the wine guy, was as well. So, big ups on the people experience here. However, one of the first things out Andrew's mouth was an apology that we'd been awarded the last (read "worst") room in the hotel. He said, "one thing we tell our new guests is to remember to book the 'King Deluxe' so you get a window in your room." I didn't know that was an issue in any hotel I've ever been in EVER. (Feel free to spend a minute at their website, http://www.hotellumen.com/, and tell me where you see mention of that anywhere. Go ahead, I'll wait. See?) To Andrew's credit, he did his best to make it better with the offer of some free hooch, getting the missus a nice glass of wine and showing up at our door minutes later with a tumbler of quality whiskey. Kudos. However, the room was a real disappointment for the rate we paid. The shortcomings included: - zero windows. (On checkout, the guy at the desk said "pilots really like those rooms." Really? Who gives a sh#@t? It was like sleeping in a tomb.) - bar/restaurant closes at 11pm on a Saturday night. - no coffee maker in the room. So let's get completely dressed in the morning to go get a cup of coffee... - no premium channels (HBO can't possibly be THAT expensive. Again, the room rate leads one to believe otherwise.) - pay-for-play wi-fi. What is this, Soviet Russia? (h/t Yakov Smirnov) - no free parking / mandatory valet. So, I guess you could say we left disappointed and don't plan to go back any time soon. In an era in which airlines charge to bring an actual suitcase onboard, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised at getting so little for our hard-earned dollars. Maybe we're not the target market. Who knows. read more

I've always been a fan of the Kimpton hotel group having stayed at many of their properties across the country, especially in San Francisco when I virtually lived at several of their hotels while I was working/living in SF. The Lumen is an honest reflection of what you'd expect from a boutique hotel chain like Kimpton. I first stayed at the Lumen when I was moving to Dallas and was looking for homes. Kimpton had renovated an older hotel and did a great job converting it into a modern establishment. The front staff and valet are very efficient and friendly. The standard rooms and the suites are all great. The Lumen features Aveda bath amentities, comfy colorful couches, flat screen TVs, and clean, but hip modern designs in their rooms. The suites offer up a lot of space. With a top floor balcony and near full size kitchen area (no stove), this would be the perfect place to host a private party. My only complaint was that on my last stay there were several cockroaches that made a guest appearance in my suite. That was the first time I came face to face with Texas cockroaches and they are huge! They're not joking when they say everything is bigger in Texas. Aside from that one bizarre incident, I was pleased with the hotel. It's in a great location. It's close enough to downtown, Knox Henderson, etc., but just far enough away so you can enjoy peace and quiet. It's right across from SMU so if you're visiting friends or family this is the ideal location. Social, the restaurant downstairs also serves great food. read more

Good for the price point. Clean. Great location. Had no issues while staying here. Front desk personnel were friendly and helpful , valet also very friendly. read more

The hotel is cool, definitely a find for people wanting to stay near campus. But, I know a few of the investors in this property and I wanted to clear up a few of the reviews. Someone said it was an old Ramada Inn...another said it was not. It indeed was and old Ramada Inn, which they spent a gob of money to renovate and make look nothing like a Ramada. It would be pretty difficult to change a parking structure into a hotel. No offense, Margo. The hotel is beautiful, clean, very hip for anything on campus. read more

Multiple people have tried to call to arrange for rooms for an up coming wedding. To my complete and utter disappointment, NO ONE from the sales department would call back either myself or our representative. If you expect any type of customer service go somewhere else. read more

Stayed two nights. I thought it was overpriced at $180 per night. Rooms and service were satisfactory and their restaurant was pretty good for breakfast. Next visit to Dallas I might try something better or cheaper (I'm not sure which) but I'm looking for better value I think read more