Renaissance Saint Elm Opens in Downtown Dallas
Photo courtesy of the Renaissance Saint Elm Dallas
Sure, you don't need an excuse to plan a visit to Dallas, but developer John Kirtland and Azul Hospitality Group is happy to give you one anyway.
Renaissance Saint Elm Dallas Downtown Hotel opened its doors in February 2022. The hotel’s distinctive architectural and artistic style features high and low juxtaposition elements imbued with a sense of clever theatricality. There are 177 guest rooms and suites, a signature restaurant - Brasserie Toussaint - featuring an elegant yet casual take on French cuisine with a touch of Asian flare; Café Toussaint, a 24/7 fitness center and 5,600 square feet of meeting and event space. The property is owned by developer John Kirtland and managed by Azul Hospitality Group, a San Diego based hospitality management company focused primarily on lifestyle hotels and resorts.
The new Renaissance Saint Elm is located in downtown Dallas’s historic and storied Tower Petroleum Building, which originally opened in 1932 and was designed by renowned architect Mark Lemmon. Over the last ninety years, the iconic building has developed a storied history, having served as the home of the Tower Theater (which was part of Theater Row on Elm Street) and housing the FBI for over two decades, just to name a few of its former residents. The building was purchased by John Kirtland (of Deep Blue Something and Kirtland Records) in 2012 and until recently, operated as the Cambria Downtown Dallas. After undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation, the hotel is reopening as the Renaissance Saint Elm Dallas Downtown Hotel, simultaneously paying homage to the elegance of its past while presenting a raw, yet refined space that ties authentically to the culture of its neighborhood and its roots in the arts and commerce.
Photo courtesy of Renaissance Saint Elm Dallas
To Kirtland, "the opening of the Renaissance Saint Elm is the realization of a shared vision with my good friend and Dallas hospitality industry veteran, Bobby Boulougne". Boulougne's passing in 2016 temporarily changed the course of the development, but as Kirtland puts it, “the original vision of a boutique hotel experience that reflects the eclectic DNA of downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum is finally coming to life."
The Renaissance Saint Elm's music-forward guest experience is deeply rooted in the locale and a natural fit with owner Kirtland's decades-long background as a musician, producer, and record label owner. Kirtland was the drummer for the band Deep Blue Something, known for the 1995 hit song “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. As a light-hearted nod to those musical roots, guests might notice the movie that inspired that hit song playing in the original box office of the old Tower Theater space near the hotel’s entry. Each of the hotel’s guest rooms come outfitted with a record player, which can be used to play hidden gems uncovered from Kirtland’s personal vinyl collection housed in the lobby, featuring records from all genres, which guests can check out through the front desk.
Photo courtesy of Renaissance Saint Elm Dallas
The hotel offers guests two distinctive food and beverage options, including signature restaurant Brasserie Toussaint and Café Toussaint. Brasserie Toussaint serves lunch and dinner seven days a week as well as weekend brunch starting in the spring. The brasserie promises to be a relaxed, yet refined dining destination serving thoughtfully planned and well-executed food, with bespoke crafted cocktails rooted in the storied culinary techniques of French and Asian flavors. The café is open for breakfast and throughout the day, featuring Illy Coffee and to-go offerings such as pastries and sandwiches.
Photo courtesy of Renaissance Saint Elm Dallas
Renaissance Navigators feed guest’s sense of discovery with insider tips for local authentic experiences that provoke exploration of one of Dallas’ most vibrant areas, Deep Ellum, just a 5-minute walk from the hotel.
Standard guestrooms start at 460 sq ft and go up to 950 sq ft. for The Majestic Suite, which is located on the 22nd floor and features 1.5 baths, a conference space, and a separate bedroom.
Nightly rates start at $219.