On June 15, the uniquely luxurious Hôtel Swexan opened its doors in the heart of Dallas’ popular Harwood District, a flourishing walkable art, entertainment and culinary neighborhood. Fusing its Swiss heritage with Texas hospitality, the 134-room boutique, family-owned hotel was designed to offer the myriad amenities corporate meeting and event planners seek in a high-end hotel, including world-renowned design, five independent food and beverage concepts, a private social club, an expansive rooftop infinity pool, panoramic rooftop views and high-end meeting and event space.

Exuding European, old-world elegance fused with Texan spirit, Hôtel Swexan is the first hotel project for Dallas-based Harwood Hospitality Group, which owns and operates several restaurants throughout the 19-city-block Harwood neighborhood, including Happiest Hour, Saint Ann Restaurant & Bar and Dolce Riviera.  

“We are absolutely thrilled to officially open this exciting new hotel and share the next chapter of Dallas luxury with the world,” said Hôtel Swexan General Manager Julian Payne. “We look forward to providing our visitors with a top-tier level of service that defines the Hôtel Swexan name, fostering connections, creativity and showcasing what makes this city truly special.”    

Sporting an exterior created and envisioned by famed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma of Kengo Kuma & Associates, the hotel’s mirrored walls aim to seamlessly blend in and reflect the vibrant colors of its surroundings, exemplifying Kuma’s philosophy that buildings should enrich the connection between architecture and its surrounding landscape.    

“For Hôtel Swexan, we were assigned the task of designing the building’s facades, which for us was like tailoring a suit — precise and crisp in the Swiss approach and relaxed and robust in the Texan spirit — made of local materials,” Kuma explained. “The horizontals and verticals build on the theme found throughout our projects for Harwood, a loose and woven grid…[and the] exterior coat sets the tone and wears through the day with changing light, from morning to dusk and into the evening.”

Inspired by the world’s grandest cities, combined with the founders’ travels and passion for art and design, the hotel’s interior was designed to reflect a blend of their favorite elements and traditions from worldwide cultures and offers one-of-a-kind, bespoke spaces. Derived from a classical 19^th-century Parisian residence-turned-hotel, the interior architectural details feature comfortable yet elegant furniture and intricate, hand-carved stone and wooden fireplaces on every floor. 

On the main level, the grand foyer doubles as a backdrop for unique artworks that will change year-round, with rich leathers, carved millwork walls, plank wood ceilings and wood parquet floors. Bright and colorful Hermès scarves, designed for the founder’s art collection, are displayed throughout the property.  

Designed with timeless European style and Texas warmth, Hôtel Swexan’s 134 guest rooms and suites portray a residential feel, complete with five-fixture baths and floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of the Dallas skyline. 

The hotel offers eight distinct suites: six on the dedicated grand premier suite 19^th floor and two additional suites on the 18^th floor, which can connect to two additional rooms with a private entrance. The Grand Swexan suite combines a rich masculine color palette and antique statement pieces, along with a private sauna; the Moroccan-inspired Imperial Suite features European furniture, natural woven materials and warm wood tones; the District Suite showcases leathers, metals and a centerpiece chandelier made of solid glass whiskey decanters; and the Harwood Suite features high-contrast natural marble and wood details, a dining room, a private sauna and 1.5 bathrooms.  

On the sixth floor is a dedicated, 12,000-square-foot grand event space designed with classic Corinthian details, including floor-to-ceiling, classically-styled white millwork walls, polished marble floors, custom brass chandeliers and antique, hand-carved fireplaces. Featuring two grand ballrooms and three private meeting rooms, all spaces offer high-speed internet and a state-of-art lighting and sound system.  

Hôtel Swexan also offers five culinary concepts to suit a variety of palates, including Stillwell’s, a bold Texas steakhouse that pays homage to Texas legend Hallie Crawford Stillwell. With a lively bar serving inventive cocktails, plush seating and mid-century, jewel-toned and walnut-adorned design, the restaurant exclusively serves Harwood Premium Beef derived from world-renowned, locally raised and ranched Akaushi cattle. On the beverage front, Stillwell’s world-class wine list is curated by Master Sommelier Barbara Werley.   

Additional food and beverage outlets include Isabelle’s, an afternoon tea enclave with a Parisian-inspired patio that transforms into a swanky martini bar after dark; Library at Babou’s and Babou’s, a two-story intimate library that transforms into a vibrant cocktail lounge with DJ sets and eclectic décor; and Pomelo and Leonie, two rooftop spots for international cuisine and drinks exclusively reserved for hotel guests.  

Additionally, the hotel’s eighth floor offers a state-of-the-art fitness center with city views, a cold plunge, separate wet and dry saunas for men and women, cutting-edge technology and a large outdoor green space for outdoor yoga, bootcamps and pilates, and on the 20^th floor, there is a 75-foot-long infinity-edge rooftop pool surrounded by upholstered chaise loungers and VIP cabanas. 

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